TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC

Ireland has a long history of traditional music. It’s also called trad. Let’s look at some Irish traditional instruments.

Bodhrán

This instrument is the heartbeat of trad music for Irish people. It is a large drum. It is made of stretched animal skin. One can play it with a traditional stick. The beat of this drum turns listeners into dancers with ease.

Celtic Harp

It is an instrument that reaches iconic status because it appears on a national flag and Euro coins. Some harpists travelled around Ireland and performed songs for food and a warm bed in the 10th century. The traditional instrument saw some strong competitions as well. In 1792, players competed to be the best player at the Belfast Harp Festival. And today, the ancient Brian Boru harp is in Trinity College in Dublin.

Irish Bouzouki

This one is an adaptation of a Greek instrument and came to Ireland in the 1960s. It is the latest addition to the Irish traditional music arsenal. It looks like a giant mandolin and reached big popularity with Irish folk legend Donal Lunny. It has a rich, bright sound. Bouzoukis are now regulars at many traditional music sessions.