Ireland

Dancing the Jig

Irish music has one of the most distinct cultural sounds. Like many other countries with a strong traditional musical influence, the Irish incorporate dancing along with their music. 

The most well known Irish dance is the jig, which is an upbeat folksy dance. The instrumentals include the flute, fiddle and accordion. From the very beginning of Irish folk music to today, the Irish use pretty much any excuse to dance and play music. This happens most commonly at weddings, holidays, street parades and even small events like someone’s birthday.

Besides the jig, polkas and waltzes are other types of Irish dances. The instrumentals include the guitar and bodhrán, which is a type of drum. 

Other than the lively string-based instrumentals, Irish musicians are also unmistakable by their richly accented vocals. Some of the more purely Irish musicians are The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners, who became known around the 1960s and have since become popular in the US.

In the latter portion of the 1900s, traditional Irish music began making way for Western styles of music including rock and even R&B. The Irish musician Van Morrison is particularly known for incorporating soul and jazz into his music.

It is no secret that the Irish are closely related to drinking and partying at pubs. A popular place for traditional Irish music and dance are pub sessions, which are simply informal gatherings or “parties” at local pubs. One of the pubs most famous for these pub sessions is O’Donoghues in Dublin, which began in the 1960s. 

Irish music has come a long way, but traditional sounds have remained very distinct in Irish songs. Although many recent Irish-American musicians tend toward more modern music, the Irish roots are evident. 

People of Irish descent in both the native country and other countries including America celebrate this part of the culture in music and in dance. 

Flogging Molly

The majority of bands descending from Ireland are English-singing musicians, and one of the most popular Irish-American bands is Flogging Molly.

The seven-member Celtic band actually hails from Los Angeles, but the lead vocalist, Dave King, was born in Dublin. Since forming in 1997, Flogging Molly has released five studio albums and one live album.  

The Irish-punk band has had an extensive career, participating in the Warped Tour, the American Fléadh Festival and has sold over a million records.

Although Flogging Molly’s lyrics are in English, the band utilizes mostly traditional Irish instrumentals. King also has a gruff Irish accent, distinguishing the band from other punk rock bands. 

Most of the band’s music is upbeat and often clamorous, with folksy influences and heavy percussion. Staying true to King’s Celtic roots, the band writes mostly pirate-themed songs such as “Seven Deadly Sins” and “Drunken Lullabies.”

Flogging Molly has been influenced by eighties Irish bands including The Pogues and The Clash, which also have a punk-Irish sound.