Some of the top Celtic music festivals include Celtic Colours (Cape Breton, Canada), Celtic Connections (Scotland, UK), Festival Interceltique de Lorient (Brittany, France), Ortigueira Festival of Celtic World (Galicia, Spain), Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional Music Festival (Ireland) and William Kennedy Piping Festival (Northern Ireland, UK).Ĭwlwm Celtaidd in Wales celebrates the music from Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, Cornwall, Brittany and Wales. IrelandĬeltic Connections, Old-Fruitmarket – Photo by Gaelle Beri The great Celtic music upsurge took place in the 1970s thanks to various influential artists from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany (France), Galicia (Spain) and Wales. In the 1970s, Irish musicians pioneered the use of additional instruments such as the Greek bouzouki, the Spanish guitar, the American banjo and the Italian mandolin, and adapted them to Irish traditional music. What we know as Celtic music today is in reality the traditional music developed relatively recently in several western European Atlantic regions that may have been inhabited by Celtic peoples about 2,000 years ago.Ĭurrent Celtic music is characterized by the use of various forms of bagpipes (likely introduced by the Romans), harps, fiddles, flutes and whistles, accordion and concertina, and frame drums. Historical and archaeological data indicates that the Celts used bronze horns, flutes and bells. It’s difficult to know what the music of the ancient Celts sounded like.
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Irish band The Chieftains, one of the most popular Celtic music acts Irish music remains a massive part of our Vagabond and Driftwood tours.Your Connection to traditional and contemporary World Music, including folk, roots, global music, ethno and crosscultural fusions
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Ruling chieftains employed musicians to compose and perform music at court.įollowing successive English conquests of Ireland, efforts were made to anglicise Irish culture. Until the 16th century, Irish harpists enjoyed a privileged position in Irish Gaelic society. It is often speculated that use of the Irish or Celtic harp originated in Egypt. The Irish harp is the oldest of Irish instruments.
Celtic music instruments skin#
Combinations of pipe, harp, bagpipes and skin drums are still played in Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall (England), Brittany (France) and Galicia (Spain). Interestingly, other Celtic nations in Europe display musical traditions similar to Ireland today. Celtic culture thrived for the longest period in Ireland and other isolated regions, such as Scotland and northwestern France and Spain. Celtic civilisation spread in all directions across Europe.
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The deeper origins of Irish music can be traced back to the Iron Age Celtic era.Ĭelts originated in central Europe around 500BC. Traditional Irish music continues to evolve and thrive by absorbing multiple historical influences.
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Affected by waves of cultural suppression, emigration and other music genres, Irish music expresses much about the national identity. Experiencing live Irish traditional music is a must when you visit Ireland.