Music

Irish music has remained vibrant throughout the 20th century, when many other traditional forms worldwide lost popularity to pop music In spite of emigration, Irish music has kept many of its traditional aspects; indeed, it has itself influenced many forms of music, such as country and roots music in the USA.It has occasionally been modernised and fused with other genres.

Irish traditional music was mainly for dancing at celebrations for weddings, saint's days ..

Irish dance and the music of Ireland are inextricably linked over centuries. An assortment of instruments has provided the music for dancing throughout the centuries. Formerly the bagpipe was the most popular instrument, but today it is more common to find dancers being accompanied by an accordion, a fiddle or a piano.
In 1601 pipers were outlawed by the English authorities and their instruments were destroyed. During the eighteenth century, harpers wandered the roads of Ireland, playing only when they were certain their music would not alert the English authorities.

There are many famous Irish musicians and groups in the traditional, classical, New Age and rock genres. As it would be impossible to name all of them, we'll mention only a few as an example:

The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962 , making them one of the oldest bands that are still performing music presently.

The Dublin City Ramblers is a ballad group which began life in the mid 60's

The Chieftains are a musical group founded in 1963, known for performing and popularizing Irish traditional music

Clannad are a musical group, all members of the same family, which occupies a unique place in the modern musical world.

Enya left Clannad in 1982 and started her solo career.

The Corrs are a Celtic folk-rock and pop rock group. The members of the band are four siblings - three sisters and one brother. The band rose to prominence in the late 1990s.

The Cramberries are an Irish alternative rock band that rose to mainstream popularity in the 1990s. Since 2003 the members have all pursued solo careers.

U2 are a rock band from Dublin, became one of the most popular rock & roll bands of the '80s.