Whatever about the first list, to compile the second seems merely childish and unproductive.
Anyway, the first counties that come to mind when I think of traditional music would be Clare, Kerry, Cork, Galway, and Sligo
Thanks RockyRoader. I'm not so much looking to disparage 'weaker' counties musical engagement, but to gain a sense of which counties are perceived to be musically strong/musically weak.
I do live in Ireland, and am involved in organising a weekend of music in Monaghan. www.anbhoth.ie
My interest is in how people perceive counties with regards musical heritage, tradition, vitality, 'authenticity'. I'm undertaking a Reserach Masters in music, and merely wish to get 'snap' reactions to 'musically strong/musically weak' perceptions.
Donegal should probably be on this list, poss Tipp also. I live in Limerick, not too sure about Limerick myself altho a lot of Clare and Tip musicians play in Limerick sessions, we are neighbours after all!
Donegal, Clare, Kerry, Galway and Sligo come to my mind - but this is from their association with bits and pieces of information or misinformation that have drifted my way: I've only visited Ireland briefly and a long time ago. Impressions are something like this:
DONEGAL - Clannad, Altan, Johnny Docherty (if I'm right), the O' Dhomhnaill connections - must have quite a bit going for it...
CLARE - Every serious player I knew raved about it as a place to go, 30-odd years ago, so there must be something going for it, especially as players have continued to throng there...
KERRY - with two tune types named after it (Kerry polkas and Kerry slides), again, the county must be onto something...
GALWAY - De Dannan, East Galway fiddlers who compose(d) curious tunes, Irish-speaking stronghold, Galway capital of the West, got to be something there...
SLIGO - Floats into mind because of Coleman and Morrison and the real or supposed Sligo playing style(s); also, Yeatsian mirages. But not sure what's going down there these days (Dervish?). And did C and M develop their styles in Sligo or America? I wouldn't know. Anyway, historic stuff...
Such is my list, derived pretty well from random impressions acquired in the UK since the early 70s. Obviously, those made by long-term ITM-ers resident in Ireland or frequent visitors there will be much more pertinent.
I think this is a really good question actually. It seems to me to be no accident that the first five counties suggested are also counties which remain very close to the Irish language. It's no big surprise that music and the language are linked. If you look at counties which are perceived to be weaker musically, well at first glance they tend to be weaker with the language also. Dublin seems to have less traditional music than other counties. There are brilliant Dublin trad musicians and musical families of course, but less of them relative to other counties. And if you don't know the trad scene in Dublin it's hard to find a real session. Equally, getting the chance to speak Irish outside organised events is hard also.
But that's changing. The counties that are producing really great musicians in recent years seem to be counties where Irish is becoming stronger again like Monaghan and Belfast.
So my top five might still be Donegal, Kerry, Sligo, Clare, Galway but perhaps the newly emerging top five would be Antrim (Belfast), Monaghan, Meath, Cavan, Waterford. And while Dublin would be in my bottom five I really believe it will
move up top soon.
Don't forget Leitrim either with families like the Lennon's (Charlie, Ben, Maurice, also other siblings I can't recall) from Kiltyclogher, the McNamaras and flute player, John Lee from Aughavas along with younger musicians on the contemporary scene such as John McCartin and the highly talented McGovern family from Ballymagovern near Garadice. I'm sure that there's lots more talent from this little, but often forgotten, county so it shouldn't be left out of the equation.
I'd guess that people's perception to this query would be based on things like prominent festivals or prominent trad music families etc. I'd say there's a fair bit of trad everywhere but expecially in rural Ireland if you look around and that includes a lot of the midland and eastern counties which wouldn't have big festivals.
In these days of internet radio streaming, seems to me that a lot of people, especially overseas people who may be planning on visiting Ireland around the music will take a cue from the profile of the music on local radio stations. It seems like a logical thing to do. ClareFM seems to have the highest profile on net radio, and probably has an influence on music tourism to the county I'd say. I've looked around for trad radio from other counties but I can't easily find the programs. So, for me, Clare is the still the one. It's got Shannon airport too, which helps I guess.
At every major fleadhanna and trad festival I am overwhelmed at the amount of (mostly young) very competent musicians wearing Armagh GAA jerseys. So if the criteria is quality and quantity it must be the orchard county.
There is more music happening in Belfast than in Dublin (I live in Dub and take my word there is only a handfull of sessions and top musicians!), these musicians usually play in the regional style of either their parents or mentor but are not from the said region or county.
My questions, are we talking -
County with best quality?
County with most quality?
County of most renown and influence on the music we play?
We all have different tastes in music so all in all this is a stupid question although CCÉ has been dictating which regions we whould be aspiring to emulate (ie anywhere except Ulster!)
Iwerzon - your experience at Fleadhs is in itself an interesting example of the wealth of musical interest/talent in counties that remain out of the limelight for some reason.
Armagh does have a huge community for trad music and yet it mightn't be perceived as being a trad mecca.
When people think of the top counties - Clare, Sligo are often top of the list.
Some counties musical heritage is more visible than others - a road sign in Sligo welcomes you to Coleman's County for example.
Looks like all Irish counties are musical counties. So, the top musical county has to be Donegal and at the bottom is Cork. There may not be any wrong musical counties, but there are a few right ones. And we musn't forget all those that are left.
Top Musical Counties
Top Musical Counties
Out of interest.
What counties would people rate as the top 5 musical counties in Ireland?
And also what counties would people rate as the 5 least musical counties in Ireland?
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by ScoilCheoilnaBotha
Re: Top Musical Counties
Whatever about the first list, to compile the second seems merely childish and unproductive.
Anyway, the first counties that come to mind when I think of traditional music would be Clare, Kerry, Cork, Galway, and Sligo
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by RockyRoader
Re: Top Musical Counties
Thanks RockyRoader. I'm not so much looking to disparage 'weaker' counties musical engagement, but to gain a sense of which counties are perceived to be musically strong/musically weak.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by ScoilCheoilnaBotha
Re: Top Musical Counties
Do you actually live in Ireland? If so... it seems pointless to be making comparisons.
I'm about as far removed as possible... and would love the opportunity to play music there.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by davydd
Re: Top Musical Counties
I do live in Ireland, and am involved in organising a weekend of music in Monaghan. www.anbhoth.ie
My interest is in how people perceive counties with regards musical heritage, tradition, vitality, 'authenticity'. I'm undertaking a Reserach Masters in music, and merely wish to get 'snap' reactions to 'musically strong/musically weak' perceptions.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by ScoilCheoilnaBotha
Re: Top Musical Counties
Donegal should probably be on this list, poss Tipp also. I live in Limerick, not too sure about Limerick myself altho a lot of Clare and Tip musicians play in Limerick sessions, we are neighbours after all!
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by BanjoBongo
Re: Top Musical Counties
Donegal, Clare, Kerry, Galway and Sligo come to my mind - but this is from their association with bits and pieces of information or misinformation that have drifted my way: I've only visited Ireland briefly and a long time ago. Impressions are something like this:
DONEGAL - Clannad, Altan, Johnny Docherty (if I'm right), the O' Dhomhnaill connections - must have quite a bit going for it...
CLARE - Every serious player I knew raved about it as a place to go, 30-odd years ago, so there must be something going for it, especially as players have continued to throng there...
KERRY - with two tune types named after it (Kerry polkas and Kerry slides), again, the county must be onto something...
GALWAY - De Dannan, East Galway fiddlers who compose(d) curious tunes, Irish-speaking stronghold, Galway capital of the West, got to be something there...
SLIGO - Floats into mind because of Coleman and Morrison and the real or supposed Sligo playing style(s); also, Yeatsian mirages. But not sure what's going down there these days (Dervish?). And did C and M develop their styles in Sligo or America? I wouldn't know. Anyway, historic stuff...
Such is my list, derived pretty well from random impressions acquired in the UK since the early 70s. Obviously, those made by long-term ITM-ers resident in Ireland or frequent visitors there will be much more pertinent.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by nicholas
Re: Top Musical Counties
I think this is a really good question actually. It seems to me to be no accident that the first five counties suggested are also counties which remain very close to the Irish language. It's no big surprise that music and the language are linked. If you look at counties which are perceived to be weaker musically, well at first glance they tend to be weaker with the language also. Dublin seems to have less traditional music than other counties. There are brilliant Dublin trad musicians and musical families of course, but less of them relative to other counties. And if you don't know the trad scene in Dublin it's hard to find a real session. Equally, getting the chance to speak Irish outside organised events is hard also.
But that's changing. The counties that are producing really great musicians in recent years seem to be counties where Irish is becoming stronger again like Monaghan and Belfast.
So my top five might still be Donegal, Kerry, Sligo, Clare, Galway but perhaps the newly emerging top five would be Antrim (Belfast), Monaghan, Meath, Cavan, Waterford. And while Dublin would be in my bottom five I really believe it will
move up top soon.
Adh mor oraibh, (good luck)
Gearoid
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by gearoidocuin
Re: Top Musical Counties
Don't forget Leitrim either with families like the Lennon's (Charlie, Ben, Maurice, also other siblings I can't recall) from Kiltyclogher, the McNamaras and flute player, John Lee from Aughavas along with younger musicians on the contemporary scene such as John McCartin and the highly talented McGovern family from Ballymagovern near Garadice. I'm sure that there's lots more talent from this little, but often forgotten, county so it shouldn't be left out of the equation.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by Bannerman
Re: Top Musical Counties
Top of the list would be Antrim.
It seems to be improving elsewhere as I no longer have to go to Donegal (home of C and W) or East Galway to start sessions in various locations.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by bodhran bliss
Re: Top Musical Counties
I'd guess that people's perception to this query would be based on things like prominent festivals or prominent trad music families etc. I'd say there's a fair bit of trad everywhere but expecially in rural Ireland if you look around and that includes a lot of the midland and eastern counties which wouldn't have big festivals.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by the wounded hussar
Re: Top Musical Counties
You beat me to it Bannerman
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by Patkiwi
Re: Top Musical Counties
In these days of internet radio streaming, seems to me that a lot of people, especially overseas people who may be planning on visiting Ireland around the music will take a cue from the profile of the music on local radio stations. It seems like a logical thing to do. ClareFM seems to have the highest profile on net radio, and probably has an influence on music tourism to the county I'd say. I've looked around for trad radio from other counties but I can't easily find the programs. So, for me, Clare is the still the one. It's got Shannon airport too, which helps I guess.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by Skull Duggeraigh Dubh
Re: Top Musical Counties
At every major fleadhanna and trad festival I am overwhelmed at the amount of (mostly young) very competent musicians wearing Armagh GAA jerseys. So if the criteria is quality and quantity it must be the orchard county.
There is more music happening in Belfast than in Dublin (I live in Dub and take my word there is only a handfull of sessions and top musicians!), these musicians usually play in the regional style of either their parents or mentor but are not from the said region or county.
My questions, are we talking -
County with best quality?
County with most quality?
County of most renown and influence on the music we play?
We all have different tastes in music so all in all this is a stupid question although CCÉ has been dictating which regions we whould be aspiring to emulate (ie anywhere except Ulster!)
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by iwerzon
Re: Top Musical Counties
Iwerzon - your experience at Fleadhs is in itself an interesting example of the wealth of musical interest/talent in counties that remain out of the limelight for some reason.
Armagh does have a huge community for trad music and yet it mightn't be perceived as being a trad mecca.
When people think of the top counties - Clare, Sligo are often top of the list.
Some counties musical heritage is more visible than others - a road sign in Sligo welcomes you to Coleman's County for example.
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by ládársaol
Re: Top Musical Counties
What are the top counties for C&W?
In Irish-speaking areas is it -
Less popular than elsewhere,
The same,
More popular?
If so, why?
Is there Irish language C&W?
If not, why not? - surely there ought to be by now!...
# Posted on February 2nd 2009 by nicholas
Re: Top Musical Counties
Cheol Tire
# Posted on February 3rd 2009 by iwerzon
Re: Top Musical Counties
Looks like all Irish counties are musical counties. So, the top musical county has to be Donegal and at the bottom is Cork. There may not be any wrong musical counties, but there are a few right ones. And we musn't forget all those that are left.
# Posted on February 3rd 2009 by Lissagriffin
Re: Top Musical Counties
Definitely MEATH!, dublin, clare, sligo & kerry.
# Posted on February 3rd 2009 by fineflautist
Re: Top Musical Counties
I'm surprised Tyrone hasn't been mentioned.
# Posted on February 5th 2009 by munya beor
Re: Top Musical Counties
Clare is THE County for music.
# Posted on February 6th 2009 by dinn2