{"id":14419,"date":"2022-07-19T02:21:31","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T02:21:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.booksofall.com\/ja\/?post_type=product&p=14419"},"modified":"2022-07-19T02:27:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T02:27:45","slug":"wed-music-sweet-to-shake-our-feet-festivals-and-fair-days-in-the-irish-music-tradition","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.booksofall.com\/ja\/wed-music-sweet-to-shake-our-feet-festivals-and-fair-days-in-the-irish-music-tradition\/","title":{"rendered":"‘We\u2019d music sweet to shake our feet’: festivals and fair-days in the Irish music tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"

This guest blog is by Treasa Harkin,\u00a0Irish Traditional Music Archive<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Irish people are often noted for their friendliness and sociability. We relish the opportunity to get together, chat, sing, dance, make music and enjoy ourselves.<\/p>\n

This is not a modern phenomenon but rather one that is deeply rooted in our history. While the Ancient Olympics were taking place in Greece, gatherings such as Aonach Carman in Wexford and Aonach Tailteann in Meath were happening in Ireland. References to annual gatherings can be found throughout the Irish literary tradition.<\/p>\n

\u201cLong ago there was a great fair held on Pollan Green twice a year, the twenty-ninth of June and the tenth of October. The last fair was held there on St Peter and Paul\u2019s Day in the year of 1812. Before that it had been going on for hundreds of years\u2026.From all accounts it must have been the greatest fair, maybe, in the whole north of Ireland. The people gathered from all airts and parts, and the green was black with people and standings and play-actors of all kinds. It was a cattle, horse and sheep fair, but there was great drinking and dancing and singing carried on, too. All the mentioned girls of the three parishes were there, and many a match and wedding was settled at the same fair of Pollan\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The last of the name<\/em>\u00a0(1986)\u00a0\/<\/em>\u00a0Charles McGlinchey<\/p>\n

These \u2018fair-days\u2019 also played an important economic role in rural Ireland. Some of the more famous fair days were Puck Fair in Killorglin, Co. Kerry, which continues to this day, and Donnybrook Fair in Dublin.<\/p>\n

Those living in the rural hinterland would travel to the fair not only to trade but also to meet up with friends and relations. At such events, the voices of ballad sheet sellers would be heard, singing songs about the political and social events of the day.<\/p>\n

At \u201cWind-gap Fair\u201d I witnessed there<\/em>\u00a0All sorts of fun and pleasure<\/em>\u00a0We\u2019d music sweet to shake our feet<\/em>\u00a0And sport beyond all measure<\/em>\u00a0Spoileen, pig\u2019s head and gingerbread<\/em>\u00a0For hungry folk to eat there<\/em>\u00a0With brandy fine, strong ale and wine<\/em>\u00a0And whiskey (sure) to treat there<\/em><\/p>\n

Nice \u201csugarstick\u201d for boys to lick<\/em>\u00a0And tempting cones of honey<\/em>\u00a0With raisins sweet, and chicken-meat<\/em>\u00a0To coax the youngster\u2019s money<\/em>\u00a0All kinds of game, fowls, wild and tame<\/em>\u00a0Fed pampered folk and sinful<\/em>\u00a0While seasoned broth poor people bought<\/em>\u00a0For sixpence they\u2019d a skinful<\/em><\/p>\n

Wool, tow, and flax, with cards in packs<\/em>\u00a0Fine lots of \u201cIrish beavers\u201d<\/em>\u00a0And brogues galore decked with five-score<\/em>\u00a0Of \u201ccrabbit-heads\u201d or \u201cpavers\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Those \u201cup to snuff\u201d may find enough<\/em>\u00a0To suit the proudest nose there<\/em>\u00a0Or smoke and drink until they wink<\/em>\u00a0Then end their spree in blows there<\/em><\/p>\n

On hardware stalls were razors, awls<\/em>\u00a0Knives, forks, tin-cans and kettles<\/em>\u00a0With pans and pots in sorted lots<\/em>\u00a0And various kinds of metals<\/em>\u00a0There tents, two score, were quilted o\u2019er<\/em>\u00a0With blankets, sheets and friezes<\/em>\u00a0While dairy-ware in piles were there<\/em>\u00a0The kind good housewife prizes.<\/em><\/p>\n

There was also a seasonal element to gatherings and the year was punctuated by annual events. One of the most famous of these is the mummers, or Christmas Rhymers, also known as wren-boys or straw-boys.<\/p>\n

Traditionally they appeared on St Stephen\u2019s Day, as the 26th December is known in Ireland, but also on other days throughout the year.<\/p>\n

Traditions varied from parish to parish but there was always an element of music and dance, dressing up and a rhyming chant that told stories of local and political events. The group roamed from house to house, performing at each stop. Mumming is currently enjoying a revival in Ireland.<\/p>\n

Irish traditional music<\/a> continues to serve as a focal point for gatherings.<\/p>\n

Most towns can boast regular informal sessions and the yearly calendar is filled with weekend festivals across the island. Two of the largest Summer festivals are the\u00a0Willie Clancy Summer School<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Fleadh Cheoil na h\u00c9ireann<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Both events feature classes with well-known performers and days and nights of non-stop music, song and dance. The Fleadh also hosts competitions for all age groups. The first Fleadh Cheoil na h\u00c9ireann was held in Monaghan in 1952 and has grown in popularity since then.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"