Music is at the heart of St Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world
Music is at the heart of St Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world
It’s the one day of the year that everyone boasts an Irish connection. They dye their hair green, drink the black stuff and revel in Emerald Isle style.
St Patrick’s Day. It’s celebrated the world over from Germany to Japan. But if you’re chasing the craic, trek to Dublin, London, Boston or New York where they’ve mastered the art.
No surprise that the Americans do it bigger and better than anyone else. New York boasts the largest St Patrick’s Day parade which winds its way through Manhattan past revelling crowds of more than 2 million.
But celebrations closer to home win the prize for longevity. The Irish have marked St Patrick’s religious feast day for over 1,000 years. Every March 17, the anniversary of the saint’s death in the fifth century, Irish families traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate later in the day with singing, dancing, drink and partying.
Nowadays St Patrick’s Day has become a symbol of all things Irish and a celebration of Irish culture – and music takes centre stage.
Most traditional Irish folk music is designed for dancing and it sounds very much the same in the 21stcentury as it would have done two hundred years ago. But Irish music is no longer just about the fiddle and the drum. It has influenced generations of musicians who have used it to create new and exciting fusions as diverse as pop, rock and punk.
It started in the 1960s with major Irish artists such as Van Morrison and Thin Lizzy breaking into the global mainstream market. Then Dana put Ireland on the pop music map when she won Eurovision in 1970. Since then the charts have been bombarded with Irish artists ranging from New Age fusion acts such as Enya and Clannad, pop groups like Westlife and The Corrs and rock stars including U2.
But it is the traditional Irish Songs that will ring out around the world on St Patrick’s Day. The rousing strains of The Irish Rover, the ubiquitous Danny Boy lament and the stirring chorus of The Fields of Athenry will have them dancing in the streets into the wee small hours.
The new album from The Grafton Street Buskers celebrates the best of traditional Irish Music with a very modern twist , to create the perfect party album for St Patricks Day.
Find out why people are raving about the Graftons at http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/irish-stout-100-proof/id510361567 and other online music services now!
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