| For many years, Ireland's chief export was | | | | 1876, became universally popular when sung by |
| people. They sailed away from Ireland to seek a | | | | the famous Irish tenor, John Count |
| better life, particularly in the new countries of | | | | McCormack.This probably explains how it became |
| Australia and America, never to return.But the | | | | so closely connected in people's minds with Ireland. |
| unique sound of Irish music traveled with them, | | | | Not for nothing is Ireland called "The Emerald Isle" |
| circled the world and then returned to its Irish | | | | and the frequent rains, sweeping in from the |
| roots, renewed.Music has never been far from | | | | Atlantic Ocean keep the lush pastures the |
| the pulse of Ireland. One of Ireland's most famous | | | | brightest of bright green. So when McCormack |
| musicians was a blind harpist, Turlough O'Carolan. | | | | sung the line, ". . . the fields are fresh and green", |
| He was born in West Meath in 1670 and became | | | | an instant and unbreakable connection was |
| blind when a teenager after contracting | | | | forged.It's not hard to imagine many a cold night |
| smallpox.Fortunately, he was taken under the | | | | on the prairie, echoing to the sound of an Irish |
| wing of a wealthy local woman, who spotted his | | | | fiddle playing a haunting Irish ballad or a jaunty jig, |
| obvious talent for music. He was encouraged to | | | | as the travelers on the Oregon Trail ate their |
| take up composition and one of his melodies | | | | supper after another long, hard day getting just a |
| forms the basis for John Philip Sousa's stirring | | | | bit closer to the promised lands of the far |
| American national anthem, "Stars and Stripes | | | | west.Gradually Irish music was absorbed, mutated |
| Forever". O'Carolan's music is as popular today as | | | | and mixed with the other music influences of jazz, |
| it was in the seventeenth century, and is | | | | blues and Cajun music to form a large part of |
| appreciated by a world wide audience. Every | | | | what we now call country and western |
| August, a ten day festival is held for his many | | | | music.Now, in the 21st Century many forms of |
| fans in County Roscommon.One of the largest | | | | American music exert influence on modern day |
| migrations from Ireland happened in the middle of | | | | Irish music and with singers such as Van Morrison. |
| the nineteenth century, spurred on by massive | | | | His music is a unique blend of American soul, |
| famine, caused by the universal failure of the | | | | rhythm and blues and traditional Celtic |
| potato crop, due to blight. As a consequence, | | | | melodies.Other bands, such as U2, also draw |
| thousands of Irish people left the port of | | | | influences from American country music and have |
| Waterford for a better life in the New World.One | | | | sold over 50 million albums in the USA.Copyright |
| ballad, in particular, is associated in people's minds | | | | 2006 Joseph Donegal and |
| with the longing of the immigrant Irish for their | | | | The-Best-Of-Ireland.comJoseph Donegal has had a |
| homeland across the sea. This song, "I'll take you | | | | life-long interest in his Irish roots and the history |
| home again, Kathleen", composed by Thomas | | | | of Ireland and its people. |
| Westendorf, a music teacher, and published in | | | | |