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