You can’t stop the music

Irish traditional music is legendary throughout the world for good reason – from the infectious beats of fast-paced tunes to the haunting beauty of sean-nós (unaccompanied) ballads, this is music with a very emotional heart. The two places you’re most likely to experience traditional music in Ireland are at a seisiún and a céilí – and there’s a difference between the two.

A seisiún (trad music session) can be best described as an informal gathering of musicians. Often, it’ll kick off with just one or two instruments but before long, you’ve a whole group of fiddlers, flautists, banjos and bodhráns (drum) playing together to create a phenomenal sound. You’ll find a seisiún in every village, town and city on the island, especially at weekends, and usually in a pub.

A céilí (dance), meanwhile is all about dancing to the music and there’s a huge emphasis on joining in with the locals, so prepare to get on your feet. Céilís can take place at Irish cultural centres or at pubs with larger dancing spaces, such as Vaughan’s in Kilfenora, County Clare. To get to grips with the steps, pop into the Céilí by the Lee at Crane Lane in Cork every Monday night, where you’ll be guided through the basics. It’s great fun.

Places to find

Tig Cóilí Galway

It may have a city location but this lively pub in Galway city’s Latin Quarter has a real country atmosphere. Local and visiting musicians mean there are 14 sessions a week, all year round.

McGann’s Doolin, County Clare

The softly worn wooden interior of this lovely pub in the music hub of Doolin, County Clare, makes the perfect backdrop for impromptu music sessions.

Discover The Bodhran

Listen out for possibly the most famous of all Ireland’s instruments, the bodhrán is a one-sided frame drum, played with a cipín (wooden stick). At a seisiún, you’re also likely to notice a tin whistle (a simple wind instrument) and the fiddle (basically a violin played in a different way). Keep your eyes out, too, for the uilleann pipes, often regarded as the most melodic pipes in the world.

Courtesy of Ireland.com