The Essence of Ireland - A Musical Tribute
One thing we all share is that we are born to a place, and no
matter what nationality a person is, the place where we grow up or live seems
to have a way of marking us. For example, the way of an Irish person is quite
different to that of a German person, or a French person to an English person
and so on. These characteristics are quite distinctive as if the land imbues
us with a resident tune which we cannot help but dance to, often without really
being aware of it. And it doesn't just stop there either, as evidenced by the
great theatre of expression which turns up in local heraldry, tradition, costume,
music and dance - all of which comes together to weave the rich tableau we call
our heritage.
But
the picture this paints can tell even a deeper story. 'Each country has
its traditional music that connects to its heritage, shared values and nature
of the land from which it springs'. note 1
Much can be revealed about the land and its people from its music as, for example,
can be seen in the dual nature of Irish music which expresses itself in either
a 'pixilated' or a 'longing' way. The pixilated nature is found in the silver
quick, bright and intoxicating music which ignites like fire in the jigs, hornpipes
and reels, and which in behaviour expresses itself in a quick wit, the love
of stories and jokes, the readiness to have the 'craic' and the willingness
to be lost to the contagion of it all.
By contrast the 'longing' nature has its home in the evocative slow airs and
songs that have the power to enchant into other worlds and that give rise to
deep unknown feelings which form up like mist, quiet and still over a midnight
lake, touched by hauntings of other things and the sense of great unseen mysteries
in the nearby. It is often in special moments like this where one can be moved
to reflect on the fundamental nature or 'essence' of life, that spring of well-being
which brings home afresh what one holds dear and causes a quiet contemplation
on the qualities, meaning and natural richness of life one would wish to have
and uphold.
It is in relation to this that something quite unusual seems to be happening
in Ireland. In recent times, I have noticed how more and more people are talking
about how the Irish way of life is changing and this has become quite a phenomenon
in the last two years, with similar concerns turning up repeatedly in one conversation
after another. To give a sense of this, here follow some extracts from a recitation
note 2 written in an effort to catch
what is being said:
'Sure it's gone', 'We're losing it', 'Not much left now',
they say of the simple values of yesterday, the spirit and magic of life; laying
the blame on changing times, the rise of the Celtic Tiger and the lure of the
Euro and cent'.
What is it that speaks so - that I should meet it in the home, the workplace,
in the restaurants or the local shop? Whatever it is, it seems to be moving
through people from all walks of life and carries with it the feeling of a rising
disquiet, a concern shadowed by the sense of an unhappy resignation... Is it
the voice of a nation recovering its wisdom after its first and dizzy rush of
money after centuries of none? Or is it the cry of a land speaking out through
its people, urgent for its future and theirs?
And what to think about this, how to respond? For if we say we are losing our
humanity and the essence of life, will we 'become what we think' and so unwittingly
become a self-fulfilling prophecy? It is a matter of some concern - for who
would willingly say yes to a lesser nation?
The
danger of becoming a 'self-fulfilling prophecy' stood out because
in all that was said, not one conversation expressed a hope of things becoming
better in the future. So when we in the Template Foundation, Ireland, decided
to hold a concert in aid of local charity (Teach Tearmainn Women's Refuge
Project in Co. Kildare) it was a great opportunity to respond, and what better
than to dedicate the event towards paying tribute to what we love and wish to
see more of in the ways and essence of this lovely island.
So with this in mind, the concert called 'The Essence of Ireland - A Musical
Celebration' took place in the Moat Theatre, Naas, Co. Kildare on a magical
mid-summer's night in June and it was indeed a rich and atmospheric tribute
to the natural richness and essence of Ireland. With over 23 people volunteering
to play at the concert, it was very inspiring to see how people all over Europe
and not only in Ireland responded to the sentiment of the event. It brought
together in spirited celebration of the 'Irish essence' a rich table of plenty
with fiddlers, flute and whistle players, guitar and mandolin players, a harpist
and a piper, singers and story tellers. This included Irish artists from the
Template Foundation, musicians from the 'World Mosaic of Sound' network coming
from Wales, England, Denmark and Holland along with guest musicians from the
locality, who together delighted the audience with a lively selection of lilting
songs, jigs, reels and hornpipes, haunting favourites such as 'The Lonesome
Boatman', 'My Lagan Love', 'Mná na hEireann', music from other Celtic
countries along with other new and original pieces; and of course in good old
Irish fashion, some jokes, story telling and recitations as well! It was a lovely,
magical and homely night where even those who were not Irish were happy to be
'Irish'.
In its own way, the concert was a small effort towards honouring the nature
and character of a land, its people, its life and its magic, to pay tribute
to what is good with the wish for things to be better in the future and for
those yet to come.
Extract from recitation:
...'Such simple wisdoms though easy to forget, to uphold the best in ourselves,
each other and the land where we live, and to carry that forward leaving behind
the rest. Making space for the future and for that great something new, for
the life that gives back, inspires and uplifts. Sure it's a challenge fit for
a nation and each one of us at that!'
Órla Ní Chéileachair
For more information, contact the Template Foundation, Ireland (Ltd) at Scratham
View, Moone, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Tel. +353 (0) 507 24981. Fax. +353 (0) 45
881 945.
For more information on the World Mosaic of Sound, visit www.worldmosaic.org
note 1 Nick Woodeson, 'World Mosaic of Sound',
Topaz 2/2001. ^
note 2 An oral presentation called the 'The Great Untold Story'
written by the author for 'The Essence of Ireland' concert. ^
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