FROM BRIAN BORÚ TO BALLADS

A twenty strong National delegation will attend this year’s Milwaukee Irish fest bringing with them many of the artefacts, exhibits and workshops that were part of the All Ireland Brian Ború millennium in April 2014.

Look out for a special hedge school where Seán Laffey will pose the question “Songs on CD’s. Are we losing our way? Is there a place for heroes in songs anymore” His thesis runs as follows; over the past 20 years songs have been an addendum or an afterthought on many traditional Irish albums, in part due to the reaction against the ballad boom of the 1970’s, partly due to a reluctance to tackle overtly political songs and a perception that Irish songs have to compete with populist songs for airplay. With the re–emergence of the acoustic song in popular culture, the time is ripe for a re-evaluation of songs in commercial Irish music.

Food for thought, answers to the usual address.