Page 197 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2023. Glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo ▪︎ Music societies in the long 19th century: Between amateur and professional culture. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 6
P. 197
music societies in ireland during the nineteenth century
areas in which Irish was spoken – apart from everything else it was also re-
garded as wiping out much of the indigenous culture (such as traditional
music) together with many of the Irish speakers.
The Gaelic Revival
In the 1890s Irish society experienced the Gaelic Revival, a conscious at-
tempt to revive the old Irish culture. It focused on three areas: a revival of
the Irish language, an introduction of Irish sports (Irish football, hurling
and camogie) and Irish traditional music. Many nationwide and local asso-
ciations were founded to support these goals, while competitions and festi-
vals were also organised.4
War of Independence and Civil War.
750 years of British rule in Ireland (or at least most of it) finally came to an
end in the early twentieth century. Triggered by the Easter Rising of 1916,
the War of Independence from 1919 to 1921 led to the partition of Ireland
and the creation of Northern Ireland, which remained part of the British
crown while the rest of the country became the Irish Free State. Many of
the participants in the War of Independence did not accept the resulting
treaty (particularly the requirement to swear an oath to the British king)
so that an internal Civil War ensued (1922–23). It was, however, won by the
supporters of the treaty. While for the rest of the world the First World War
and the Treaty of Versailles marked the end of the long nineteenth century,
for Ireland it was the foundation of the Free State and the end of the Civil
War that marked the end of its equivalent period.
The Structure and Operations of Irish Music Societies
Music societies in Ireland differed from those in most continental Europe-
an countries in that they had to operate in the total absence of any profes-
sional orchestra or permanent opera house on the entire island. All public
and private concerts (apart from music associated with the churches) were
organised and presented by them. This explains why many of them – not
a majority yet probably more than in other countries – focused on instru-
mental music, or at least a combination of vocal and instrumental music.
4 Timothy G. McMahon, Grand Opportunity: The Gaelic Revival and Irish Society,
1893–1910 (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2008).
195
areas in which Irish was spoken – apart from everything else it was also re-
garded as wiping out much of the indigenous culture (such as traditional
music) together with many of the Irish speakers.
The Gaelic Revival
In the 1890s Irish society experienced the Gaelic Revival, a conscious at-
tempt to revive the old Irish culture. It focused on three areas: a revival of
the Irish language, an introduction of Irish sports (Irish football, hurling
and camogie) and Irish traditional music. Many nationwide and local asso-
ciations were founded to support these goals, while competitions and festi-
vals were also organised.4
War of Independence and Civil War.
750 years of British rule in Ireland (or at least most of it) finally came to an
end in the early twentieth century. Triggered by the Easter Rising of 1916,
the War of Independence from 1919 to 1921 led to the partition of Ireland
and the creation of Northern Ireland, which remained part of the British
crown while the rest of the country became the Irish Free State. Many of
the participants in the War of Independence did not accept the resulting
treaty (particularly the requirement to swear an oath to the British king)
so that an internal Civil War ensued (1922–23). It was, however, won by the
supporters of the treaty. While for the rest of the world the First World War
and the Treaty of Versailles marked the end of the long nineteenth century,
for Ireland it was the foundation of the Free State and the end of the Civil
War that marked the end of its equivalent period.
The Structure and Operations of Irish Music Societies
Music societies in Ireland differed from those in most continental Europe-
an countries in that they had to operate in the total absence of any profes-
sional orchestra or permanent opera house on the entire island. All public
and private concerts (apart from music associated with the churches) were
organised and presented by them. This explains why many of them – not
a majority yet probably more than in other countries – focused on instru-
mental music, or at least a combination of vocal and instrumental music.
4 Timothy G. McMahon, Grand Opportunity: The Gaelic Revival and Irish Society,
1893–1910 (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2008).
195
