Western Music and Irish Tradition: An Applied Ethnomusicological Study of Musical Identity and Cultural Transformation in Ireland (19th–20th Century)

Abstract

Reframing traditional Irish music through an interdisciplinary lens, this study investigates its function within the cultural and identity transformations of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Ireland. The research aims to elucidate how musical traditions contributed to the formation of cultural nationalism and the reconstruction of collective memory during a period marked by colonization, modernization, and globalization. The scope of the study extends beyond Ireland’s borders to examine the role of diaspora communities and international festivals in transmitting and redefining Irish traditional music within global cultural networks. Methodologically, it employs qualitative, comparative, and content-based approaches, supported by institutional case studies such as Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, archival resources, and statistical migration data. The theoretical framework draws upon the ethnomusicological insights of John Blacking and Frank Harrison, emphasizing the socio-cultural construction of musical meaning. The findings reveal that Irish traditional music—far from being a static heritage—has functioned as a dynamic medium of resistance, identity expression, and cultural continuity. Moreover, its international dissemination demonstrates how vernacular musical traditions can adapt to global contexts while maintaining their indigenous roots. By integrating perspectives from musicology, anthropology, and cultural history, this article underscores the necessity of recognizing traditional Irish music as a vital site of cultural negotiation and interdisciplinary inquiry, urging broader engagement with non-Anglophone perspectives within ethnomusicological scholarship.

Keywords

• Applied Ethnomusicology
• Irish Folk Music
• Musical Identity
• Cultural Nationalism
• Globalisation of Music Traditions

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