Irish traditional music sessions are mostly informal gatherings at which people play

Irish traditional music Irish traditional music (also known as Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. In ''A History of Irish Music'' (1905), W. H. Grattan Flood wrote that, in Gaelic Ireland, there w ...

. The

Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...

word for "session" is ''seisiún''. This article discusses tune-playing, although "session" can also refer to a singing session or a mixed session (tunes and songs). Barry Foy's ''Field Guide to the Irish Music Session'' defines a session as:

''...a gathering of Irish traditional musicians for the purpose of celebrating their common interest in the music by playing it together in a relaxed, informal setting, while in the process generally beefing up the mystical cultural mantra that hums along uninterruptedly beneath all manifestations of Irishness worldwide.''

Social and cultural aspects

The general session scheme is that someone starts a tune, and those who know it join in. Good session etiquette requires not playing if one does not know the tune (or at least quietly playing an

accompaniment Accompaniment is the musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in different genres and styles ...

part) and waiting until a tune one knows comes along. In an "open" session, anyone who is able to play Irish music is welcome. Most often there are more-or-less recognized session leaders; sometimes there are no leaders. At times a song will be sung or a slow air played by a single musician between sets.

Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin (born 28 May 1955) is an Irish ethnomusicologist, author, musician and historian specialising in Irish music, diaspora, cultural and memory studies. Profile Born in Ennis, County Clare, Ó hAllmhuráin was a former mem ...

: ''Pocket Guide to Irish Traditional Music'', Third Edition, O'Brien Press Ltd., , p. 188f

Locations and times

Sessions are usually held in

public house A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

s or

tavern A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that h ...

s. A pub owner might have one or two musicians paid to come regularly in order for the session to have a base.Fintan Vallely (Editor): ''Companion to Irish Traditional Music'' Second Edition, Cork University Press, , p. 610f These musicians can perform during any gaps during the day or evening when no other performers are there and wish to play. Sunday afternoons and weekday nights (especially Tuesday and Wednesday) are common times for sessions to be scheduled, on the theory that these are the least likely times for dances and concerts to be held, and therefore the times that professional musicians will be most able to show up. Sessions can be held in homes or at various public places in addition to pubs; often at a festival sessions will be got together in the beer tent or in the vendor's booth of a music-loving craftsperson or dealer. When a particularly large musical event "takes over" an entire village, spontaneous sessions may erupt on the street corners. Sessions may also take place occasionally at

wake Wake or The Wake may refer to: Culture *Wake (ceremony), a ritual which takes place during some funeral ceremonies *Wakes week, an English holiday tradition * Parish Wake, another name of the Welsh ', the fairs held on the local parish's patron s ...

s. House sessions are not as common now as they were in the past. This can be seen in the book ''

Peig Máiréad "Peig" Sayers (; 29 March 18738 December 1958) was an Irish author and seanchaí ( or – plural: ) born in Dún Chaoin, County Kerry, Ireland. Seán Ó Súilleabháin, the former Chief archivist for the Irish Folklore Commission, des ...

'' by Peig Sayers. In the early stages of the book when Peig was young they often went to sessions at peoples houses in a practice called 'bothántiocht'.Sayers, Peig. ''Peig''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irish Traditional Music Session Irish music Food- and drink-related events Irish culture Beer culture Nightlife Music events

Social and cultural aspects

Locations and times

See also

References