O'Brien Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music

Irish traditional music enjoys extraordinary worldwide attention today. This book traces its history and development from the hypnotic harp music of Early Ireland to The Lord of the Dance and Riverdance phenomena of the 1990s. It explores the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the role of the music-maker in Penal Ireland, as well as the Great Famine diaspora of the nineteenth century which carried Irish music, song and dance to the four corners of the world. Book jacket.

Dr Gearoid O hAlimhurain PhD, is a historian, anthropologist and authority on the history of Irish traditional music. He lectures at the University of San Francisco. An All-Ireland concertina champion, he performs throughout Europe and North America