Irish rebel music

Irish rebel music is a sub genre of Irish folk music, with much the same instrumentation, but with lyrics predominantly concerned with Irish nationalism, and especially the struggle for independence from British rule.

The tradition of rebel music in Ireland dates back many centuries, dealing with historical events such as uprisings, describing the hardships of living under oppressive rule, but also strong sentiments of solidarity, loyalty, determination, as well as praise of valiant heroes.

As well as a deep-rooted sense of tradition, rebel songs have nonetheless remained contemporary, and since 1922, the focus has moved onto the nationalist cause in Northern Ireland, including support for the IRA and Sinn Féin. However, the subject matter is not confined to Irish history, and includes the exploits of the Irish Brigades who fought for both France and Spain, and also those who fought during the American civil war.

Over the years, a number of bands have performed "crossover" music, that is, Irish rebel lyrics and instrumentation mixed with other, more pop styles like hip hop. Bands like Seanchai and the Unity Squad perform hip-hop-influenced music.

Irish rebel music has occasionally gained international attention. The Wolfe Tones' version of "A Nation Once Again" was voted the number one song in the world by BBC World Service listeners in 2002. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/us/features/topten/ The Worlds Top Ten | BBC World Service ] ] Many of the more popular groups recently such as Saoirse, Éire Óg, Athenrye, Shebeen and Pádraig Mór are from Glasgow. The Bog Savages of San Francisco are fronted by an escapee from Belfast's Long Kesh prison who made his break in the September 1983 "Great Escape" by the IRA.

The parody band Ding Dong Denny O'Reilly and the Hairy Bowsies satirize this musical genre with songs such as "The Craic We Had the Day We Died For Ireland".

Music of this genre has often courted controversy with some of this music effectively banned from the airwaves in the Republic of Ireland in the 1980s. More recently, Derek Warfield's music was banned from Aer Lingus flights, after the Ulster Unionist politician Roy Beggs Jnr compared their songs to the speeches of Osama bin Laden. [ [http://www.breakingnews.ie/story.asp?j=65605756&p=656x646z&n=65606516&x=&fs=3 Wolfe Tones pulled from Aer Lingus flights | Ireland | BreakingNews.ie ] ] However, a central tenet of the justification for rebel music from its supporters is that it represents a long-standing tradition of freedom of speech.

Irish rebel bands

Boston's Irish Rebel Band Erin Og
*ADELANTE {Scottish band}
*Athenrye {Scottish band}
*Barleycorn (band)
*Battering Ram
*Black 47
*Blarney Pilgrims
*The Bleeding Irish
*The Bog Savages
*Charlie & the Bhoys {Scottish band}
*Christy Moore {Irish singer}
*The Clancy Brothers {Irish band}
*Clannad {Irish band}
*Derek Warfield
*Éire Óg
*Gary Óg
*Irish Brigade (band)
*Jimmy Carton {Canada}
*Mise Éire
*The Paddywagon Band
*Padraig Mór
*Pangur Bán
*Rebel Hearts
*Saoirse (band)
*Seanchai
*Shebeen {Irish band}
*Slievenamon (band)
*Music of Mark O'Neill
*Spirit of Freedom
*The Unity Squad
*Ten Second March
*The Dubliners {Irish band}
*The Exiles
*The Foggy Dew (band)
*The Wakes - Glasgow Irish Band
*Wilderness 1916 {Irish band}
*Wolfhound (band)
*Wolfe Tones
*The Ravens (Irish band)The Village Folk

Irish rebel songs

*Ambush At Drumnakilly
*Amhrán na bhFiann (Known in English as The Soldiers Song)
*A Nation Once Again
*Arthur McBride
*Auf Wiedersehen to Crossmaglen
*The Ballad of Billy Reid
*Banna Strand (song)
*Belfast Brigade
*Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six
*The Black Watch
*Back Home in Derry
*Blood Stained Bandage
*Bobby Sands MP
*Bold Robert Emmet
*Boys of '98
*Boys of the County Cork
*Boys of the Old Brigade
*Brave Frank Stagg
*Bring Them Home
*British Army (song)
*The Broad Black Brimmer
*Catholic and True
*Come Out Ye Black And Tans
*Connaught Rangers also known as The Drums were beating
*Down by the Glenside (The Bold Fenian Men)
*Crumlin Kangaroos
*Disband the RUC
*Dungannon'57
*Dying Rebel
*Eamonn an Chnuic
*Eamon Wright
*Erin Go Bragh
*Fenian Record Player
*Fenians from Cahirciveen
*Fightin' Men Of Crossmaglen
*The Fields of Athenry
*Foggy Dew
*Follow me up to Carlow
*Four Green Fields
*Free Belfast
*Free The People
*Galtee Mountain Boy
*Gibraltar Three
*Give Ireland Back To The Irish
*Go On Home British Soldiers
*God Save Ireland
*Grace
*Green Fields of France
*H-Block Song
*Helicopter Song
*Hughes Lives On
*I.R.E.L.A.N.D -- Singer: Joan Baez, Lyrics here: [http://www.celtic-lyrics.com/forum/index.php?autocom=tclc&code=lyrics&id=242 Celtic-lyrics.com]
*The Informer (rebel song)
*Irish Citizen Army
*Ireland Divided
*Ireland Unfree
*Ireland United, Gaelic and Free
*Irish Soldier Laddie
*Irish Ways And Irish Laws
*Jackets Green
*James Connolly
*Joe McCann (IRA)
*Joe McDonnell
*Johnson's Motor Car
*Kevin Barry
*Let the People Sing
*Long Kesh
*London's Derry
*Loughgall Martyrs
*Luck Of The Irish
*Maire
*Masters of War
*Meet Me At The Pillar
*Merry Ploughboy
*Michael Collins
*My Little Armalite
*Ned of the Hill
*Nell Flaherty's Drake
*Northern Gaels/Crumlin Jail
*Old Fenian Gun
*On The One Road
*One Shot Paddy
*Only Our Rivers Run Free
*Oró Sé do Bheatha 'Bhaile
*Our Day Will Come
*Pat of Mullingar
*Paddy Public Enemy Number 1
*Padraic Pearse
*The Patriot Game
*Pearse Jordan
*The People's Own MP
*Protestant Men
*Prisoners Anthem
*Provo's Lullaby
*Rebel Hip Hop
*The Rifles of the IRA
*The Rising of the Moon
*Rock on Rockall
*Roddy McCorley
*Roll of Honour
*Salty Dog
*SAM Song
*Say Hello To The Provos
*Sean South of Garryowen
*Séan Larkin
*Sean Treacy
*Skibbereen
*Sniper's Promise
*Song Of The Celts
*South Armagh Sniper
*Streets of New York
*Sweet Carnlough Bay
*Take It Down From The Mast
*Take Me Home To Mayo
*The Ballad of Mairead Farrell
*The Bold Fenian Men
*The Broad Black Brimmer
*The Croppy Boy
*The Decommission Song
*The Great Fenian Ram
*The Impartial Police Force
*The Men Behind The Wire
*The Minstrel Boy
*The Peeler and the Goat
*The Provie Birdie
*The Recruiting Seargent
*The Teddy Bear's Head
*The Valley of Knockanure
*The Volunteer
* The Wind that Shakes the Barley
*Tom Williams
*Tri-Coloured Ribbon
*Wearing of the Green
*West's Awake
*White, Orange and Green
*Women Of Ireland
*Wrap The Green Flag Around Me, Boys
*Whiskey in the Jar

References

* Protest song

Lyrics and guitar chords for the above songshttp://www.martindardis.com/rebelsongs/