Armagh has an astonishing unique and rich musical heritage. It has a great number of musicians and bands who have achieved fame and critical acclaim nationally and internationally.
Music making in Armagh has an unrivalled longevity, diversity, energy and spirit. From the Loughnashade ceremonial bronze age circular horns to our bands playing in diverse musical styles – traditional, folk, Celtic rock, marking pipes & flutes and accordions and Lambeg drums.
Previous generations and the next have benefitted from organisations who thankfully pass on this rich musical tradition. These “keepers of the tradition” of our language, rhyme, song & dance are to be treasured as much as those who organise events and appreciative listeners. Our music occasions were once enjoyed on the kitchen floor through the Ceili house visiting tradition or on special days in sacred places, on hill sides, mountain tops or sacred wells.
Our passion for the Irish language grows as it is the main vehicle that carries these traditions from one generation to the next. The ancient bardic strains and sound of the Druite Rioga at Emain Mhacha has continued down to the present thanks to our rich mix of singers, rhymers, fireside philosophers, craftsmen, and instrument makers.
Remember the time when TV came into our houses, and you could have said that tradition went out the back. Seamus Heaney said of the new toy,
“Luminous screen had them charmed in a ring.”
The TV has been usurped by screens in our pockets but has also allowed us to reach new audiences all over the world.
Here are just some of the organisations in Armagh who continue to keep our musical traditions alive:
The Armagh Rhymers are proud to perform with a range of musicians from the area and regularly partner with other groups for performances and events.
READ MORE about our performers here.
CLICK HERE to book The Armagh Rhymers for your event.