sin é an reggae

Shane McGowan once  maintained in an interview in Record Collector that
“There are a lot of musical connections between Irish music and reggae. A few old Irish tunes are very close to reggae rhythms, and there's a huge Irish influence in the Caribbean”

Maybe this is what helped many irish emigrants to be down with the West Indian sound. In his seminal work on the history of reggae "Bass Culture –when reggae was king", Dennis Bradley talks about the early blues dances (called after the gramophone not the music) in West London in the late 50s and how the only others to attend these illegal events along with the Jamaicans were the irish. In fact most of the venues they were held in became known as shebeens.

Tom Vague in “Getting it straight in Notting Hill Gate” outlines that when the British fascist Oswald Mosely ran for election in 1959, he addressed a meeting in Ladbroke Grove where
“he provided people with instant solutions; scapegoating theblacks and Irish, telling people that it was their fault that we had poor housing…”.
this didn't stop Mosely finishing last in the ensuing election.

However, Irish traditional music and reggae do not have a huge shared history on record. From the irish trad side of things Sharon Shannon had one album Out the Gap which included reggae musician Dennis Bovell. Not strictly on a traditional tip but Belfast band Breag have been recording reggae for over a decade now as gaeilge. They are part of a small but loyal reggae scene here- in the last month there is even an album of dub brought out by a Tralee bassist James Kennedy. More recently Sinead O Connor followed up her album of traditional irish material with well received album of roots classics with Sly and Robbie on musician ship duties. Limerick comedian Jon Kennys back in the 80s recorded a comic reggae version of ‘Spancil Hill’ which charted in Ireland. Some Irish traditional songs have also got the reggae treatment from Jamaican artists (fill me in on anything I’m missing via the comments section below)

As Irish cities go Cork once again will claim to be the reggae capital and for once it is a title well deserved. Back in the 80s the presence of Man Ezeke, on pirate ERI with a weekly show of reggae and calypso was an influence. Groups like Belsonic Sound incorporated reggae and venues like the Donkeys ears and Issac Bells all had big reggae nights. The Friday night dub sessions in the former were legendary as were some of the special once offs in Sir Henrys. In recent years Revelation sound and bellyman have kept the reggae flag flying. The latter has his own record shop roots records in Kinsale!

In the history of cork reggae however I think it is unlikely that anyone could have predicted the clash of cultures that occurred when eek a mouse visited last month. Visiting the Sin E, to celebrate his 50th birthday Eek a Mouse joined in on a traditional session that was going on. Thankfully someone taped it. More details here on blood and fire board.

At the time of writing after hundreds of downloads it has been removed however we have it up here for a limited time. Enjoy.  Thanks to Mick and Alphabet Set Collective.

Shane

Comments

[Mike]

anyone who thought Sinead O connor album wasn't getting respect check this from Burning spear website
http://burningspearmessage.blogspot.com/

"I would also like to give a special Big Up to Sinead O'Connor for embracing roots music. This is a very brave woman to go on stage to sing Burning Spear and other roots music. Sinead has done something that no Jamaican artist has done. She remember Burning Spear music. Respect Sinead for making Our Music Everyone Music."

[Eoin]

Interesting discussion going on here on other Irish trad crossovers with reggae

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/8547/comments

[dub]

Interesting piece - The Dubs at dub.com agree!

[droid]

The Irish/Jamaican link is an interesting and enduring one - from the thousands of indentured Irish slaves brought to Jamaica to work the plantations, to the 'Black Irish' alcohol free 'pioneers', who emigrated en-masse at the end of the 19th century... even today words like 'Gansai' and 'leaba' are still part of Jamaicas extensive lexicon...

[billyjam]

hey thanks for putting in the link to the radio show I do on WFMU......and check out tom;s show when I will be playing (alongside all the classic and new house.hip hop) some classic Christy Moore (Prosperous.Planxty)...peace BillyJam

[dub.com]

It's interesting that the Jamaican "Patois" and Hiberno-English choose along the same lines of derivatives and pejoratives. Though Terry Ganzie's singing leaves a lot to be desired. Ting a Gwan. "Its idiomatic fool!" - ha ha - wish i'd know that in Dublin.. apologizing for me "Deese Dats Dis dems and dose."

BillyJam! Respect from the paddy reggae crew on the other side of the bay - dub.com - come hear the roots.. and the future - Friday 27th Jan RootsFuture @ sublounge.

[lala]

just to say TA!
i was looking for that mp3 ...

http://railtonroad.com/6109

[SilverDread]

Greetings
I came here to look for some Irish reggae tunes for my radio show tomorrow night ( I did my share of Eire tunes at shool today, where I teach English).
But I remember in 1989 I went to Finsbury Park in London for an Irish festival and Benjamin Zapheniah took the stage and said to the little surprised crowd - " I am more Irish than British" and since then the link between reggae and jigs and reels was confirmed for me and being the only dread amongst the crowd in Finsbury Park was openly justified :)

Still if anyone could help me with getting some tunes I could play at my show, I'd be grateful and will happily "trade" some Polish reggae instead ?

Bless,

SilverDread

[Brigadier JC]

Contact me by email, I'll give you a hand.

JC

[email protected]

[avaleigh]

Jamaica embraces white singer. Download free music at avaleigh.co.uk

[ava]

Hey the Currently hottest reggae artist Ava Leigh who is singing on the new Mas Que Nada advert has released her first single which is Available on I Tunes. Or check out Avaleigh.co.uk

[Irish Music]

There is also a stark influence from Middle Eastern culture in Irish music.
An old man singing Sean Nos in a pub Galway could easily be mistaken for a muslem singing a morning prayer.

Mr. Bacon And Cabbage...

[Shane]

Interesting Bob quinn explored this a lot in the Atlantean trilolgy and the book of the same name. Think his ideas make some sense in particular about the artificial construct of the celtic identity
http://url.ie/lxh

[Irieman]

hey.. u guys from limerick? is there any reggae place to go? need some advice couse comming there next month for some time..

[Shane]

Roots factory in the underground returns on January 31st for it's monthly nights. I emailed you all the details of the other bits and pieces as well.

[Sam]

Apparently the first place in Ireland to play reggae music was a little disco on Mary Street in Dublin called 'Mothers' c.1974/5

Trying to do a little bit of research into the history of reggae in Ireland at the moment.

[Colm1]

More Celtic Reggae connections. Ri Ra from Scary Eire has recorded stuff with Adrian Sherwood's On U Sound. And I remember the late, great Tom MacManamon, banjo player with the Popes, recording for one of Skip MacDonalds Little Axe albums.

[MrModnick]

Рад Встрече!

[Beltkwrtvo]

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