The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #126460   Message #2836927
Posted By: Howard Jones
12-Feb-10 - 06:20 AM
Thread Name: What is a Céilidh
Subject: RE: What is a Céilidh
Nice stuff. But that's Scottish ceilidh music, and whilst the Scots will no doubt argue that's the proper meaning, as this thread has discussed the word has taken on other meanings in its travels. South of the Border "ceilidh" has more to do with a style of dance and an attitude to dancing and music, rather than a specific repertoire or style of playing. In England, "ceilidh music" might mean this:

Albireo

or this:

Time Bandits

or this:

Token Women

or this:

Tiger Moth

or a host of other types of music and styles of playing.

Across the Atlantic, where the word seems to have taken on yet another meaning, no doubt the music associated with it is different again.

You can only know what "ceilidh" means by understanding the context in which it is being used. This can be confusing!