Best books on Irish music?

Subject: Best books on Irish music?
From: Thompson
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 04:11 AM

What would you say are the best five books on Irish music - preferably current, but also of-all-time?

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 05:12 AM

Don't read books about Irish music. Find a good session and play it.

That's from experience. I once got a book about the Chieftains. The first bit was interesting, but once they got famous it was just name dropping. I couldn't care less about how many celebs booked them for private parties.

Well, actually, just ONE book (that's all it took, yeah, just one book... there's a song in there somewhere). Last Night's Fun by Ciaran Carson - and there's a cross- cultural name for you.

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: Thompson
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 05:15 AM

It's for a gift, not for moi.

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 05:41 AM

You'll only get it second hand.

But seriously, it's the only book on sessions that comes within a billion miles of fact. Even though it's as much about food and smoking as music.

If it's song your lucky recipient is interested in, Paddy Tunney's "The Stone Fiddle" is a good buy.

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: Thompson
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 05:54 AM

Thanks very much, PMB; LNF is on hold for me in a bookshop, and I'll see if they have The Stone Fiddle too when I get there.

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 05:55 AM

I second Last Night's Fun (which is also the name of a great tune!). I gave away all my tune books many years ago.

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: Thompson
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 06:01 AM

Hope the recipient likes them; a Claire Keegan book was regarded as meh…

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 07:19 AM

There's a bit more to Irish music than 'sessions' and there a library of good books available, depending on the angle you want to take. Last night's fun, nice as it is, is a bit of a cliche recommendation on internet forums these days.

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 07:37 AM

Maybe true, Peter, but if you don't like it, or don't think much of sessions, suggest something better. As for cliches, I don't do much social media. I just suggested a book I enjoyed nearly 30 years ago.

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: Thompson
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 09:12 AM

Right, I've got Last Night's Fun, and The Stone Fiddle is on its way from Charlie Byrnes; others, by the way, have recommended Martin Hayes' autobiography, Shared Notes.

Subject: RE: Best books on Irish music?
From: gillymor
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 12:18 PM

A few that I've enjoyed-

The Humours of Planxty by Leagues O'toole, an admiring look at the history of the band with interviews of it's members.

In Search of the Craic: One Man's Pub Crawl Through Ireland by Colin Irwin. Fun and informative.

And the most invaluable book I've found for instruction, Celtic Back-Up for all Instruments by Chris Smith. It helped me with theory and got me started with playing counterpoint to Irish and other kinds of traditional music. Lots of good Irish tunes along with interesting but appropriate chords, as well.