Scots-Irish Music of Ulster

Scots-Irish Music

Welcome

This site looks at the instruments, the many forms of music, & some of the musicians, that go to make up the music, referred to today as that of the 'Ulster-Scots', or the 'Scots-Irish' or the 'Scotch-Irish'.

But what is this music? Is it simply Scottish Music played in Ulster by the descendants of Scottish planters? Is it in fact Irish Music that has been heavily influenced by Scottish Music, as in Donegal, & which someone once described as being simply "bad Scottish Music". Or is it something totally unique to those people of Ulster who are descended from the Scots. Music, which not only reflects their historic musical links with Scotland, but which has also been influenced by the Irish Music which is all around, and yet, which retains it's own very individual traits which give it a character all of it's own?

To put you in the picture, this site has not been put together by an Ulsterman with all the answers, but rather by an interested Scotsman, a blow-in, who has an enquiring mind, who is seeking answers to questions. I am no professor who is attempting to gain brownie points with a learned paper on this subject - shucks, I don't even have a 3rd level education. I am simply presenting my observations & findings & leaving the reader to make up their own minds. What I most certainly do not have in mind here is any political agenda, the mission is simply about music, music, music, that's all. So if you are reading politics into any of this, you are on the wrong site!

However, if you are reading this, & are part of the Ulster-Scots, Scots-Irish or Scotch-Irish traditions, I would very much like to hear from you, to learn what this music is for you & means to you.

Incidentally, for the purpose of this site, the term Ulster, refers to the old historic Ulster, that is the nine counties, which have each seen their share of Scottish settlers, over the years.

Mountain Dulcimer

Fifes

Flute

Bodhran & Hammered Dulcimer

Bagpipes

Fifes & Lambegs

Fiddle & Scottish Smallpipes

What is Scots-Irish Music?

If we look first at the 'Irish Music' scene in Ulster, it tends to be focused on the Pub Session scene, where players of a wide variety of different types of instruments regularly come together to share their tunes & play, purely for the sheer fun & joy of playing music.

Compare this then with the 'Scots-Irish' scene where the musicians have, in the past at least, including the Pipers & the Fluters & the Fifers & the Accordion players, tended to meet regularly, but separately, throughout the year & only really come together on the days of marches when, once again, they march together, but separately, each band playing their own music.

Unfortunately this approach has probably resulted in a lack of cross-pollination of melodies, & perhaps not enough in the way of tune sharing although it may have led to a preserving of each elements own store of tunes.

However, with the recent interest across much of Ulster in all things 'Ulster-Scots', these groups of musicians are, coming together more & more often, in social, informal situations like concerts, when musicians are getting more opportunities to hear each other play & perhaps even to play together. This can surely, only be good for the future growth and development of Scots-Irish music.

Once the Scots-Irish community of musicians has learned to really appreciate the benefits of sharing their tunes with their fellow musicians, the Scots-Irish community as a whole may then begin to realise just what a rich, & very diverse, musical heritage they may have.

That knowledge could then, hopefully, help to dispell the inferiority complex which I believe many Ulster-Scots folk feel, when their music is compared to the global popularity which Irish Music enjoys today.

Scots-Irish Music may well be every bit as rich, exciting & as varied as Irish Music itself, but it is down to Ulster-Scots musicians to make the most of their music, & their neighbour's music!

Who plays Scots-Irish Music?

It is played by the Pipe Bands, the Fifers with their Lambeg Drummers, the Flute Bands, the Accordion Bands who all have their own repertoires, and the country Fiddlers & Whistlers, who play whatever they hear, & like.

So, just as Irish Music has absorbed many external musical influences over the years, both instruments & music, including much music from Scotland, so the music of the Scots-Irish musicians has absorbed much from Scottish & English musical traditions, & from Irish Music too.

Many of these musicians have also been adept at composing tunes which are, for them, characteristic of their own unique environment. Take, for example, the many great Fife Tunes that have been written in Co Antrim.

What characteristics of Scots-Irish Music are totally unique?

Well, there are Accordion & Flute Bands in most European countries, Pipe Bands across the World today, more Fife & Drum Bands in America than you would believe, & every country in the World has their own forms of Drum. However, Ulster has the Lambeg which has developed over the years here & is totally unique to Ulster.

Around the Lambeg has grown a fine body of music which was played on a simple, usually home made, Fife. This music is a rich resource which the Scots-Irish are rightly proud of, & which more Pipers, Accordionists & Fiddlers, for example, should be making better use of.

Fife & Drum at the 1st 'Causeway Dulcimer Festival' in Bushmills 2005

The Instruments of the Ulster-Scots

Accordion

Drums

The Fife

Flutes

Mandolin

Fiddle

The Whistle

Smallpipes

G H Bagpipes

Harp

Mountain Dulcimer

Hammered Dulcimer

Banjos

Jews Harp

Bodhran

Harmonica

The Life Blood of Scots-Irish Music - The Musicians.

Accordion

Gospel

Bagpipes

Fife

Traditional Groups

Flute

Musical Links

Ulster-Scots Online

Ulster-Scots Agency

Fife & Drum Board

Galgorm Fife & Drum

Ulster Pipe Bands

Bands Association

Galgorm Parks Fife & Drum

For more specific musical links, please examine the pages of this site.

Musical Ulster Radio Links

Culan

Pipes & Drums

Folk Club

'Ulster-Scots' Links

Ulster-Scots Rhymes

Ulster-Scots Voices

North Antrim Rhymes

Ulster American Folk Park

Schomberg Society

Ulster-Scots Institute

Ullans.com

Causeway Music

Ullans (USRC)

The Plantations

Institute of Ulster-Scots Studies

G Ramsey's USFO study

Border Minority Group

The 'Old Time' Music of Appalachia.

Old Time Music

My name is Dick Glasgow {Ptarmigan} & I hope you enjoyed your visit.

This site is very much a work in progress, as I'm constantly learning more about this music, so when you have finished exploring this site, if you would like to contact me with a comment on what you have read here, please do. Whether you think I have my facts wrong, or you have more useful information which you think would help to make this site more accurate, no matter, either way I'd be delighted to hear from you.

My 'Causeway Music' Site

Scots-Irish Music Forum

E-mail Dick Glasgow