Music in the West

Blasket Islands

 

On the most westerly Blasket

                                                      -Seamus Heaney

                                                     

                                                    

I've been to the North and I've seen many historical images, including the tragedies and separation of Belfast. I've gone to the east and visited the sites of Dublin, I took a tour, and my classmates and I presented on the statues and landmarks. I currently live in the South, in the town of Dungarvan, which is quaint and quite picturesque. Finally, I made my trek to the west as far west as I could go and saw MANY amazing sites. From the Cliffs of Moher to the Dingle Peninsula and everything around and in between, the west felt the most expansive. During the trip west I had a very amazing tour guide by the name of Tony, he'd tell us stories, sing us songs, and explain the significance of many things during our adventure. 

In Heaney's poem "The Given Note", the speaker also mentions the west, he speaks of "spirit music". The speaker then goes on to say, "He got this air out of the night" (3). The speaker in Heaney's poem finds a sound in the night or in other words he hears music. The Blasket is the most westerly part of Ireland, it's where the majority of people still speak Irish/Gaelic. The music he's hearing is most likely traditional Irish music which I was lucky enough to hear. Tony, as a said before sang and the songs he sung were Wild Colonial Boy, The Fields of Athenry, and Molly Malone. They are all traditional Irish songs, and they all tell a story. Some of the stories may not be understood by all but they were shared with me and my peers which was an experience in itself and it made my trip that much more memorable.