Literary Representations of Musical Gatherings in the Works of the Irish Revival

Unlike its literary counterpart, the term “music revival” is hardly used to refer to the musical activities of turn-of-the-twentieth-century Ireland. A part of the reason was the strong ideological divide that defined Irish music in two different terms: Irish traditional music and Irish art music. While such conflict of interest energised the field to a certain extent, it led to a critical neglect of the kind of music that belonged to neither of the categories: the popular music. This thesis explores literary representations of vocal music in the Revival period by focusing on the different forms of musical gatherings that were both utilised and advanced by Revivalist institutions in fin-de-siècle Dublin. The aim is to identify the popular in terms of presentation styles and modes of consumption rather than genres. In other words, the emphasis will be placed not so much on music per se but on the performances of music and the space in which music was heard. I will argue that, far from the divisive tactics that characterised the period, music at the turn of the twentieth century was inclusive and the repertoire eclectic. The three writers chosen for this project, James Joyce, Lady Augusta Gregory, and Sean O’Casey all recognised the power of vocal music to transcend boundaries and bridge gaps. The writers explored in their works the ways in which songs can at once underlie, reveal, and overturn cultural assumptions. They all based their understanding of the power of music on their personal experiences, which in turn suggests a lively musical culture that provided them with such opportunities. The culturally charged term “Irish music” should be replaced by the more inclusive concept of “music in Ireland” in order to illuminate the day-to-day musical activities that enlivened this pivotal moment in Irish history.