Irish rebel music

Irish rebel music is a subgenre of Irish folk music, with much the same instrumentation, but with lyrics predominantly concerned with Irish republicanism and nationalism.

History
The tradition of rebel music in Ireland dates back many centuries, dealing with historical events such as uprisings, describing the hardships of living under oppressive British rule, but also strong sentiments of solidarity, loyalty, determination, as well as praise of valiant heroes.

As well as a deep-rooted sense of tradition, rebel songs have nonetheless remained contemporary, and since 1922, the focus has moved onto the nationalist cause in Northern Ireland, including support for the IRA and Sinn Féin. However, the subject matter is not confined to Irish history, and includes the exploits of the Irish Brigades who fought for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War, and also those who fought during the American Civil War.

Over the years, a number of bands have performed "crossover" music, that is, Irish rebel lyrics and instrumentation mixed with other, more pop styles. Damien Dempsey is known for his pop-influenced rebel ballads and bands like Seanchai and the Unity Squad and Beltaine's Fire combine Rebel music with Political hip hop and other genres.

Contemporary music
Irish rebel music has occasionally gained international attention. The Wolfe Tones' version of A Nation Once Again was voted the number one song in the world by BBC World Service listeners in 2002. Many of the more popular groups recently such as Saoirse, Éire Óg, Athenrye, Shebeen,Glasnevin Mise Éire and Pádraig Mór are from Glasgow. The Bog Savages of San Francisco are fronted by an escapee from Belfast's Long Kesh prison who made his break in the September 1983 "Great Escape" by the IRA. More recently the 2014 release of Ballymun-based rock band WOUNDS, and their first LP 'Die Young'.

Music of this genre has often courted controversy with some of this music effectively banned from the airwaves in the Republic of Ireland in the 1980s. More recently, Derek Warfield's music was banned from Aer Lingus flights, after the Ulster Unionist politician Roy Beggs Jnr compared his songs to the speeches of Osama bin Laden. However, a central tenet of the justification for rebel music from its supporters is that it represents a long-standing tradition of freedom of speech.

List of notable artists

 * Athenrye
 * Blackthorn
 * The Bogside Volunteers
 * Bik mcFarlane
 * Brigid Corey
 * Charlie and the Bhoys
 * Clubmen
 * David Kincaid
 * Dan Hannon
 * Declan Hunt
 * Dermot O'Brien
 * Christy Moore
 * The Clancy Brothers
 * Derek Warfield
 * Eugene McEldowney
 * John Close
 * The Irish Brigade
 * Owen McDonagh
 * Paddy's Dream
 * Seanchai & the Unity Squad
 * Shebeen
 * Tuan
 * The Dubliners
 * Young Dubliners
 * Wolfe Tones
 * Wolfhound

List of notable songs

 * A Boy Called Williams
 * Arbour Hill
 * Belfast Brigade
 * Back Home in Derry
 * Boys of Kilmichael
 * Broad Black Brimmer
 * Connolly Was There
 * Come All You Warriors
 * Come Out Ye Black And Tans
 * Connaught Rangers (aka The Drums Were Beating)
 * Erin Go Bragh
 * Fergal O'Hanlon
 * Follow me up to Carlow
 * Give Ireland Back To The Irish
 * God Save Ireland
 * Go on home, British soldiers
 * Grave of Wolfe Tone
 * Hurrah for the Volunteers
 * Irish Citizen Army
 * Irish Volunteers
 * Johnston's Motor Car
 * Join the British Army
 * Lay Him Away On the Hillside
 * My Little Armalite
 * Maurice O'Neill
 * Northern Gaels/Crumlin Jail
 * Old Howth Gun
 * Old Fenian Gun
 * Ole'
 * Oró Sé do Bheatha 'Bhaile
 * Rebel Hearts
 * Rockall
 * Roll of Honour
 * Signal Fires
 * Some Say the Devil is Dead
 * Soldiers of '22
 * Teddy Bear's Head
 * The Bold Fenian Men
 * The Great Fenian Ram
 * The Broad Black Brimmer
 * The Helicopter Song
 * The Men Behind the Wire
 * The Minstrel Boy
 * The Peeler and the Goat
 * The Rifles of the IRA
 * Tiocfaidh ár lá (aka SAM song))
 * You'll Never Beat the Irish
 * The West's Awake

Ballads

 * 3rd West Cork Brigade
 * Ambush At Drumnakilly
 * Amhrán na bhFiann (aka The Soldier's Song) - The Irish National Anthem
 * A Nation Once Again
 * Banna Strand (aka Lonely Banna Strand)
 * Boolavogue
 * Down by the Glenside (The Bold Fenian Men)
 * Dunlavin Green
 * Dying Rebel
 * Éamonn an Chnoic (aka Ned of the Hill)
 * The Foggy Dew (Irish ballad)
 * Four Green Fields
 * Gerard Casey
 * Ireland Unfree
 * Joe McDonnell
 * Kevin Barry
 * Only Our Rivers Run Free
 * Pearse Jordan
 * Sean South
 * Seán Treacy
 * Skibbereen
 * Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six
 * The Ballad of Mairead Farrell
 * Take It Down from the Mast
 * Ballad of Mairead Farrell
 * The Boys of the Old Brigade
 * The Boys of Wexford
 * The Croppy Boy
 * The Fields of Athenry
 * The Patriot Game
 * The People's Own MP
 * The Rising of the Moon
 * The Town I Loved So Well
 * The Valley of Knockanure
 * The Wearing of the Green
 * The Wind that Shakes the Barley
 * There Were Roses
 * Tom Williams
 * Tone's Grave (aka Bodenstown Churchyard)
 * Women of Ireland (aka Mná na h-Éireann)
 * Pat of Mullingar
 * James Connolly
 * Arthur McBride
 * Young Roddy McCorley
 * Martin Hurson
 * The Boy From Tamlaghtduff

Sunday Bloody Sunday
U2's 1983 hit, "Sunday Bloody Sunday", contrary to popular belief, is "not a rebel song" as lead singer Bono would say during their War Tour before they played the song. Its lyrics describe the horror felt by an observer of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, mainly focusing on the Bloody Sunday incident in Derry where British troops killed 14 innocent civil rights marchers. The song suggests, not that Northern Ireland should become its own state, or that the British continue to rule, but that they should find a solution to the dispute without violence.

In response, Sinéad O'Connor released a song with the title of 'This is a Rebel Song' as she explains in her live album How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?.