IrelandThe history of Irish music has been influenced by political fluctuations within the country. Traditional music is passed down from generation to generation. Today, Irish music is a living tradition with variations from many musicians. Irish folk music is the music and song of the national heritage. Although it's not just traditional Irish music, it also includes folk, rock, punk and other genres of music in Ireland. Irish music is so important to our culture because Irish songs tell a story through songs and make them more appealing to listeners.3 Some poplar instruments in Ireland are the harp, flute, tin whistle, fiddle , the uilleann pipes and the bodhrán (Irish drum). ).1The most popular musical instrument in Ireland is the harp. The harp, an ancient folk instrument, produces a beautiful and delicate sound when played. Harps are popular all over the world and relate to Ireland's ancient history and folk tales of mystical stories. Today, harps are not an uncommon instrument in Ireland as they are the national symbol. The Irish harp can create various sounds such as romantic, dramatic or delighted ambiance. The harp is also a popular instrument played at weddings and funerals and is the pride of many Irish hearts.2 The Irish flute produces high notes and has been an integral part of Irish music for centuries. Flutes were originally made from bone. People simply dug holes in the bones to produce the different sounds of the notes. The standard classical flute dates back to the 19th century. Classical flutes were first used to play traditional Irish music.5 The Irish prefer to use the older wooden flutes because of the softer sound they produce. The types of flutes used today are those with a middle of paper...... harp, violin and flute were instruments I was familiar with and I recently discovered uilleann flutes in my comparative non-western music lessons of cultures not so long ago. I had never heard of uilleann or highland pipes before class. I had never heard of the bodhrán before, so the research was helpful in getting enough information about this instrument. Irish instruments are played popularly around the world. Music has always played an important role in Irish culture and continues to do so today.1Works Cited Page1) “Music Culture in Ireland”. Your Irish. 2012. Internet. April 21, 2014.2) “Traditional Irish musical instruments”. Your Irish. 2012. Internet. April 21, 2014.3) “Irish culture, music”. Visit Ireland. Internet. April 21, 2014.4) “The Irish Tin Whistle”. Vocational school. May 12, 2011. the web. April 21, 2014.5) “The Irish wooden flute”. Vocational school. November 26, 2011. The web. April 21, 2014.