M
I N N E S O T A P U B L I C R A
D I O P R E S E N T S Made
possible in part by ireland.com
Sounds Irish, the classical way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Showcasing the best and brightest of Ireland's vibrant classical music scene, this transatlantic celebration of Irish culture and music airs nationwide in time for the holiday. Check your local public radio classical music station for airdates and times. Sounds Irish is produced in association with Lyric fm, Ireland's national classical music and arts radio station, who will also air the program in Ireland on St. Patrick's Day. The
Program
Every school child in the Republic of Ireland takes compulsory Irish classes for 12 years. It's the first official language of the modern Irish nation. A recent census found that 41% of the country's population knows some Irish (a few words, or the "cúpla focal") and 10% speak it fluently. Some scholars believe it's been spoken on the island since about 300 B.C. It has a rich history of literature and song, and has enjoyed a revival in modern times thanks to figures like literary scholar Douglas Hyde, the modern nation's first president, and the playwright John Millington Synge. Its influence is strongly evident on the way English is spoken in Ireland today. The singer Caitríona O'Leary, one of my guests on Sounds Irish, said that her family used to earn 5 pounds a month when she studied her Irish as a young child. She's mastered it beautifully, as you'll hear on the program, and she demonstrates how musical a language it is. Many of my former colleagues at Lyric fm are fluent Irish speakers, including Maíre Nic Gearailt the presenter of Lyric Notes each weekday morning. Listen to her mellifluous voice with some of the great old wit and wisdom in a few of Ireland's proverbs as Gaelige. To listen to more of the Irish language, tune in online to Radió na Gaeltachta.
Produced by Minnesota Public Radio Distributed by Public Radio International |
MPR Home | News | Music Collection | Events | Radio Listening | Your Voice | About Us | Support Us | Help ©2005 Minnesota Public Radio | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy |