Comhaltas’ family ties are binding

WITH St Patrick’s Day approaching as I write this, I pondered the question: What does it mean to be Irish? And how do we define ourselves in modern society? I’m not a fan of how the Irish are often depicted as leprechaun hat-wearing, beer-slugging, colcannon-scoffing wild rovers who dance jigs and repeat the words ‘Ah to be sure to be sure.’ I’ll blame the Yanks for this unoriginal caricature. For me, it’s a whole myriad of things, and not just having the aul Irish passport either, although I’m altogether ‘ar mhuin na muice’ (on the pig’s back/elated) that I’m the proud owner of such a precious source of identification, not to mention that it’s the most sought-after passport in the world. For me it’s a whole lot more than that.

Convention connections

These past couple of weekends I’ve been submerged in what I believe to be the epitome of Irishness. I had the Comhaltas in Britain Annual Convention (above), which took place in the Conforti Centre in Coatbridge, with much of the focus being on the forthcoming Fleadh in Belfast. This was quickly followed up by the Glasgow Feis in St Columbkille’s, Rutherglen—a weekend of traditional Irish music and singing competitions for children as young as five right up to senior level. So, I’m gonna talk about both of these and how they relate to what I think it means to be Irish.

The Irish word ‘Comhaltas’ (pronounced Coaltis) translates to ‘brotherhood,’ or ‘membership,’ a word that couldn’t be more fitting. The organisation that is Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was founded in Mullingar in 1951 by a small group of Irish trad musicians and Gaelic language advocates whose sole purpose was not only to preserve, but to promote the key elements of Irish culture, the music, the language and the dancing. So there I was, sat among my Comhaltas peers listening to the President, (Uachtarán) Attracta Ní Bhrádaigh speak with such pride and eloquence about this once tiny cultural organisation that has evolved somewhat over the past 75 years and now has 450 branches worldwide, including places like Japan, Dubai, Argentina and Australia; which proves the theory that the ‘Irish are everywhere.’

Attracta spoke about familial connections, the passing of the torch from generation to generation and how the institution has been built on the commitment of family dynasties in Ireland and all around the world. These are the people that have kept—and continue to keep—Comhaltas alive, still steeped in the original vision that was set in place 75 years ago. I glanced around the room at those in attendance. Mairi Campbell is there with her sister Roísin Campbell Reid whose father Rory—alongside the parish priest—Fr Coakley was a founder member of the St James the Great Branch in Pollok. All six of Rory’s children are involved in varying capacities and four of his grandchildren now play too. Rory was also a Gaeilgeoir and was active in Conradh na Gaeilge and the GAA at Pearse Park.

On the topic of Irish speakers, Margaret Gallagher, the Gaeilge officer was in attendance with both her daughters. Theresa is the Provincial Chairperson of Comhaltas Britain, and sister Noreen was there teaching a set dancing workshop for us. Both girls also teach music at St Roch’s secondary school on a Tuesday night. Margaret took it upon herself to learn the language with two friends because all three of their husbands were native speakers. Padraig Gallagher was a Ranafast man. Margaret joked about why she took herself off to Irish classes at the Rosses Association. “I wanted to know what Padraig his friends and neighbours were chatting about,” she said. And so Margaret not only learned the lingo but she has been a Gaeilge tutor since the 1980s.

On the Provincial Council there are three members of the one family, Moira Callaghan, aunt to Paddy Callaghan and his young cousin, youth officer Calum McGregor. Beside me was chairperson of Irish Minstrels branch, Peter Docherty whose daughter Mairi also serves as Youth Officer on the Provincial Council. Vince Jordan from Birmingham is with his daughter Anna Marie, but also has four more at home—Katie, Bernie, John and Liam who are all actively involved with Comhaltas. These family ties are binding, which is evident at the music classes where past students arrive with their children to learn music, just as they did, and grandparents are taking their grandchildren to Irish classes on a Sunday. The institution that is Comhaltas is thriving. I said it before and I’ll say it again, there are two types of people in this world, there’s the Irish, and those that want to be.

Strength of spirit

What I have taken from both the convention and the Glasgow Feis is not just a strong sense of coupling connections; the welding together of tenacious and mighty characters who keep multiple plates spinning within Comhaltas, all whilst holding down full-time jobs and rearing families. But I have also seen with my own eyes, a spirit so alive in people who share common ground and are working to preserve and nurture Irish traditional music, dancing and the Irish language within modern society.

And why do we do it? I’ll tell you why, because we almost lost it all. Because the British authorities in Ireland banned our music, dancing and the language during penal times. From 1695 to the mid-18th century measures were taken to eliminate Irish culture altogether. Everything associated with our identity as ‘Irish’ was stripped away. Teachers were forced to run hedge schools to continue teaching their own native language after it was criminalised and banned from schools, courts and official government buildings.

The British viewed traditional music as a means to incite rebellion and musicians were persecuted because it was closely tied with cultural resistance. Ceili dancing was banned for the same reason. Even storytelling and folklore, myths and legends were banned and replaced with an English narrative. All of it in a bid to control. On January 28, 1603 a proclamation was issued by the Lord President of Munster, the terms of which the Marshal of the Province was strictly charged ‘to exterminate by marshal laws all manner of Bards and Harpers.’ Ten days after said proclamation, Queen Elizabeth I ordered Lord Barrymore ‘to hang the harpers wherever found and destroy their instruments.’

If you are trying to break a nation of people, you don’t just take their land, you take everything else associated with their identity—their stories and songs, their music and dance, their folklore, everything that keeps that coupling with their ancestors and their culture. This was Britain’s goal when they colonised Ireland. They understood that Irish culture is more than just art or entertainment. It is the powerful expression of an identity and a weapon against oppression.

Naturally there was resistance. People danced, gathering behind closed doors or underground away from prying eyes. They adapted, sometimes lilting out a tune and tapping out the rhythm with their feet when they were unable to play their instruments. Hence why we now have lilting and whistling competitions at the feis and fleadhs. In fact whistling appears to be going through some kind of revival at the moment. The whistling competition was incredibly popular this year!

Seventy-five years ago the dream was to pass on our music, our language, our heritage and to ensure its survival and enhancement. That dream is now a reality and a remarkable tribute to the vision of the founder members, or as I now refer to them, the ‘brotherhood.’ For everyone attending the convention, meeting up with other Comhaltas committees from all over the UK and Belfast, eating, dancing, playing music, conversing and planning with them—it was a joy! And that brotherhood, that sense of belonging to a great big musical family is as valued and valid now, 75 years on as it was back then.

L J Sexton, mum of four, returned to university to pursue her passion for the written word. She achieved her Honours Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing and hasn't stopped writing since. Lyn is born of Irish parents and lived in Donegal for eight years. She is also the press officer for Irish Minstrels CCÉ music group based in St Roch’s Secondary School