Irish Music in the Fifteenth Century

*Irish Music in the Fifteenth Century*
*From A History of Irish Music by William H. Grattan Flood*
http://www.libraryireland.com/IrishMusic/IX.php

Note: In 1376 was passed the Statutes of Kilkenny which was designed
to remove the influence of Irish language and customs on the English
people resident in Ireland. The purpose of the statutes was to stop
English settlers from 'going native'. The following excerpt
demonstrates how ineffective were the laws (see link at bottom).

Again, we can see some of the major cultural differences between the
Irish and the English who would be overlords to the Irish.

Further note: About fifteen years ago, when I was still a museum
curator, I hired a harper, who played a Queen Mary version of the
Celtic harp, to play at one of our events. I referred to her as a
'harpist', and was roundly excoriated. Here's the bumph. A harpist
plays in a symhony orchestra and uses the pedal or concert harp,
which is a fairly new creation. On the other hand, a harper plays
one of the traditional versions of the Celtic harp. At least, that's
how the story goes.

ALTHOUGH the first quarter of the fifteenth century was a most troubled
period in Ireland, yet there were not wanting many learned men and
musicians. In 1405, the Annals of Ulster chronicle the death of
Gilladubh Mac Curtin, who is described as "Ollav (Doctor) of Thomond in
Music," and who was also distinguished as an historian and writer. The
same year is memorable for the demise of Carrol O'Daly (Cerbhall Ua
Dalaigh), composer of "Eiblín A Rúin," whose obit is thus quaintly given
by the annalist of Clonmacnoise:--"Keruell O'Daly, chief composer of
Ireland, dane of the country of Corcomroe, died."

A great benefactor of the Irish minstrels--Tadhg O'Carroll, Prince of
Ely O'Carroll--was gathered to his fathers in 1407. Conal Mac Geoghegan
thus writes of him:--"This Teige was deservedly a man of great account
and fame with the professors of poetry and music of Ireland and
Scotland, for his liberality extended towards them, and every of them in
general." According to the Annals of Ulster, Tadg Ua Cerbaill was
defeated and slain by the Lord Deputy Scrope, who himself died of a
pestilence in May, 1408.

The lovely song '"Deirdre deag-gnuireac"--Englished "The Blooming
Deirdre"--was composed, in 1409, for the marriage of Thomas Fitz John,
6th Earl of Desmond, to Catherine, daughter of William Mac Cormac Mac
Carthy, a romantic wedding which cost the bridegroom his inheritance.
Certain it is that the unfortunate Earl, in whose honour the song was
written, was compelled by his own family to surrender his title and
possessions, and he died an exile at Rouen, on August 10th, 1420.
Deirdre is used by the Earl's bard as representing the ancient Irish
heroine of that name, who is the central figure of the "Fate of the
Children of Usnach." Founded on the same story is Moore's lyric: "By the
Feale's wave benighted."

As illustrating the satirical powers of the bardic family at this
period, it is recorded by the Four Masters, in January of the year 1414,
that the bard Nial O'Higgins satirised Sir John Stanley, Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland, for having plundered his property, and so fierce and
stinging was the satire that the English Deputy died from the effects of
it. In a word, O'Higgins literally rhymed him to death: and we know from
the chronicles of Henry of Marlborough that Sir John Stanley, who had
landed at Clontarf, in October, 1413, died at Ardee, Co. Louth, in
January, 1414. The same annalists chronicle a second "poetical miracle"
performed by the same family of rhymers against a hostile tribe. By way
of retaliation, Sir John Talbot, Lord Furnivall, despoiled many of the
Irish rhymers, as is recorded in the Annals of Ulster.

Under date of 1429, the Four Masters give us the obit of a distinguished
Ulster musician, as follows:--Matthew, the son of Thomas O'Kiernan,
Ollav of Breffni, and universally learned in history and music, died in
his own house."

In 1433, as appears from the Annals of Ulster, occurred the death of
Aedh O'Corcrain, a remarkable harper; and, early in 1435, Seanchan Mac
Curtin, "historian, poet, and musician," was gathered to his fathers.
>From the MS. Annals of Ireland, by Duald MacFirbis, we learn that the
year 1433 was memorable in Irish musical history by reason of the "two
general invitations" given by Dame Margaret O'Carroll, wife of Calbach
Ua Concobair, Prince of Offaly, to bards, minstrels, and learned men.
The first general invitation (reception) took place on March 25th, at
Killeigh, King's County, when 2700 persons assembled--"besides gamesters
and poor men"--and each person was given a generous gratuity before
dinner. The second reception was given on August 15th, at Rathangan,
which was equally well attended.

At this epoch, the enactments of the Statute of Kilkenny were utterly
ignored, and this is confirmed by the Patent Rolls of the 15th of Henry
VI. (1435) From this State Paper, it is quite apparent that the
provisions of the statute were practically inoperative. It is distinctly
stated "that Mimi, [Comedians], Irish Clarsaghours [Harpers], Tympanours
[Timpanists], Crowthores [performers on the cruit], Kerraghers
[Chess-players], Rymours [Rhymers], Skelaghis [Storytellers], Bardes,
and others, contrary to the Statute of Kilkenny, went amongst the
English, and exercised their arts and minstrelsies, and afterwards
proceeded to the Irish enemies, and led them upon the King's liege
subjects."

Henry VI., as Renehan writes, "finding such laws ineffectual, and his
lieges habitually paying grandia bona et dona, in exchange for Irish
music, commissioned his Marshal in Ireland to imprison the harpers; and,
in order to stimulate his activity, authorised him to appropriate, to
his own private use, their gold and silver, their horses, harnesses, and
instruments of minstrelsy."

>From the Annals of Ulster, under date of 1448, we learn of the death,
at Kilconly, Co. Galway, of a munificent patron of minstrels, namely
Tadhg O'Higgins, who is described as "preceptor in poetry and erudition
of schools in Ireland and Scotland, and general entertainer of the
litterati and pilgrims of Ireland."

In striking contrast to the world-renowned fame of Irish musicians,
England had no music-school of the least importance, even in the first
decade of the fifteenth century. We have it on the authority of the late
Rev. Sir Frederick Gore Ouseley, Bart., Mus. Doc., Professor of Music in
Oxford University, that, of the English compositions which have
survived, ranging from 1300 to 1510, "none seem to be of any great
merit," and all betray "much crudeness and a sad lack of regular
melody." Even Davey, the avowed eulogist of English music is forced to
admit that "its condition in the fourteenth century was more barren than
the thirteenth," and he adds: "Not a piece of music endurable by modern
ears existed in England before 1400." In fact, the so-called "English
School of Music" only dates from 1425, with John Dunstable as its
founder, who died December 24th, 1453.

The wars of the Roses, which commenced in 1455, added materially to the
existing strife in Ireland. We find the Geraldines of Kildare and
Desmond, taking sides with the Yorkists, whilst the Ormondists threw in
their lot with the Lancastrians, and of course, the Anglo-Irish and
Celts participated in the general mêlée. Three-fourths of Ireland still
belonged to the natives, and the English were obliged to pay heavy
tribute to the Irish chiefs as a guarantee for peace. Thus, the barony
of Lecale disbursed £20 a-year to O'Neill of Clanaboy; the county of
Uriel £40 to the O'Neill; the county Wexford, £20 to Mac Murrough; the
county Limerick £40 to O'Brien; the county Cork £40 to Mac Carthy of
Muskerry; the counties of Kilkenny and Tipperary £40 to O'Carroll; the
county Kildare £20 to O'Conor, etc., etc.

About the year 1455 flourished an Irish Cistercian monk, Brother Aengus,
of Holy Cross Abbey, Co. Tipperary, who was a harper, organist,
organ-builder, and composer. He joined the community of Duiske
(Graignamanagh, Co. Kilkenny), in 1460, and was welcomed,
notwithstanding the Statute of Kilkenny. The Annals of Duiske describe
him in the most eulogistic terms. He especially won the favour of the
then English Abbot of Duiske, by repairing the abbey-organ which had
been, for many years, discarded owing to its bellows having proved a
prey to damp and rats. The Anglo-Irish annalist adds:--"In truth,
Brother Aengus excels in music any citharist (harper) ever heard in
these parts; for not alone is he a master of psalmody and faux bourdon,
as is evidenced by his setting of 'Benedicam Dominum,' but he is even a
cunning performer on the cruit." In 1461, died Felimy O'Neill, described
as "a man of hospitality and prowess, and head of the bardic bands and
pilgrims of Ireland, and one that was a most extensive purchaser of
poetic and erudite compositions, and was the greatest rhymer that was in
Ireland in his time."--(Annals of Ulster.)

The Statute of Kilkenny, forbidding the English or Anglo-Irish of the
Pale to receive or entertain Irish minstrels, was put in force by a new
act, passed in 1481. Six different classes of bards are enumerated, and
the strictest orders were given not on any account to permit harpers as
guests.

In 1482 we meet with an interesting side-light of history in connection
with the city of Waterford, showing clearly how the Urbs Intacta had
resolved to maintain its "loyal" reputation, and uphold the penal
enactments of the Statute of Kilkenny even against a Bishop who was a
"mere Irishman." Nicholas O'Hennessy, Cistercian Abbot of Fermoy, had
been "provided" by Pope Sixtus IV., on May 20th, 1480, to the united
Sees of Lismore and Waterford, and was consecrated Bishop in 1481. This
appointment was freely acquiesced in by the Chapter, clergy, and people
of Lismore, yet the Waterford clergy and laity objected to the new
Bishop on the plea that "he was Irish spoken, and did not understand the
English language." On December 30th, 1482, the Pope bade the Archbishop
of Cashel "to excommunicate the Waterford Chapter and clergy in case
they should still be contumacious, and, if necessary, to invoke the aid
of the secular arm." But, all in vain; the worthy Bishop deemed it
prudent to retire to his abbey, and John, Rector of Baudrip, diocese of
Bath and Wells, was appointed his successor--being duly consecrated on
May 4th, 1483.[5]

Perhaps it is as well to state that (so general was the use of the Irish
language in all parts of Ireland at the close of the fifteenth century,
even in County Dublin) Archbishop Fitzsimon, by an Act of Parliament
passed in 1484--and renewed in 1493--was permitted "to collate Irish
clerics to benefices in his diocese, inasmuch as the English clerks were
not expert in the Irish language, and such of them as were, disdained to
inhabit amongst the Irish people."

The Four Masters, under date of 1488, chronicle the death of Henry
Shelly, whom they eulogise as "the best singer of the Irish of Leath
Cuinn [the North of Ireland]." The Annals of Ulster give his obit as
occurring in that year, but describe him as "Henry Ua Selbaigh
[O'Selby], the best chanter of the Irishry of the Half of Conn."

In 1489 is recorded the obituary of Arthur O'Hussey, described by the
Four Masters as "a poet and a good scholar, and a youth honoured amongst
the English and the Irish, who was distinguished for musical powers,
both vocal and instrumental." This entry is thus given by the Ulster
annalist:--"Athairne O'Hosey, son of John, poet, preceptor,
instrumentalist, and vocalist, died."

During the second half of the fifteenth century Irish minstrels were
frequent visitors to Scotland; and, in Dauney's Scottish Melodies there
are given several items regarding the visits of our Hibernian musicians
to the Scottish Court, e.g.:--

"April 19th, 1490. To Martin, the clairseach player, and the other
Irish harper, at ye King's command, 18 shillings.

"May, 1490. To an Irish harper, at ye King's command, 18 shillings."

For the year 1490 there is an entry in the Annals of Ulster recording
the sad fact that Dermot O'Carbry, harper, slew Aengus, "the son of
MacDonnell of Scotland." Apparently O'Carbry must have been on a visit
to Scotland, because the annalists are careful to inform us that his
victim was called "the Lord of Aag," i.e., Angus Macdonald, son of
Donald, son of Ranald of Clanranald, Dr. MacCarthy identifies "Aag" as
"Hay," but the annalist says "Aacc," which most probably is Eigg, an
island of the Inner Hebrides, of which the MacDonalds were then Lords.
MacDonald, as we read, "was slain in treachery at Inverness, by an Irish
harper, Diarmait Ua Cairpri." The family of Ua Cairpri, or Cairbre,
supplied many musicians, but none of their compositions have come down
to our time.

At the close of November, 1494, Sir Edward Poynings, Lord Deputy of
Ireland, assembled a Parliament at Drogheda, in which was passed the
infamous enactment known as "Poynings' Law." Irish war-cries (such as
Lam Dearg Abu) were forbidden, as also the exaction known as "coyne and
livery;" and the Statute of Kilkenny was confirmed, with the exception
of the unworkable ukase against the Irish language. But, as often
happened before, these enactments were so much stage-thunder, and the
great Hiberno-English Lords of the Pale openly set them at naught,
retaining Irish brehons, bards, harpers, pipers, etc., whom they
patronised in the most lavish style.

According to the Annals of Ulster, in the year 1496 is placed the obit
of "Florence O'Corcoran, player on the harp and other stringed
instruments, and a distinguished vocalist " and, in 1497, there is
mention of the death of William MacGilroy, "a master of stringed
instruments " [rai fir ted].

The peaceful condition of Leinster and Munster from 1498 to 1501
contributed not a little to the cultivation of Irish Music, but it was
merely the calm before the storm, and already the days of medievalism
were nearly over, with the "new learning" making its way, and the
traditional folk songs gradually giving place to Anglo-Irish music.

The Statute of Kilkenny
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statutes_of_Kilkenny