Ceol as Gaeilge é!

Díreach agus glúin úr ealaíontóirí ag tarraingt tionchair ón gceol traidisiúnta Gaelach ina mbealach féin, le blianta beaga anuas tá níos mó agus níos mó ceoltóirí óga ag dul i ngleic go paiseanta leis an nGaeilge. Ar fud oileán na hÉireann – agus san iliomad seánraí agus stíleanna – tá réimse iontach de cheoltóirí cumasacha de chuid na tíre seo ag eisiúint amhráin agus tionscadail a bhfuil moladh mór faighte acu, atá páirtbhunaithe nó bunaithe go hiomlán sa Ghaeilge, agus tá sin ag taitneamh go mór lena lucht leanúna.

“Tá sé i bhfad níos leithne ná roimhe,” a deir Anna Davitt ó Fhoras na Gaeilge Trína cuid oibre leis an eagraíocht – atá freagrach as cur chun cinn na Gaeilge taobh ó thuaidh agus taobh ó dheas den teorainn – tá léargas aici ón ró tosaigh ar na hathruithe iontacha sa chaidreamh idir an Ghaeilge agus an saol ceoil in Éirinn.

“Chomh maith leis an gceol traidisiúnta, tá ceoltóirí nua ag teacht chun cinn le seánraí éagsúla agus stíleanna éagsúla,” a deir sí. “Chonaiceamar hip-hop agus ceol comhaimseartha, go háirithe le deich mbliana anuas.”

Go dearfa, is beag duine againn a dhéanfadh rath dochreidte an hip-hop i nGaeilge a thuar – a tháinig chun cinn mar gheall ar úire agus stádas le bheith ina fhoirm ealaíne cheannródaíoch sa tír seo agus níos faide i gcéin. Tá rapálaithe mar KNEECAP tar éis aird a tharraingt ar chumhacht na Gaeilge trína gceol, ag adhaint paisean nua don teanga i measc a lucht leanúna, ar cainteoirí Gaeilge iad ar gach leibhéal. Lena gcur chuige siamsúil réiciúil, bronnadh duais Bhanna na Bliana orthu dhá bhliain as a chéile ag Gradaim NÓS in 2020.

Tá an rapálaí Gaeilge Sello, áfach, tar éis cabhrú gnéithe den teanga a bhrú isteach san fhosheánra rapcheoil drill – d’eisigh siad rian dar teideal ‘As Gaeilge’ níos luaithe i mbliana.

Tá ealaíontóirí atá bunaithe i seánraí eile ag tosú a bheith rannpháirteach freisin. Tá an t-ealaíontóir popcheoil ó Cheatharlach, Tadhg, fós ag fágáil a loirg ar shaol ceoil na hÉireann le hamhráin scríofa i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla araon – ag cur a chuid ceoil i láthair lucht éisteachta ar fud an domhain ag Bród Domhanda 2020, chomh maith le Bród Digiteach na hÉireann.

Le hurraíocht ó Fhoras na Gaeilge, tá Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh tar éis a bheith ag breathnú ar na naisc idir an ceol clasaiceach agus an ceol traidisiúnta lena tionscadal Róisín Reimagined, ina bhfuil cóiriú ceolfhoirne d’amhráin sean-nóis, a chantar sa bhun-Ghaeilge.

Ar ndóigh, tá an ceol traidisiúnta Gaelach ag fónamh fós mar fheithicil chumhachtach don Ghaeilge, le leithéid Shibéal and the Bonny Men ag cur a spionnadh iontach ar an seánra.

“Tá urraíocht déanta againn ar roinnt tionscadal, agus thacaíomar le healaíontóirí trí fhéilte,” a deir Anna. “Maoinímid féilte éagsúla, ó thuaidh agus ó dheas.”

Go dearfa, cheadaigh Foras na Gaeilge luach €41,057 de dheontais le deireanas le haghaidh féilte sa chéad leath de 2022. I measc féilte atá le bheith ar siúl sna míonna beaga romhainn tá Féile na Bealtaine, Féile Róise agus Féile Nasc. Beidh siad ag fógairt an dara babhta de Scéim na bhFéilte, le haghaidh féilte atá beartaithe sa dara leath de 2022. I rith na mblianta, tá tacaíocht tugtha ag Foras na Gaeilge do mhórfhéilte mar Fhéile an Phobail i mBéal Feirste agus Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

Faigheann an fhéile ealaíon Oireachtas na Samhna, a dhéanann ceiliúradh ar scoth an cheoil agus an damhsa sean-nóis, maoiniú ón eagraíocht freisin. Ag an bhféile cabhraíonn Foras na Gaeilge bannaí agus ealaíontóirí óga a spreagadh chun dul i ngleic leis an teanga trí Chomórtas Beo a reáchtáil – comórtas le haghaidh amhráin nua-chumtha do dhaoine idir bliain déag agus ocht mbliana déag d’aois. Ghlac ceoltóirí mór le rá atá ag teacht chun cinn, ar nós Thaidhg agus Grooveline, páirt sa chomórtas ar feadh na mblianta.

Is dóigh le hAnna gur imir “an saol sóisialta agus an ceol” ról mór sa spéis athnuaite sa Ghaeilge, go háirithe i measc glúin níos óige.

“Is bealach iontach é an ceol,” a deir sí. “Fiú Fleadh Cheoil nó Comhaltas nó gigeanna – ar nós na mbanna dátheangacha ag seinm ag ionaid éagsúla timpeall Bhaile Átha Cliath. Labhraítear í ar bhonn níos sóisialta sna réimsí sin.”

Ag breathnú chun cinn, ba mhaith léi úsáid na Gaeilge sa cheol comhaimseartha a fheiceáil níos normalaithe arís fiú: “Agus gan a bheith curtha ar leataobh i gcatagóir dá cuid féin mar ‘an Ghaeilge’.”

“Ba mhaith liom é a fheiceáil aitheanta mar an ceol atá ann, bíodh ceol leictreonach ann, nó rapcheol,” a deir sí. “Ba mhaith liom go n-aithneofaí é as a chaighdeán – agus go n-aithneofaí é ar ardán idirnáisiúnta.”

Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais féach forasnagaeilge.ie

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Sing it in Irish!

Just as a new generation of artists are drawing influence from traditional Irish music in their own unique way, recent years have seen more and more young musicians engaging passionately with the Irish language. Across the island of Ireland – and spanning multiple genres and styles – a dazzling array of homegrown talent are releasing lauded songs and projects that are either based entirely or partially in Irish, and it's striking a powerful chord with their fans.

"It's far broader than before," agrees Anna Davitt from Foras na Gaeilge. Through her work with the organisation – who are responsible for promoting Irish both north and south of the border – she's had a front row view of the remarkable changes in the relationship between the Irish language and the Irish music scene.

''As well as traditional music, new acts are coming out with different genres and different styles," she resumes. "We've seen hip-hop and contemporary music in Irish much more, particularly in the last ten years."

Indeed, few of us could have predicted the phenomenal success of Irish hip-hop - which has risen from novelty act status to a groundbreaking artform on these shores and beyond. Rappers like KNEECAP have highlighted the power of Irish through their music, igniting a new passion for the language among their fanbase, which consists of Irish speakers of all levels. With their playful, hell-raising approach, the Belfast hip-hop group were crowned Band of the Year for a second year in a row at Gradaim NÓS in 2020.

Irish rapper Sello, meanwhile, has helped to inject elements of the language into the rapidly expanding rap subgenre drill – releasing a track called 'As Gaeilge' earlier this year.

Artists based in other genres are also getting in on the action. Carlow pop artist Tadhg continues to make his mark on the Irish scene with songs written in both Irish and English – bringing his music to a worldwide audience at Global Pride 2020, as well as Ireland's Digital Pride.

With sponsorship from Foras na Gaeilge, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh has been exploring the connections between classical and traditional music with her Róisín Reimagined project, which features orchestral arrangements of sean nós songs, sung in the original Irish.

Of course, traditional Irish music continues to serve as a powerful vehicle for the Irish language, with the likes of Sibéal and The Bonny Men putting their own remarkable spins on the genre.

"We've sponsored a number of projects, and supported artists through festivals," Anna remarks. "We'd fund a variety of festivals, north and south."

In fact, Foras na Gaeilge recently approved €41,057 worth of grants for festivals in the first half of 2022. Festivals to be held in the months ahead include Féile na Bealtaine, Féile Róise and Féile Nasc. They'll also be announcing the second round of the Festival Scheme, for festivals that are planned for the second half of 2022. Throughout the years, Foras na Gaeilge have supported major festivals like Féile an Phobail in Belfast and Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

The annual arts festival Oireachtas na Samhna, which celebrates the best of sean nós singing and dancing, also receives funding from the organisation. At the festival, Foras na Gaeilge help to inspire young Irish bands and artists to engage with the language by running Comórtas Beo – a contest for newly composed songs for 11 to 18 year olds. Acclaimed up-and-coming acts like Tadhg and Grooveline have participated in the contest over the years.

Anna reckons that "social life and music" have played a major role in the renewed interest in the Irish language, particularly among a younger generation.

"Music is a great outlet," she continues. "Even Fleadh Cheoil or Comhaltas or gigs – like the bilingual acts playing at different venues around Dublin. It's spoken more socially in those domains."

Looking forward, she'd like to see the use of Irish language in contemporary music become even more normalised: ''And not be put aside in a category of its own as 'Irish'."

‘I’d like to see it recognised as the music it is, whether that's electronic music, or rap music," she adds. "I'd like to see it recognised for the quality of it – and recognised on an international stage."

For more information, see forasnagaeilge.ie