I'd like you to think and write about your response to Irish music and dance, which we're talking about this week. Here are some prompts--feel free to think of your own.
* Comment on CELTIC CROSSROADS. What were your impressions of music, the musicians, the choice of songs, the venue, the audience? Was it what you expected? Did you hear or consider it differently given some themes we've talked about in class?
* Compare what you know about traditional Irish music with a band like U2. What do you think are the band's "roots"? Why do you think they have such broad appeal?
* Discuss your impressions of Irish dance, particularly in relation to the arguments made by Fintan O'Toole in his essay "Unsuitables from a Distance: The Politics of Riverdance".
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I think U2 has such wide appeal because they do not just sing about issues indigenous to Ireland. While Irish bands are great, they are very pigeonholed into being "Irish" bands, using Irish slang and preaching about "Irish" issues. U2 has such a popular appeal because they sing about issues of all nationalities and on all fronts, and do not limit themselves to only Irish-oriented songs. However, this is not to say that none of their songs are Irish inspired, as we learned about the inspiration of their song "Sunday, Bloody Sunday."
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