Cormac De Barra

I took great pride, in a past life as an English teacher, in telling my students that of all the nations on earth, Ireland alone bore a musical instrument as its national symbol. It’s easy to forget, as we see it often enough that we stop noticing it, on envelopes from government offices and on the backs of coins. But it’s a unique feature of the country and a reminder of the centrality of our musical heritage.