Irish Rock bands throughout the decades: Exploring Ireland’s fascinating history through music

Music is one of the most popular aspects of Irish life. We have always been associated with traditional Irish music and dance but have also made our mark internationally. We have produced some of the biggest rock bands for a relatively small country.

So how did many talented Irish Rock Bands from the tiny island of Ireland become international legends? In this article, we will explore the unusual rise of Irish rock music.

What is Rock Music?

Rock and roll music, or simply rock, was inspired by the Blues and the Pentatonic Scale. Other genres that have contributed some of their style to rock are folk, jazz, country, and classical music. Standard rock features include electrical instruments such as guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums. The parameters of rock music are ambiguous at times.

However, Rock has some common characteristics, such as a strong beat and a lead voice, which often rally a powerful anti-establishment message or explore an emotional theme. As we have said, it is hard to find an exact definition for the genre simply because it is, by nature, ever-evolving. Even Irish rock music is distinct from other countries, and it is normal for one rock band to have a completely different sound from other rock bands.

That said, rock music in Ireland is an exciting sound to uncover! In this article, we will explore how rock and music, in general, evolved in Ireland.

1960’s Irish Rock Music: Irish Showband Era

Before rock and roll reached Ireland, the main form of musical entertainment was presented in the form of a showband. In the early 1960s, the only viable way to make a career as a musician was to perform in these showbands. A showband was a dance band consisting of 6 to 7 members. To be popular, showbands were expected to perform standard dance numbers and pop music hits in the charts. They had to learn every popular genre in Ireland, from country to pop, jazz, and even Irish céilí.

The show band was almost like a variety show; acts needed to be multi-talented to succeed. Showbands allowed members to hone their performing skills, but the audience had little interest in original music among emerging artists.

At its height, over 800 showbands were performing around Ireland and even a few internationally, employing thousands of people in the music industry. In the late sixties, however, a second wave of musicians grew in popularity; rock, blues, and soul became most popular in urban areas, while the country was favoured in rural towns and villages.

Rock bands would begin taking over Ireland’s music scene just as the showband had replaced the ‘big band’ or orchestra. The actual decline of showbands began in the 1970s, but by this time, many bands had adjusted their style and transitioned into smaller rock bands or country music acts. Artists such as Van Morrison started in a showband but revamped their style at this time. Van Morrison would put Ireland and the city of Belfast on the rock and roll map of fame.

1970’s Irish Rock Music: Irish Rock Bands and the Birth of punk

By the 1970s, rock was in high demand in Ireland. Most showbands had moved with the times and were actively creating their music. Van Morrison was already in New York recording his first studio album, ‘Blowin’ Your Mind!’ which featured ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, a song that would garner international fame.

Other Irish bands began to form, including Dublin bands Thin Lizzy and the Horslips. Both are credited with creating or at least popularising ‘Celtic rock’ by mixing hard rock with traditional Irish music to create synergising tunes that are still being sampled today.

Thin Lizzy had hits during this time, such as:

• The Boys Are Back in Town (1976)
• Dancing in the Moonlight (1977)
• Whiskey in the Jar (1972)

Before the 70s, it was a general rule that to be a successful musician, you had to be part of a popular showband or leave the country to perform for a larger audience. The bands above broke this rule, proving that Ireland was ready to support its rock musicians.

As rock developed throughout the country, a more rebellious movement was born. Punk Rock defied the expectations of famous rock; it was fast-paced, self-produced, short and often politically charged. Punk rock was more than just music; it became a subculture in and of itself. Punk was, by definition, anti-establishment and promoted individual freedom with a DIY ethic.

There was a type of garage band authenticity that people could relate to. Music wasn’t just about sounding nice anymore; it had become an authentic way of communicating and voicing frustrations. Punk rock was born at a time of significant social change across Ireland; punk rock was the soundtrack of the upheaval.

Traditional ideals were in jeopardy as American teenage culture was exposed to young people via cinema and music. Punk became one of the most popular youth subcultures for what it represented: unity among outsiders during international conflict.

The Undertones (the band that initially wrote Teenage Kicks) and Stiff Little Fingers became popular bands in Northern Ireland. In 1978, the Undertones performed Teenage Kicks live on Top of the Pops, a British chart TV show that exposed them to a large audience. The Boomtown Rats (famous for I Don’t Like Mondays and the lead singer Bob Geldof) were one of Dublin’s many answers to the punk scene.

The 1970s also saw one of the darkest periods for music in the history of Ireland. Three members of the Miami Showband, Fran O’Toole, Tony Geraghty, and Brian McCoy, were killed in 1975 during the Troubles when returning from a gig in co, down to the Republic of Ireland. Many international acts refused to perform in Northern Ireland for a long time after this horrific event.

Punk was predominantly popular in the major cities of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The rural areas of Ireland tended to favour more traditional music.

Amidst a sea of punk and rock talent, the 70’s also saw a roots revival of traditional Irish music, with young performers popularizing the music of their ancestors. A good example is Planxty, a group that toured Ireland playing Irish folk music. Christy Moore began his music career as part of Planxty and has become one of the most beloved Irish folk/country singers ever.

1980’s Irish Rock Music: Alternative Rock Grows in Ireland

In the 1980s, punk rock had become fractured; for all of its influence on youth culture, Punk wasn’t as profitable as other music genres. New Wave rock was created to promote punk rock more marketably, while Post-punk and alternative rock would fill the artistic gap left by punk during the 1980s and into the 1990s.

In 1981, the first gig was held at Slane Castle Co. Meath, headlined by Thin Lizzy with U2 and Hazel O’Connor supporting. This was the perfect symbol of Irish Rock in the music industry; it had cemented into Irish culture and wasn’t going anywhere. Irish Rock music was just beginning. One of the biggest bands would hail from Dublin in the following decade. The tradition of concerts at Slane Castle has continued for over 40 years, with the best international and Irish rock acts performing.

During the 80s, alt-rock became popular as it openly discussed social issues. Alt-rock was a broad term used to cover music that did not fit into the hard rock or metal categories that became popular then. It was a natural progression of punk, retaining its artistic focus while allowing artists to draw from other styles of music that inspired them. U2, Ireland’s biggest band, emerged during this era. The 1980s saw the four Irish lads release seven albums (including Boy and The Joshua Tree) to critical and commercial success, inspiring a new generation of Irish musicians.

Other alt-rock artists who gained fame during this decade included Sinead O’Connor and the rock group Aslan, who would have very successful careers spanning decades. The Waterboys also entered the rock scene, with members from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales over the years.

While alt-rock had gotten into its stride, the Pogues created an entirely new genre of Irish music. Known as Celtic Punk, the genre encompassed the best of both genres. The Pogues offered authentically produced songs that told real stories and felt raw, combined with the character and emotion that are part of traditional Irish music.

The Pogues created their songs and covered classic Irish folk songs performed by Irish folk legends such as the Dubliners. They covered songs in their unique style, but the music they created felt truly unique.

Similarly, Clannad, an Irish family band from Gweedore, Co. Donegal, bridged the gap between pop rock and traditional Irish music one song at a time. The sixth group member who left to pursue a solo career was Enya, one of the most successful female Irish singers of all time. Her modern Celtic discography includes Only Time, Orinico Flow, and May it be.

Heavy metal never reached the same heights as other types of Irish rock music, but artists such as Mama’s Boys had their fair share of fans in the 80s with hits like Needle in the Groove.

1990’s Irish Rock Music

The late 80s saw the formation of the Galwegian band, The Saw Doctors, but their real success began in the nineties. The Saw Doctors were one of rural Ireland’s first indie rock bands to achieve success nationwide. Musical careers had often been reserved for prominent cities, so it was refreshing to see a band from the town of Tuam go on to tour the UK and the US. There is a country influence on their music with no attempts to hide their roots or Galway accents. The group embraces their unique standing, writing songs such as The Green and Red of Mayo and The N17, which have become classics in the West of Ireland.

The late 80s and early 90s also saw the rise of Shoegazing, a sub-genre of alt-rock similar to the UK’s Britpop, which, of course, mainly refers to the rivalry of Oasis and Blur and is characterised by brighter, catchier rock songs that have a distinctively British feel. By definition, Shoegaze was more colourful and catchier than previous rock genres. Common characteristics of the genre include obscured vocals, guitar distortion and other sound effects. Dublin band My Bloody Valentine is credited with pioneering and creating the genre.

However, more mainstream Irish alt or Indie rock was the most popular genre of the nineties. The nineties were also a great time for Irish bands, with groups like The Cranberries, The Frames, and The Coors entering the scene.

The Cranberries are one of the quintessential alt-indie rock bands of the 90s. Hailing from Limerick, the group used their music as a platform to discuss societal and social issues and have created some of the most iconic Irish songs of all time.

1998 saw the release of Weatherman from the newly established Irish rock group Juniper. They split up soon after into a solo artist and band you may know, none other than Damien Rice and Bell X1, respectively. Rice set off for a solo career garnering international success with songs such as Cannonball, 9 Crimes, The Blower Daughter and Delicate. Bell X1 also had their fair share of hits with tunes such as Rocky Took a Lover, Eve the Apple of My Eye and The Great Defector, so things seemed to work out well for all parties involved!

2000’s Irish Rock Music

Damien Rice took the world by storm in the early 2000s with his folk / indie rock album O in 2002, followed by 9 in 2006. Rice was often accompanied vocally by fellow Irish singer Lisa Hannigan, who would soon gain success as a solo artist. His stripped-back acoustic pop rock took the world by storm.

Other popular Irish rock bands such as the Script, Snow Patrol, The Coronas, The Blizzards, Two Door Cinema Club, Ham Sandwich and the Heathers entered the music scene then.

Rock music was characterised in this decade by polished studio arrangements, lively beats and strong vocals, though there was often a genuine message behind the tune.

Alongside Damien Rice, the 2000s saw a rise in the popularity of solo Irish rock artists such as Damien Dempsey, Paddy Casey, Declan O’Rourke, and Mundy. Indie Rock was thriving, and by the late naughties, social media was beginning to become a platform for younger artists to showcase their skills.

The 2000s saw the rise of Irish music festivals such as Oxegen, Electric Picnic, Indiependence, and Belsonic. These festivals gave emerging Irish acts a platform to showcase their music, and they are still doing so today. They were the year’s highlight for young music lovers and a sign of great things for new performers.

Irish Rock Music 2010’s

With the arrival of social media, young aspiring Irish artists were given a new platform to gain an international audience. Acts like Hudson Taylor, Hermitage Green, David Keenan and the Academic rose to fame in Ireland during this decade.

Perhaps one of the decade’s defining Irish rock music moments was the release of Hozier’s 2013 debut EP, which featured Take Me to Church. The song and its music went viral online, and overnight, Hozier’s place in the alt/indie rock genre was well and truly cemented.

Hozier’s socially conscious music, which wasn’t afraid to start difficult conversations, was appreciated worldwide. Hozier proved to be one of the standout artists of his time, with his self-titled album Hozier and second album Wasteland Baby! Being critical and commercial successes.

Towards the latter half of the decade, Fontaines DC rose to fame with their fresh take on the post-punk genre, combining traditional rock elements with their love of poetry and literature. Inhaler, another Irish rock group formed in 2012, reached critical success by the decade’s end.

Irish Rock Music 2020’s

Rising to fame in 2019 with his debut album Without Fear, Dermot Kennedy created a refreshing body of music blending the now-typical folk rock now associated with Ireland with hip-hop styles. This type of pop music transcends any one genre yet homages the music of Van Morrison and Damien Rice.

Irish rock music is in an exciting place as future artists are growing up in the streaming era of music with unparalleled access to explore genres and styles worldwide.

Final Thoughts

At first glance, it may be hard to discern any absolute path connecting music throughout the years, but when you take a deeper dive, it is clear that Ireland is a melting pot of creativity. Genres, ideas, and artists pay homage to the music that inspired them and strive to add their unique flair to their work. The result is exciting and almost contradictory; it is naturally familiar yet fresh and exciting.

It is interesting to see how widespread music changes with time as each generation emerges with a new, unique sound. Yet even in our search for the best new music, timeless classics are never forgotten.

We hope you have enjoyed this article. Are there any Irish rock bands that deserve a mention in this blog? Please let us know in the comments below!

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