History of Ireland in the Mirror of the Music in the 19th and 20th Centuries

I would like to write about Irish music of the 19 thand 20thcenturies; how songs relate to the history or Ireland, how they describe the main historical events, heroes, and ideas of the period. Music, like literature or fine art, is an organic part of history. History and art are in interaction. Historical events and ideas are often realized in folk music. They describe moods, feelings, desires and the taste of that age in a very evocative way. Sometimes it has happened that a song or a melody filled people with enthusiasm before a battle, or consoled the people suffering from despair. Naturally, the human soul is the source of the most important element of music. It is inseparable from music because music is always about the vibration and mystery of the soul, about gladness or grief. Historical events and social changes are basic parts of my thesis, because without them songs would lose their meaning. This is particularly true of the songs written in the 19thand 20th centuries. In this thesis, there are two main groups of events and songs, gathering around two topics. The first is the importance and history-creating role of nationalism in Ireland in the 19thand 20thcenturies. The second is the influence of emigration on Irish society. In connection with this, I will explore other problems (e.g., language, religion, traditions) which are indispensable in framing a coherent picture of Ireland in the last two centuries. Song lyrics are an organic part of this thesis.