Irish-Language

The 18th century musical teenager who is remembered to this day

<strong>EDWARD BUNTING:</strong> The Armagh-born musical prodigy, born in 1773, has influenced Irish traditional music down to this very day,&nbsp;&nbsp;
EDWARD BUNTING: The Armagh-born musical prodigy, born in 1773, has influenced Irish traditional music down to this very day,   EDWARD BUNTING: The Armagh-born musical prodigy, born in 1773, has influenced Irish traditional music down to this very day,  

HE WAS STILL a teenager when he produced his most remarkable work in the late 18th century Belfast but Edward Bunting is still rightly being celebrated to this very day.

Unfortunately due to COVID-19 the wonderful Remembering Bunting Festival cannot be hosted in Belfast but the organisers are taking it online with a weekend of academic talks, musical performances and more – all to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

The festival will be held online from 5 – 7th February, bringing you an amazing line up of online events and musical performances to be enjoyed worldwide.

The festival begins with Dr Mary Louise O’Donnell’s The Music of Bunting’s Belfast: Culture, Conflict and Connection but there will also be contributions from Canada, Germany and South Africa during the weekend as well as tunes and songs from nearer home.

Edward Bunting was born in Co. Armagh and began formal music studies in Drogheda at the young age of seven. 

By the age of eleven, he became organist apprentice at St. Anne’s church in Belfast whilst living at the home of the famous Belfast McCracken family. 

Aged nineteen he was hired to transcribe the music presented at the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792. From 1817 -1819, Edward was the church organist at St. George’s Church, High Street, Belfast.

Bunting went on to become a prolific collector of traditional songs and tunes with his three volumes of The Ancient Music of Ireland, were published in 1796, 1809 and 1840. 

Lost for many years, these collective works of approximately 250 items have preserved precious history and heritage in addition to invaluable clues and commentary that would reveal the living art practices and perceptions of the day. 

rememberingbuntingfestival.com has all the information.

:: There was great news for Irish-medium education last week when an annual survey for Conradh na Gaeilge showed that one in three of those asked said they would chose Irish-medium education if it were available in their local area while two out of every five people said they would chose an Irish-medium crèche facility if that was available in their local area

The 2020 Kantar research can be accessed and downloaded in full at: url.ie/1rm6o