I can remember an afternoon in my college flat nine years ago when my flatmate sat reading Breandán Breathnach’s Folk Music and Dances of Ireland. At one stage he read some sentences from the last chapter aloud: ‘It is strange that one should have to appeal to a people to become acquainted with its own music…’, wrote Breathnach, ‘There is one compelling reason why we should know our own music: it is our own.’

For my flatmate that was enough; it explained to him why he loved traditional music, and why everyone else should too. For me, while I really wanted to believe it, I couldn’t. I figured that that would never be enough to convince anybody these days. Are we too wise for such arguments? Or too cynical? Breandán Breathnach left us with a range of questions such as these and Nicholas Carolan presents an intriguing picture of this great figure in our lead article in this issue.

No doubt, Breandán Breatnach would have plenty to say about the introduction of English lyrics on Raidió na Gaeltachta, which Breandán Ó hEaghra discusses on page 25.

The debate on the broadcasting of new music on Irish radio, which begins with an article by composer Roger Doyle on page 15 followed by a response from the Head of lyric fm, Aodán Ó Dubhghaill, on page 17, adequately presents, I feel, both sides of the argument, and all that remains is for readers to make up their own mind. As ever, we welcome your letters.

Toner Quinn
Editor