American Music Plays Loud in Carlow

Feb. 10, 2005
By Maureen Schulte
Staff Writer

If you are expecting to catch some traditional Irish music playing at local pubs in Carlow, Ireland, think again. Every pub is bumping with the sounds of mainstream American music, artists such as Nelly, Brittany Spears, and Density’s Child. The lack of Irish was surprising  to the recently-arrived St. Ambrose University students

“I came to Ireland expecting to find Irish music everywhere, but was disappointed to discover American pop music plays in most of the pubs here,” a St. Ambrose student studying in Carlow Michael Saxton said. “Even halfway across the world American music is everywhere and not just in the pubs, but also in the supermarkets. It’s used as background music.”

While it might appear that American culture dominates the music scene here in Carlow, that is not really the case. Since Carlow has become a very diverse town, the mixtures of age groups and cultures have broadened the music variety.

“We sort of progressed away from the traditional Irish music since we become accustomed to that music," a local dj at Skaggs Alley in Carlow Matt O’Leary said.  “Now I play certain music to appease a particular crowd, which is college students and they don’t want to hear Irish music every night. I play what’s on the radio and what’s popular. I don’t just play American hip-hop, but European dance music as well.”

Other Irish students agree that American culture hasn’t taken them over, but they just are embracing what other cultures have to offer, which includes music.

“They just play music that is popular which is American pop and they play music that is on the charts,” an Irish student at Carlow Lorraine Miley said.

“You won’t find the traditional Irish music every night, and it’s especially hard to find that music here in Carlow,” Miley said.

To find some traditional Irish music, one has to venture to the bigger cities such as Dublin or Galway. There are more opportunities to hear an Irish jig, but even there, American music still lurks in most places in Ireland.

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