Folks in Ireland are up in arms because water charges are to be implemented into every household in the country. Local politicians called by this evening looking for my vote for the upcoming local elections, but all I could think of was our next gig in Mulls Bar in Mallow. Like, how important is music to Ireland ? Where is the funding for it ? How could these politicians help me and thousands of other musicians, get good gigs and promote decent venues? After all, unless we have more decent venues in every town in Ireland promoting all genres of music, the musicians have a limited future here.
A quick browse on the internet will throw up a myriad of music sites put up to help the Irish Musician, mostly these brave souls which do enormous good in fostering a positive slant for Irish Music talent around the globe, but they receive very limited funding from the Irish Government.
This is plainly wrong. For a small country like Ireland which produces thousands of talented musicians every year, I am amazed that we don’t have a minister for Music alone and not just Irish traditional music itself, but all genres. Politicians use our musical creativity at posh dinner invitations as a mere talking point but to give it any serious funding is just not on the Governments agenda.
Politicians use words like ‘We have no guarantee of funding !!’ What gets to me is that only last month on St Paddy’s day Ministers travel abroad to talk up our wonderful Irish culture, art and music, but once back home they do little or nothing of any great significance to help the industry here. Sure they smile for the cameras launching a few festivals here and there, but any serious funding…? Sorry, no guarantee there !
Rant over !!! If you are in Mallow, Co. Cork on May 1st give a shout in to Mulls Bar, it’s just under the clock tower. We offer acoustic blues, and expect some boogie twisting, the odd Dylan and Young covers all wrapped up in funk and swing, so you will leave in a happy state. Now that ‘s Guaranteed !!!