1213 | 749 | The Border Box – The Border and its Impact on Musical Identities in a Partitioned Ulster | Darren Culliney
The partition of Ireland in 1921 divided Ulster constitutionally, with six of the nine Ulster counties forming Northern Ireland, a constituent country within the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is divided politically and religiously, which resulted in thirty years of conflict known as ‘The Troubles’ (1968-1998). There has been significant scholarship on the implication of the border and Troubles on music and identity. The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 led to a new era of peace and stability with increased emphasis on cross-community respect and cultural understanding. The impact of this on musical activity has received less attention and a generation of musicians have grown up in this new political context._x000D_
In Irish traditional music, competitions at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, established in 1951, are perceived by many within the community as the pinnacle of achievement. Four button accordion players from Ulster have achieved the senior title, all in the last fifteen years: Darren Breslin (2008), Christopher Maguire (2013), Michael Curran (2014), and John McCann (2018). My fieldwork, with a particular focus on the experiences of these four accordion players, should highlight how a younger generation are influenced by their border identities and changing cultural contexts. This should be evident in references to cross-community projects or their citation of musical influences from the south of Ireland and local musicians. _x000D_
Through a series of ethnographic interviews, as well as archival research and literature reviews, I will critically examine the impact of the border on the musical identities of these four musicians. My research is informed by my own experience of growing up near the border but on the southern side, where attitudes of fear shaped decisions not to interact with musical activities in the North. _x000D_
Darren Culliney
Dundalk Institute of Technology
ID Abstract: 749