Women Flute Players in the Irish Tradition

During the twentieth century, while the Irish traditional music scene continued to develop around pub sessions, competitions, bands, Fleadhanna Ceoil and other festivals, the exceptions to the male-dominated performers in this vibrant scene were women such as fiddler Julia Clifford, concertina player Mrs Crotty, accordionist Ma McNulty and a number of women such as Aggie White who performed with céilí bands.  Many women played in the home but were often associated with specific instruments such as the concertina as well as being linked with particular aspects of the song tradition, e.g. work songs, caoineadh/keening.   Undoubtedly, this reflected the general societal and cultural restraints on women in Ireland at the time. 

Through the late 19th and the 20th century the flute was not thought of as ladylike nor even suitable for women to play, a belief that is mirrored in many other fluting traditions elsewhere in the world, such as the Native American and Western Art Music traditions.  The first female flute players came to the fore during the 1970s and this lecture will present an exploration of the development of the female fluting tradition in Ireland by examining the attitudes towards and experiences of some of those pioneering female figures.  The lecture will highlight the influence of Peg McGrath, Catherine McEvoy, Tara Diamond, Joanie Madden & Anne Sheehy, amongst others, who helped to develop fluting styles and the fluting scene considerably in this country.

Aoife Granville is a performer, researcher and lecturer whose research interests lie in Irish Traditional Music & Song, Carnival & Festival Studies and Irish Folklore.  Her doctoral thesis focussed on the marching and Wren traditions of her native Dingle, County Kerry.   She has held posts at the International Centre for Music Studies at Newcastle University and the Departments of Music & Folklore at University College Cork.   Aoife now works as the Director of Ionad Cultúrtha (Cultural Centre) in Baile Mhúirne (Ballyvourney) in the heart of the Cork Gaeltacht where she programmes music and cultural activities in the centre itself as well as its surrounding communities.