Just goes to show you what some musicology theorists are trying to confirm - that there's some soothing quality to that kind of Irish music.
Irish people have known that for a long time.....they were using "Music Therapy" long before it was a trendy science.
Music has been used to soothe babies, praise heroes, incite rebels, celebrate victories and comfort mourners.
Singing was also a useful covert way of passing on vital information, so that the enemy might think it was a love song,
as in Máiréad's song "an raibh tú ag an gcarraig?"
I used Irish Music a lot when caring for my Mother-in-law, who suffered from Alzheimer's,
along with her favourite old songs.
I continued to use it later, when I was Activities Director in a residence for patients with dementia.
One lady had been dumped by her 2 sons, they just dropped her off at the Nursing Home with no explanation of where she was.
She was traumatized, and did not speak for many days. I'll call her Anne.
One morning I put on some WWII dance music and "Big Band" CDs such as Glenn Miller.
I started to sing to "You are my Sunshine", and Anne was sitting at a table, head down on her arms as if asleep.
Slowly her head came up, and I could see she was mouthing the words.
I went to her and gently raised her to her feet. We started to dance to her favourite song.
That was the start of communication with her, through music.
She also loved "When Irish eyes are smiling".
I found that well-known songs of Faith were a big favourite too.
There are parts of the World in which music is banned......can you imagine a World without music?
Can you imagine Heaven without music?
