Irish Traditional Music must not be licensed
Senator Labhrás Ó Murchu’ has said that it was imperative that IMRO did not stifle or inhibit the natural momentum of Irish traditional music. Our native music is the legacy of all our people - played by the people; for the people and readily accessible to all. He was speaking at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Heritage to which IMRO representatives had been invited.
`It came as a shock to Comhaltas Ceoltoíri’ Éireann when Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Clonmel received a demand from IMRO for payment for the tunes which were being played,’ Senator Ó Murchú said ’ A number of our cultural centres also received similar demands for payment. Needless to say, we did not pay but I shudder to think what might have developed if IMRO had not backed off in this instance.
Senator Ó Murchuú told the Heritage Committee that our traditional music was handed down from generation to generation and in a generous spirit of sharing. He said that for almost 50 years Comhaltas had ploughed a lonely furrow to save our music from extinction and nurtured it to its present popularity at home and abroad. To-day there are 400 branches worldwide, 600 classes, 45 Fleadhanna Cheoil involving over 20,000 performers each year - this in the main has been made possible through voluntary service in the interests of our national cultural identity. The several thousand hours of traditional music on tape in the Comhaltas archives was made available by the older musicians for passing on to future generations.
`To ask our musicians to take out a licence to play their music would be the equivalent of asking a young lad to pay for the privilege of hurling a sliothar,’ Senator Ó Murchú said.
`While appreciating the work of IMRO on behalf of commercial performers I would like an assurance from the IMRO representatives that there will be no restrictions placed on the voluntary nature of traditional music as handed down to us from past generations.’
The IMRO representatives gave an assurance that Irish traditional music, as outlined by Senator Ó Murchú, would not be restricted or hampered by IMRO.
