Sean-nós (Irish for “old style”) is an ancient tradition of Irish solo singing without instrumental accompaniment, one of the deepest and most revered forms of Irish folk music. The songs are performed mostly in the Irish (Gaelic) language.
The main hallmark of sean-nós is its extraordinarily rich ornamentation: the singer decorates the melody with numerous small “curls,” variations, and melismas, and each time anew, so that every performance is unique. The rhythm is free, subordinate to the words and the breath rather than to an even meter. This is deeply personal, concentrated singing in which the main thing is not loudness or brilliance but the subtle conveyance of meaning and feeling. Sean-nós is a living thread joining modern Ireland with its ancient song heritage, and a matter of special national pride.
