La Musique. (Translation) . (Pour Mairtin O'connor) . Poem by Michael Walker

The first stanza describes the way the overcast weather in Ireland could affect their poetry, and cause the Irish people to be inward-looking, introverted. A lack of sunlight. The second stanza moves to a specific place, the Annaghdown pier at the sea where Raftery lies drowned under the windblown waters. The drowned man was once a musician, who experienced ' the sacrament of dreaming turned to sound'. That is what popular Irish music is. The bands usually have the harp, violin, flute, mouth organ and other instruments.
More modern, successful bands and singers include:
U2, and their charismatic lead singer Bono. One of their songs I like is 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'.
Ronan Keating-'Life Is A Rollercoaster', 'You Say It Best',
'Suspicious Minds' (a cover of Elvis Presley's original song) .
Van Morrison, a brilliant songwriter and singer from Northern Ireland, who succeeded in the U.S., England, everywhere. Morrison wrote the hit 'Brown-Eyed Girl'.