Irish mythology deeply ingrained in nation’s culture

By Nick Gevock - 08/08/2008

Cathie Ryan sings the National Anthem Friday next to the World War II memorial statue on the Butte-Silver Bow courthouse steps during the opening of An Ri Ra.

Cathie Ryan gets into a song by closing her eyes.

That way, the famous Irish-American singer said Friday, her lyrics are about the subject of the song and not about her.

“It’s a way of going inside to connect with the song,” she said to more than 40 people who packed a workshop on Irish mythology at Butte Central High School. “If I’m looking around the room, I’m not doing that.” Ryan — through story and song in English and Gaelic — delved into some of the classic tales of Irish mythology and folklore. One of the most prominent voices in Celtic music today, Ryan gave the presentation in a workshop titled “Irish Mythology, Tales from the Tain,” as part of the An Ri Ra Montana Irish Festival, which kicked off Friday.

Ryan has performed at An Ri Ra before and this year expanded into offering workshops on aspects of Irish culture and history.

Among the most prominent are the stories contained in “The Tain,” which is Ireland’s national epic.

She examines how “The Pangs of Ulster” is a tale that illustrates a common theme throughout Irish mythic tales — the struggle between masculine and feminine forces.

In the story, a woman “Macha” pushed to run a race against a horse while she’s pregnant, receives no reprieve from the town, so she inflicts on them a curse to feel birthing pains for more than four days when they’re in the toughest times of their lives.

Ryan said it’s a classic tale in Irish mythology.

“She makes the men of Ireland feel the pain of labor, but without the reward,” she said. “Those of us who have been through labor know if you do, you want that reward — I sure did.” From there, Ryan went into a number of stories about Ireland, her own upbringing in both the United States and in Ireland and her family stories. She told several classic tales through songs in her beautiful voice.

She told of how song allowed the Irish — an incredibly reserved people, to open up. It was through song that the Irish would express feelings.

And she said her best lessons came from her father, an auto worker and “serious” drinker who would sing in the early morning hours.

“He was singing drunk and he was so honest and open,” she said.

An Ri Ra continues throughout the weekend, including two more workshops by Ryan. For more information, go to the Internet site of the Montana Gaelic Cultural Society, www.mtgaelic.org. or www.mtstandard.com Reporter Nick Gevock may be reached at nick.gevock@mtstandard.com.