The Dead Kings artwork.
I always think that the soul of Irish music is in the sean-nós style of singing. Why? Because it is a sound not like any other. It has that stillness that is both ancient and haunting. For someone to sing that, one has to embody the the atmosphere of the old Ireland. One song came to my attention recently and it is called The Dead Kings. Here’s a brief background provided by performer Lorcán Mac Mathúna. According to him, it’s a recently (live) recorded song by the Irish poet Francis Ledwidge, who died in 1917.
Complete soundcloud link-https://soundcloud.com/evolutionofsound/the-dead-kings
Ledwidge was known as the poet of the Blackbird. He was killed in the First World War in Paschendael on July 31 1917.
It is such an inspiration to see artists continue to perfect and pay homage to this wonderful musical art form. I would like to hear more of these.
Additional info: Recorded live at Musictown2017 during The Book of the Dead at The Chester Beatty Library. Written by Francis Ledwidge, music composed by Lorcán Mac Mathúna and Eamonn Galldubh. Performed by Lorcán, Éamonn, and Martin Tourish
Celtic Music Fan 
I think the soul of Irish music is the style…and the interpretation of the artist…and the way the person listening receives the song. I love the music because it is all that and a touch of Irish magic. Without the last it would be simply a gong clanging. People write and sing, but without the magic that comes from both the musician AND those who hear him, or her, there is no magic or beauty that can go on beyond the sound.
I love Irish poetry mostly because it touches my heart and my soul. I love poet Francis Ledwidge. I have heard his poetry before and I love his way with his words that go beyond
simple words, because he puts his wholeness into the song of the poems, and sometimes his brokenness too. He is not afraid.
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