Reimagining 'Irishness' in the time of Covid19 & Black Lives Matter:Temple Bar Tradfest and Ireland in Music 2020,Aileen Dillane, University of Limerick
The representation of Black Irish artists on TV, radio and online platforms increased in Ireland in 2020. A locally inflected Black Lives Matters movement and a growing awareness of the work of Black intellectuals and creatives was heightened within an extensive period of Covid19 protocols, when all live and in-person performance events and festivals were cancelled. This paper examines role of Black Irish performers in the Dublin-based, traditional music festival, Temple Bar Tradfest. Its recalibrated online format and one-hour, syndicated TV special, Ireland in Music, presented a more inclusive definition of ‘Irishness’ that invites critical reflection.