The BBC documentary Folk Hibernia examines how the mid-20th century Irish folk revival transformed traditional musical expressions into powerful vehicles for cultural and political renewal. Capturing performances by influential artists including Christy Moore, Planxty, and Clannad, the film demonstrates how folk music functioned not merely as entertainment but as a sophisticated framework for negotiating national identity during a period of rapid social and political change.

The revival's timing—coinciding with significant social transformation and political tensions—illustrates how societies often return to traditional cultural forms during periods of accelerated change or crisis. By reinterpreting traditional music for contemporary audiences, revival artists created aesthetic bridges between past and present, helping audiences navigate changing circumstances while maintaining connection to cultural heritage. This process exemplifies how traditional cultural expressions evolve through creative reinterpretation rather than mere preservation.

Particularly significant was folk music's role as a form of storytelling that blended historical awareness with contemporary concerns. The documentary highlights how performers used traditional musical frameworks to address immediate social and political issues, demonstrating the remarkable adaptability of folk traditions to changing circumstances. This storytelling function parallels traditional mythology's role in providing frameworks for understanding complex social realities through accessible narrative forms.

The impact of this revival on Ireland's global cultural identity demonstrates how musical traditions contribute to national mythologies that transcend political boundaries. By creating new interpretations of traditional musical forms that resonated with international audiences, Irish folk musicians established distinctive cultural presence on the global stage that helped reshape perceptions of Irish identity both externally and internally. This process illustrates how cultural revivals often serve multiple functions—simultaneously preserving heritage, addressing contemporary concerns, and projecting new cultural identities beyond national boundaries.