Folk music has always carried echoes of mythology—a weaving of personal and collective memory that transforms ordinary lives into extraordinary narratives. In Ireland, this mythological dimension has played a vital role in forging national identity, especially during periods of social or political upheaval.

Today, as folk music experiences a remarkable revival in Ireland, it offers a compelling case study in the enduring interplay between myth, culture, and nation-building. Contemporary acts like Lankum, Ye Vagabonds, and The Mary Wallopers are reshaping Irish folk music for a new generation, drawing on traditional forms while incorporating modern sensibilities and concerns. This new movement builds upon earlier revivals while responding to present-day realities and artistic currents.

The early 20th-century Irish folk revival emerged as an assertion of cultural independence, intertwining artistic expression and political consciousness to craft a distinctly Irish identity separate from British influence. Through grassroots traditions like the "session"—a communal gathering of musicians—and later through global successes like The Dubliners and The Pogues, folk music transcended mere entertainment to become a vessel for storytelling, cultural memory, and collective identity.

The 21st-century folk revival carries forward this tradition while addressing contemporary circumstances. Artists like Lankum redefine the genre with their "doom-folk" sound, bridging Ireland's ancient musical heritage with modern sonic experimentation and thematic concerns. Others, like The Mary Wallopers, reclaim folk's populist roots, stripping away commercialised elements of "tourist-oriented" traditional music to present an unvarnished, irreverent expression of Irishness. Meanwhile, younger artists like Muireann Bradley demonstrate the genre's intergenerational resilience.

This revival represents more than nostalgia—it is mythology in real-time, reconstructing authenticity while forging a forward-looking cultural identity that acknowledges tradition without being constrained by it.