What it Means to be 'Culturally' Irish in 2025 is Complicated - as Ed Sheeran has shown

Cultural Identity is Complex

Singer Ed Sheeran released an album titled "= ("Equals") in 2021. It includes the song "Bad Habits," which has risen to the top of the Irish music charts. The song's success has ignited a debate about what it means to be culturally Irish in 2025. Traditional Irish music is predominantly Celtic-influenced and internationally renowned for instruments like the Uilleann pipes, pennywhistle, and Irish flute. However, hits like "Bad Habits" showcase Ireland's evolving musical landscape, which also bears hip-hop, techno, and electronic dance music. With these shifting sounds, the nation's cultural identity becomes a topic of discussion.

Sheeran's Impact on Global and Local Views

Sheeran's music career began in England, and he has no Irish ancestry. Still, his hit song's success in Ireland has paved the way for deeper conversations about what constitutes Irish culture and how the global view of Ireland has changed. With a rich literary history, Ireland's cultural identity has traditionally been anchored by poets like W.B. Yeats and James Joyce. However, the country is now reconsidering how music, particularly that of Sheeran's, should be added to the narrative.

A New Chapter for Irish Identity

The success of "Bad Habits" has started a conversation about evolving Irish culture, blending the traditional and contemporary. Ireland's history of emigration means that many around the globe have been influenced by the nation's musical traditions. Thus, as Ireland explores its contemporary music scene, it revisits what it means to be Irish in a globalized world: preserving history while embracing the new.