Last week, the Bluffer was sashaying his way along sunny Malagueta beach in Málaga with Shakira singing away into his cluaisíní - earphones.
However, being of a philosophical bent, he turned off Hips Don’t Lie and started thinking about the role music plays in life.
When did music start? Did lucht pluaise - cave dwellers discover that when they hit bones on their wall that they could play Save All Your Kisses for Me by Brotherhood of Man or The Birdie Song?
And did they then fall about laughing?
Or did a Neanderthal burst into Agadoo to the delight of his companions and it just grew from there?
It could be that rinne siad aithris - they imitated fuaimeanna an nádúir - the sounds of nature or that making music was part of deasghnáth - a ritual that early humans used to find a céile - a mate in the days before discos were invented.
Another theory is that it developed as a meán cumarsáide - a means of communication between a mother and a baby.
The Bluffer uses music for lots of reasons.
Éistim le ceol le mo scíth a ligean - I listen to music to relax is what most people would say if you asked them why they listen to music.
Others like to have some light classical music on while they read or study but music is also great if you are out jogging because it can give you an extra burst of energy when you need it.
Cuidíonn an rithim liom nuair atá mé ag rith - the rhythm helps me when I’m running and that could be on the streets or sa spórtlann - in the gym.
The Bluffer’s gender has been called into question as he has a seinnliosta - a playlist that includes Kylie, Britney Spears and The Weather Girls’ It’s Raining Men but the girls are perfect for getting him over the crest of a punishing hill!
It’s also great for when he does the timireacht - the household chores á la Queen’s I Want to Break Free video. Hoovering has never been so enjoyable!
Music is also great for changing your mood but it works in mysterious ways.
Nuair atá drochspion air - when he is in a bad mood, he listens to country ballads, the most morose form of music ever composed.
Counter-intuitively, songs about orphans, physical disability, infidelity and murder always cheer him up! At least his life is better than the Valley of Tears portrayed by Nashville’s finest.
He also listens to the odd opera, another genre with its fair share of murder, death and mayhem. (Is there a pattern developing here?)
Of course, music is best listened to live and the Bluffer has had a fabulous time at each and every Belfast Tradfest and he knows the traditional will continue well into the future.
Music has all kinds of uses that effect you physically (it can get you up to dance) or emotionally. For instance, Immigrants will listen to The Fields of Athenry to get over homesickness.
But now the Bluffer is looking for someone to sing him a suantraí - a lullaby as it’s getting late so goodbye from me and goodbye from Brahms.
CÚPLA FOCAL
cluaisíní (clooasheenee) - earphones
lucht pluaise (lukht plooeesha) - cave dwellers
rinne siad aithris (rin shade ahreesh) - they imitated
fuaimeanna an nádúir (fooamana un nadoor) - the sounds of nature
deasghnáth (jassgrah) - a ritual
céile (cayla) - a mate
meán cumarsáide (maan cumarsaadgea) - a means of communication
Éistim le ceol le mo scíth a ligean (ayshtim le kyawl le maw shkeeh a ligan) - I listen to music to relax
Cuidíonn an rithim liom nuair atá mé ag rith (cudgeean un rihim lum noor ataa may eg reeh) - the rhythm helps me when I’m running
sa spórtlann (sa sportlaan) - in the gym
seinnliosta (shenlista) - a playlist
timireacht (chimirakht) - household chores
Nuair atá drochspion air (noor ataa drokhspin er) - when he is in a bad mood
suantraí (sooantree) - a lullaby