<P> These two latter usage patterns may simply be remnants of formerly widespread melodic practices . </P> <P> Often, the term Celtic music is applied to the music of Ireland and Scotland because both lands have produced well - known distinctive styles which actually have genuine commonality and clear mutual influences . The definition is further complicated by the fact that Irish independence has allowed Ireland to promote' Celtic' music as a specifically Irish product . However, these are modern geographical references to a people who share a common Celtic ancestry and consequently, a common musical heritage . </P> <P> These styles are known because of the importance of Irish and Scottish people in the English speaking world, especially in the United States, where they had a profound impact on American music, particularly bluegrass and country music . The music of Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Brittany, Galicia, Cantabria and Asturias (Spain) and Portugal are also considered Celtic music, the tradition being particularly strong in Brittany, where Celtic festivals large and small take place throughout the year, and in Wales, where the ancient eisteddfod tradition has been revived and flourishes . Additionally, the musics of ethnically Celtic peoples abroad are vibrant, especially in Canada and the United States . In Canada the provinces of Atlantic Canada are known for being a home of Celtic music, most notably on the islands of Newfoundland, Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island . The traditional music of Atlantic Canada is heavily influenced by the Irish, Scottish and Acadian ethnic makeup of much of the region's communities . In some parts of Atlantic Canada, such as Newfoundland, Celtic music is as or more popular than in the old country . Further, some older forms of Celtic music that are rare in Scotland and Ireland today, such as the practice of accompanying a fiddle with a piano, or the Gaelic spinning songs of Cape Breton remain common in the Maritimes . Much of the music of this region is Celtic in nature, but originates in the local area and celebrates the sea, seafaring, fishing and other primary industries . </P> <P> In Celtic Music: A Complete Guide, June Skinner Sawyers acknowledges six Celtic nationalities divided into two groups according to their linguistic heritage . The Q - Celtic nationalities are the Irish, Scottish and Manx peoples, while the P - Celtic groups are the Cornish, Bretons and Welsh peoples . Musician Alan Stivell uses a similar dichotomy, between the Gaelic (Irish / Scottish / Manx) and the Brythonic (Breton / Welsh / Cornish) branches, which differentiate "mostly by the extended range (sometimes more than two octaves) of Irish and Scottish melodies and the closed range of Breton and Welsh melodies (often reduced to a half - octave), and by the frequent use of the pure pentatonic scale in Gaelic music ." </P>

Is irish music and celtic music the same