The first arts legislation was introduced in 1951, the year in which Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was founded. It was only 30 years after the War of Independence. Many expectations had not been realised and there was a mass exodus from the country. Spiritual matters such as art and culture were not the central issues of the time. That was the environment and the era in which the Arts Council was established. Grafted on to the Arts Council grew an ethos which very often looked at the faraway hills. At the same time, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was running parallel, experiencing the same challenges and the same difficulties and trying to balance the situation.