One of the things I like to do to prepare for a trip is put on some music from the country I plan on visiting as I pack my suitcases.
For me, that usually involves listening to folk songs from the country itself.
Music, including its sound, usage, and beliefs regarding what even constitutes music, is one of those aspects that helps to define a culture.
Not to mention that music, as is often repeated, speaks to the soul.
So if you want to enjoy some beautiful tunes to help you get ready for your next trip to Ireland, here are my top 12 picks for Irish folk songs!
Table of Contents
A few facts about Irish traditional music
History
Irish music began as an oral tradition, passed down from family member to family member, neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend.
There were even travelling minstrels, who journeyed throughout the country, playing at parties, dances, and country fairs.
Finally, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Irish tunes began to be collected and appear in printed form. Some of these important collectors included Edward Bunting, George Petrie, and James Goodman.
For a while, traditional Irish music declined in popularity, but since the 1960s it has experienced a revival. As a result, Irish music has continued to evolve and grow well into the 21st century.
Types and instruments
Traditionally, Irish music consisted of a variety of types, including ballads, laments, drinking songs (of course!), and dance music like reels and jigs.
Traditional instruments include the fiddle, the flute, the whistle, the harp, pipes, banjo, and accordion.
Top traditional Irish folk songs
1. Molly Malone
Date: not recorded earlier than 1876
Composer: unknown, sometimes attributed to the Scotsman James Yorkston
About: Widely considered Dublin’s unofficial anthem, “Molly Malone” tells the story of a fishwife plying her trade on the streets of Dublin.
While there is no evidence of a historic person named Molly Malone, fishwives from past centuries hawked freshly caught fish and other seafood at fish markets. Because of the highly perishable nature of their goods, fishwives were notoriously loud, desperate to sell their fish before they went bad.
My favorite version: as performed by the one and only The Dubliners. Listen here.
Travel tip: There’s a statue of Molly Malone with her wheelbarrow on Suffolk Street, in Dublin.
2. Danny Boy
Date: lyrics written 1910, set to music 1913
Composer: lyrics written by English lawyer Frederic Weatherly, tune (known as Londonderry Air) is traditional Irish
About: One of the most recognizable Irish songs, the meaning of the song is disputed. The story I first heard is that it is about a parent lamenting their child going off to war.
It is one of the most recorded songs of all time and one of the most popular pub songs. It was so popular, in fact, that a pub in New York once banned the playing of the song for St. Patrick’s Day.
My favorite version: The song has some sad lyrics. I like this live version from Celtic Woman, which I think captures the sweet yet mournful spirit of the song. You can listen to it here.
The Muppets also produced their own version. Listen to it here.
3. Siúil a Rún
Date: traditional
Composer: traditional
About: The song is about a woman lamenting her lover going off to war. The lyrics are both in English and Irish.
The version we know today comes from a recording by Elizabeth Cronin, an influential singer of Irish traditional music. Having spent some of her youth on a farm, she learned hundreds of songs from itinerant farmhands. Elizabeth was visited by collectors of Irish music, who with her help preserved many traditional songs, including “Siúil a Rún.”
My favorite version: Once again, I recommend the version by Celtic Woman. Listen here.
4. The Fields of Athenry
Date: 1979
Composer: Pete St. John
About: A modern song written in the style of a traditional folk ballad, “The Fields of Athenry” tells the story of a man who stole corn to feed his family during the Great Famine (1845 – 1852), then was sentenced to be sent to the penal colony in Australia.
Penal transportation from Britain to Australia lasted 80 years, from 1788 to 1868. During that time, an estimated 162,000 men and women were taken to Australia as punishment for various crimes; around 24% of these were Irish.
My favorite version: Another song beautifully rendered by The Dubliners. You can listen here.
Travel tip: Athenry is a town in County Galway, around 25km (16 mi) from the city of Galway.
5. The Town I Loved So Well
Date: 1960s
Composer: Phil Coulter
About: I first heard this song on a trip to Northern Ireland, where my tour guide, a part-time singer and musician, performed it as we were driving through County Derry (also known as County Londonderry).
The composer, Phil Coulter, wrote it about his time growing up in Derry, as it evolved from an idyllic setting to a warzone during The Troubles. The Troubles is the name given to the period of deadly conflict between Ireland and Britain in Norther Ireland between the 1960s and 1998.
My favorite version: There’s a reason The Dubliners are Ireland’s top folk act. Here is their version of “The Town I Loved So Well.”
Travel tip: Derry is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland.
6. Foggy Dew
Date: lyrics 1916
Composer: Charles O’Neill
About: While there are earlier Irish songs call the “Foggy Dew,” the most famous version was written by Catholic priest Charles O’Neill in the aftermath of the Easter Rising of 1916.
The Easter Rising was a major rebellion against British rule that took place in the middle of WWI. The harsh suppression of the rebellion and the execution of rebels by the British helped to fuel the growing calls for Irish independence, which was finally achieved less than a decade later.
My favorite version: Sinéad O’Connor recorded a haunting version of “The Foggy Dew” with the Chieftains, which you can hear here.
Travel tip: There are several places in Dublin associated with the Easter Rising, most notably the GPO Museum, an interactive museum dedicated to the event and located at the rising’s former headquarters.
7. Mo Ghile Mear
Date: 18th century
Composer: traditional tune, lyrics adapted from the poems of Seán Mac Domhnaill
About: Often sung as a love song, the lyrics of the song are partially based on the poem Bímse Buan ar Buairt Gach Ló (“My Heart is Sore with Sorrow Deep”), written by Seán Mac Domhnaill in the aftermath of the Jacobite Rising of 1745.
Catholic prince Charles Edward Stewart, better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, made an attempt to take the British throne in 1745. He focused his efforts in Scotland, where he had strong support, but was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Culloden.
Both the poem and the song are from the point of view of Ireland, or Éire, who is longing for Bonnie Prince Charlie and the restoration of the old order. (Charlie’s defeat also reasserted Protestant British dominance in Ireland.)
My favorite version: While Celtic Woman made this one popular in recent years, I quite like this version.
Travel tip: Culloden is in Scotland. You can visit the site of the battlefield.
8. Rosc Catha na Mumhan; also Come Out, Ye Black and Tans
Date: 18th century (Rosc Catha na Mumhan), later half of the 20th century (Come Out, Ye Black and Tans)
Composer: traditional (Rosc Catha na Mumhan), Dominic Behan (Come Out, Ye Black and Tans)
About: Both of these songs use the same tune.
“Rosc Catha na Mumhan” is another Jacobite song and entirely in Irish.
“Come Out, Ye Black and Tans” is an Irish nationalist song. It refers to the “Black and Tans,” members of the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Irish War of Independence. In the song, the singer is confronting the pro-British Black and Tans, who were composed of the working class of both the Protestant and Catholic populations.
My favorite version: For “Rosc Catha na Mumhan,” check this version out.
For “Come Out, Ye Black and Tans,” give this version a try.
9. Brian Boru’s March
Date: traditional
Composer: traditional
About: This song is instrumental. It is named after Brian Boru, High King of Ireland (c. 941 – 1014). One of the most successful kings in Irish history, Brian ended the dominance of the Uí Neíll clan and is credited with ending the Viking invasions of Ireland. He died at the Battle of Clontarf.
My favorite version: The Chieftains popularized this song during the Irish music revival of the 1960s. Listen to their rendition here.
Travel tip: Looking to learn more about Brian Boru and medieval Dublin? Head to Dublinia, Dublin’s museum dedicate to Viking and Middle Ages.
10. Carolan’s Welcome
Date: late 17 or early 18th century
Composer: Turlough O’Carolan
About: No known lyrics accompany this piece composed by Turlough O’Carolan, the last of the great Irish harper-composers. Blinded from the age of 18, he traveled Ireland, staying at the houses of wealthy and influential people, composing tunes in their honor. More than 200 of his works survive.
My favorite version: Listen to a beautiful rendition here.
Travel tip: The earliest surviving and most famous harp in Irish history is Brian Boru’s harp, which is kept in Trinity College Dublin.
11. Cúnla
Date: 14th century
Composer: unknown
About: Originally composed in Irish, it has now been translated into English.
The song is a children’s song in the sean-nós style. Several centuries old and with regional variations, sean-nós is unaccompanied traditional Irish singing that is highly ornamented. Songs sung in sean-nós can vary topically, from love songs to laments to history to nature.
My favorite version: Many modern versions add instrumentation, but if you want to hear the song in true sean-nós style, check this version out.
12. Whiskey in the Jar
Date: traditional, possibly 17th century
Composer: traditional
About: This list wouldn’t be completed without an Irish drinking song!
The song tells the story of a highwayman (a robber who stole from travelers) betrayed by a woman. It is set in the southern mountains of Ireland, possibly Cork or Kerry.
My favorite version: One of the signature songs of The Dubliners, who included it in three of their albums. You can listen to it here.
Travel tip: The Irish Whiskey Museum is located right in the heart of Dublin, right by Trinity College Dublin and Parliament House.
Where to hear traditional Irish music (in Dublin)
Heading to Dublin and want to hear some traditional Irish music live? If you’re heading to Dublin, here are places to go:
O’Donoghue’s Pub: Perhaps the pub most closely associated with traditional Irish music, this is the pub where The Dubliners, Ireland’s most famous folk band, got its start.
The Brazen Head: Dublin’s oldest pub and one of the city’s top historic places to see. Traditional music is played here nightly.
The Celt: Located not too far off O’Connell Street, this traditional pub is a good central option to drink to the sound of traditional tunes.
The Cobblestone: Music is played daily at this traditional pub in one of Dublin’s oldest neighborhoods.
BONUS!
Every year in January, The Temple Bar, Dublin’s most famous pub, hosts TradFest, a celebration of traditional Irish music. While originally just taking place in the pub itself, the festival has grown in recent years to include venues all over town.
There you have it! A few of my favorite traditional Irish tunes. What are some of your favorites? Let me know in the comments!
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