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30 Best Irish Songs of All Time

Irish music is known for its rich history, catchy melodies, and heartfelt lyrics. Irish music is also known for its beauty, its soul, and its storytelling. Irish songs have been enjoyed by people all over the world for generations. They tell stories of love, loss, joy, and sorrow. They are also known for their rhythm and foot-stomping techniques. 

This list of the 30 best Irish songs of all time is a celebration of the diversity and richness of Irish music. It includes songs from a variety of artists and genres, from classic folk songs to contemporary hits. We feature songs that are sure to get your toes tapping and your heart singing. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Irish singers music or just getting started, this list is sure to have something for you. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the sounds of Ireland. 

1. The Fields of Athenry – Paddy Reilly

The Fields of Athenry is a song written in 1979 by Pete St. John in the style of an Irish folk ballad. Set during the Great Famine of the 1840s, the lyrics feature a fictional man from near Athenry in County Galway, who stole food for his starving family and has been sentenced to transportation to the Australian penal colony at Botany Bay. It has become a widely known, popular anthem for Irish sports supporters.

The song was regularly heard on the terraces in the late 1980s by supporters of the Galway County hurling team. The song was adopted by Republic of Ireland national football team supporters during the 1990 World Cup and subsequently by Celtic supporters in the early 1990s. The song’s popularity, due in part to its use at sporting events, has helped to attract tourists to Athenry. In recognition of this, the town’s officials invited Pete St. John to a civic reception and presented him with a mace and chain as a token of their appreciation.

2. Whiskey in the Jar – The Dubliners

Whiskey in the Jar is an Irish traditional song set in the southern mountains of Ireland, often with specific mention of counties Cork and Kerry. The song, about a highwayman who is betrayed by his wife or lover, is one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs and has been recorded by numerous artists since the 1950s.

The song first gained wide exposure when the Irish folk band The Dubliners performed it internationally as a signature song and recorded it on three albums in the 1960s. In 1990, the Dubliners re-recorded the song with the Pogues with a faster rocky version charting at No. 63 in the UK. American metal band Metallica in 1998 played a version very similar to that of Thin Lizzy’s, though with a heavier sound, winning a Grammy for the song in 2000 for Best Hard Rock Performance. 

3. Sunday Bloody Sunday –  U2

Sunday Bloody Sunday is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1983 album War. Sunday Bloody Sunday is noted for its militaristic drumbeat, harsh guitar, and melodic harmonies. One of U2’s most overtly political songs, its lyrics describe the horror felt by an observer of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, mainly focusing on the 1972 Bloody Sunday incident in Derry where British troops shot and killed unarmed civil rights protesters. 

Along with New Year’s Day, the song helped U2 reach a wider listening audience. It was generally well received by critics on the album’s release. The song has remained a staple of U2’s live concerts. During its earliest performances, the song created controversy. Lead singer Bono reasserted the song’s anti-sectarian-violence message to his audience for many years. Today, it is considered one of U2’s signature songs and is one of the band’s most performed tracks.

4. Zombie – The Cranberries

Zombie is a protest song by Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries, written by the band’s lead singer Dolores O’Riordan about The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Music critics have long recognized Zombie as a masterpiece of alternative rock, as well as a grunge number uncharacteristic of the band’s other work. Zombie reached No. 1 on the charts of Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and Iceland. 

The song was written in response to the death of Johnathan Ball, aged 3, and Tim Parry, aged 12, both of whom had been killed in the Warrington bombings, when two IRA improvised explosive devices hidden in litter bins were detonated in a shopping street in Warrington, England. Ball died at the scene of the bombing as a result of his shrapnel-inflicted injuries, and five days later, Parry lost his life as a result of head injuries. 56 others were injured, some seriously. Parry died in his father’s arms in a hospital in Walton, Liverpool. The two boys had gone shopping to buy Mother’s Day cards on one of the town’s busiest shopping streets.

5. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

Brown Eyed Girl is a song by Northern Irish singer and songwriter Van Morrison. Written by Morrison and recorded in March 1967 for Bang Records owner and producer Bert Berns, it was released as a single in June of the same year on the Bang label, peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

The song spent a total of sixteen weeks on the chart. It featured the Sweet Inspirations singing backup vocals and is considered to be Van Morrison’s signature song.

6. Danny Boy 

Danny Boy is a traditional song, with lyrics written by English lawyer Frederic Weatherly in 1910, and set to the traditional Irish melody of Londonderry Air in 1913. Weatherly gave the song to the vocalist Elsie Griffin, who made it one of the most popular songs of the new century. 

Ernestine Schumann-Heink produced the first recording of Danny Boy in 1915. There are various conjectures about the meaning of Danny Boy. Some interpret the song to be a message from a parent to a son going off to war.

7. Fairytale of New York – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl

Fairytale of New York is a song written by Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan and recorded by their London-based band the Pogues, featuring singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl on vocals. The song is an Irish folk-style ballad and was written as a duet, with the Pogues’ singer MacGowan taking the role of the male character and MacColl playing the female character.

In the UK, Fairytale of New York is the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century. It is frequently cited as the best Christmas song of all time in various television, radio, and magazine-related polls in the UK and Ireland.

8. Galway Girl – Ed Sheeran

Galway Girl is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. The song is a collaboration between Sheeran and Irish folk band Beoga, and is heavily influenced by Irish traditional music. On Saint Patrick’s Day, 17 March 2017, Sheeran announced the song as the third single from his 2017 album accompanied by a lyric video.

Galway Girl was included on the year-end top singles charts of 17 countries, including the top five of Belgium, Denmark, Slovenia, and the UK. The song entered the charts of 31 countries around the world. The song was certified Platinum or multi-platinum in 13 countries.

9. Molly Malone 

Molly Malone is a song set in Dublin, Ireland, which has become its unofficial anthem. The song tells the fictional tale of a fishwife who plied her trade on the streets of Dublin and died young, of a fever. In the late 20th century, a legend grew up that there was a historical Molly, who lived in the 17th century. She is typically represented as a hawker by day and a part-time prostitute by night. In contrast, she has also been portrayed as one of the few chaste female street hawkers of her day.

A statue representing Molly Malone was unveiled on Grafton Street by then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ben Briscoe, during the 1988 Dublin Millennium celebrations, when 13 June was declared to be Molly Malone Day. In July 2014, the statue was relocated to Suffolk Street, in front of the Tourist Information Office, to make way for Luas track-laying work at the old location.

10. The Auld Triangle – The Dubliners

The Auld Triangle is a song by Dick Shannon, often attributed to Brendan Behan, who made it famous when he included it in his 1954 play The Quare Fellow. The song was later made famous by Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew and The Dubliners in the late 1960s, and was revived for a new audience by Irish rock band The Pogues on their 1984 album Red Roses for Me. The song has become also a football chant, sung by fans of the Dublin Bohemian Football Club whose ground is near the prison. 

11. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album’s second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band’s second consecutive number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 while peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart. Lead singer Bono’s vocals are in high register and lead guitarist the Edge plays a chiming arpeggio. 

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For was critically acclaimed and received two nominations at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988, for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It has subsequently become one of the group’s most well-known songs and has been performed on many of their concert tours.

12. On Raglan Road – Luke Kelly

On Raglan Road is a well-known Irish song from a poem written by Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh named after Raglan Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin. 

In the poem, the speaker recalls, while walking on a quiet street, a love affair that he had with a much younger woman. Although he knew he would risk being hurt if he initiated a relationship, he did so anyway, and ultimately faced heartache after the relationship ended.

13. Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys

Fisherman’s Blues is a song from folk rock boy band The Waterboys, which was released in 1988 as the lead single from their fourth studio album of the same name. It was written by Mike Scott and Steve Wickham, and produced by Scott. 

The song reached number 3 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, number 13 in Ireland and number 32 in the UK. The single was reissued in the UK in 1991 to promote the compilation album The Best of The Waterboys 81–90. The reissue reached number 17 in Ireland and number 75 in the UK.

14. A Rainy Night in Soho – The Pogues

A Rainy Night in Soho is a song by The Pogues released in 1986, originally included on their Poguetry in Motion EP. A video was filmed for the song. It shows Shane MacGowan with a short beard, cool shades and a leather jacket singing into a 1950s-styled mic; the black-and-white footage is mixed with flicks from the protagonist’s childhood and frames from nighttime London. Finally, Shane dances the waltz with his girlfriend before a burning fire.

15. Grace – Jim McCann

This Irish ballad, written in 1985 by Frank and Seán O’Meara, tells the tragic story of Grace Gifford, who married her fiancé, rebel leader Joseph Mary Plunkett, in Dublin’s notorious Kilmainham Gaol. 

Seven hours after their 15-minute wedding ceremony at the gaol’s austere chapel, Plunkett was executed by firing squad for his part in the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin.

16. Carrickfergus – Van Morrison

Carrickfergus is an Irish folk song, named after the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The Clancy Brothers’ 1964 album titled The First Hurrah includes this title. A somewhat differing version was released under the name The Kerry Boatman, by Dominic Behan on an LP called The Irish Rover, in 1965.

The song has been recorded by many well-known performers. It is a popular request at folk festivals and concerts and was played at the 1999 funeral of John F. Kennedy, Jr. The song is referenced in the song “Galway Girl”, written and performed by Ed Sheeran on his 2017 album Divide.

17. The Rocky Road to Dublin – The Dubliners

Rocky Road to Dublin is a 19th-century Irish song written by Irish poet D. K. Gavan about a man’s experiences as he travels to Liverpool, England from his home in Tuam, Ireland. 

Originally popularized by Harry Clifton, it has since been performed extensively and become a standard of Irish folk music. The song is also often performed instrumentally.

18. The Irish Rover – The Pogues & The Dubliners

The Irish Rover is an Irish folk song about a magnificent though improbable sailing ship that reaches an unfortunate end. It has been recorded by numerous artists, some of whom have made changes to the lyrics over time.

The song describes a gigantic ship with twenty-three masts, a colourful crew and varied types of cargo in enormous amounts. The verses grow successively more extravagant about the wonders of the great ship. The seven-year voyage culminates in a disastrous end, after the ship suffers a measles outbreak, killing all but the narrator and the captain’s dog. The ship then strikes a rock, turning nine times around and sinking. The captain’s dog drowns in the incident, and the narrator is the only survivor, the last of the Irish Rover, leaving no one else alive to contradict the tale.

19. Star of the County Down – Van Morrison

Star of the County Down is an Irish ballad set near Banbridge in County Down, Ireland. The Star of the County Down uses a tight rhyme scheme. Each stanza is a double quatrain, and the first and third lines of each quatrain have an internal rhyme on the second and fourth feet. The refrain is a single quatrain with the same rhyming pattern.

The song is sung from the point of view of a young man who chances to meet a charming lady by the name of Rose McCann, referred to as the star of the County Down. From a brief encounter the writer’s infatuation grows until, by the end of the ballad, he imagines himself marrying the girl.

20. The Mountains of Mourne – Don McLean

The lyrics to the song The Mountains of Mourne were written by Irish musician Percy French. The song is representative of French’s many works concerning the Irish diaspora. The Mourne Mountains of the title are located in County Down in Northern Ireland.

The song is a whimsical look at the styles, attitudes and fashions of late nineteenth-century London as seen from the point of view of an emigrant labourer from a village near the Mourne Mountains. It is written as a message to the narrator’s true love at home. The sweep down to the sea refrain was inspired by the view of the mountains from Skerries in north County Dublin. It contrasts the artificial attractions of the city with the more natural beauty of his homeland.

21. Bright Blue Rose – Mary Black

https://youtu.be/U-vlb9w8SSY?si=PHML9zXvTZQjb8ra

Bright Blue Rose is a song that evokes themes of love, beauty, and the fleeting nature of life. The song was written by Jimmy MacCarthy, a renowned Irish songwriter, and has been covered by several artists. The lyrics of the song are rich in metaphor and imagery, and they convey a sense of wonder and appreciation for the simple and extraordinary aspects of life. 

The bright blue rose mentioned in the song is a symbol of something rare and exquisite, something to be treasured and celebrated. The song’s lyrics celebrate the beauty of the world and the experiences that make life meaningful. It speaks to the idea that even in the face of life’s challenges and hardships, there are moments of great beauty and joy that make life worthwhile.

22. Only Our Rivers Run Free – Christy Moore

Only Our Rivers Run Free is a well-known Irish folk song written by Mickey MacConnell. The song addresses the theme of Irish nationalism, particularly in the context of the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the desire for a united Ireland. It reflects the struggles and sacrifices made by the Irish people for their cause. The lyrics of the song touch on various aspects of Irish history and the desire for freedom and independence. 

It laments the price that many have paid for the dream of a united Ireland, referencing the shedding of blood and the loss of loved ones. The song has been performed by various artists, but Christy Moore’s rendition is one of the most well-known.

23. The Lakes of Pontchartrain – Paul Brady

The Lakes of Pontchartrain is about a man who is given shelter by a woman. He falls in love with her and asks her to marry him, but she is already promised to a sailor and declines. It is a tale of unrequited love.

The exact origin of the song is unknown, though it is commonly held to have originated in the southern United States in the 19th century. Ruth Smith explored the journey of the song in an RTÉ radio documentary in 2020.  This documentary traces the modern Irish version back, using the Roud index to a songbook entitled Songs and ballads from Southern Michigan by Gardiner and Chickering.

24. The Sick Note – Pat Cooksey

The Sick Note is a humorous Irish folk song written by Pat Cooksey. It is a narrative song that tells a humorous and fictional story about a man named Paddy Murphy who explains his repeated absences from work due to a series of increasingly absurd and unfortunate events. In the song, Paddy Murphy writes a letter to his employer, presumably after having missed work for a prolonged period. In the letter, he recounts a series of unfortunate incidents, each more outrageous than the last, as excuses for his absence. These incidents involve a brick falling on his head, a fire in his house, a runaway cow, a misadventure with his aunt, and more.

The humor in The Sick Note comes from the absurdity of the excuses and the clever storytelling by the narrator, Paddy Murphy. The song is often performed with an infectious and jovial melody, which adds to its comedic effect. While the song is light-hearted and comical, it’s important to note that it’s a work of fiction and not meant to be taken as a serious narrative. The Sick Note has been covered by various artists and is often performed in a lively and entertaining manner.

25. The Old Man – Phil Coulter

The Old Man is a sentimental and moving song written by Irish musician and composer Phil Coulter. It reflects on the impact of the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the changes that occurred in the city of Derry during that period.

The lyrics of the song are written from the perspective of someone who is reminiscing about their hometown, reflecting on the past and the beauty of the city before the Troubles began. It speaks of the sense of loss and sorrow as the city’s streets were disrupted by conflict and violence. The old man in the song represents a narrator who has witnessed and lived through these changes.

26. Galway Shawl – The High Kings

The Galway Shawl is a traditional Irish folk song, concerning a rural courtship in the West of Ireland. The first known version was collected by Sam Henry from Bridget Kealey in Dungiven in 1936. 

The song has been popularly recorded by many ballad groups in Ireland and is now commonly adapted to a waltz time so that people can dance to it.

27. The Foggy Dew

Foggy Dew is the name of several Irish ballads and of an Irish lament. The song chronicles the Easter Rising of 1916 and encourages Irishmen to fight for the cause of Ireland, rather than for the British Empire, as so many young men were doing in World War I.

28. Thousands Are Sailing – The Pogues

Thousands Are Sailing is a song by The Pogues, released in 1988. The song is an Irish folk-style ballad, written by Phil Chevron, and featured on The Pogues’ album If I Should Fall from Grace with God. The song consists of two 16-line verses and three occurrences of a chorus that varies each time.

29. N17 – The Saw Doctors

https://youtu.be/WlRhzRsAHQw?si=HCtkIR357DVcQIlb

N17, a song about an Irish emigrant longing to be driving on the N17 national route which connects Galway with County Mayo and County Sligo, passing through the Saw Doctors’ hometown of Tuam.

Although N17 did not chart upon its original release, the band’s appearance at the inaugural 1990 Féile music festival in Thurles, County Tipperary, cemented their reputation as a live act. The song became known as the band’s anthem. A re-released N17 reached number one in the Irish charts at Christmas 1990.

30. A Song for Ireland – Mary Black

Song for Ireland was a major success on the Irish folk circuit when it first appeared in the early 1980s. It was recorded by top performers like The Dubliners, and Mary Black with De Dannan. It’s a celebration of Ireland and has come to be seen as a kind of anthem for the country, its culture and its people. 

This list of the 30 best Irish songs of all time includes a mix of old and new, classic and obscure. These songs represent a wide range of Irish music styles, from traditional folk to contemporary rock. They are all beloved by Irish people and music fans around the world.