Top 10 Favorite Irish Songs

Celebrate this St. Patrick Day with music...and not just with booze...

Top of the morning to you!! I am Barius, and welcome to a special St. Patrick’s Day review on Rave Up Music. Though we are in the middle of Wrassle-Palooza, I thought I would take a week off from it to bring one my favorite genres of music: Irish music.

Being of Irish descent, I have always been drawn to Irish music. The music from the Emerald Isle fills my soul with heartfelt emotions, as well as put me in the mood for joyful, celebratory fun. Irish music tends to have a wide range of topics. Most Irish music tends to be of a personal nature, usually the tale of unrequited love or the personal struggles of an individual or group of people have gone through to be where they are in their lives. Other songs are fantastical tales of adventure and excitement, and, thanks to the stereotypes people are presented about Irish people, there are lot of songs about drinking and partying.

This imagery does not help to break the stereotypes, people...

For a lot of people in America, the holiday of St. Patrick’s Day is usually an excuse to go and get completely wasted off of green beer and eat a lot of corned beef and cabbage. Since I am not a fan that part of the celebration (though I do enjoy corned beef), I usually like to sit at home and listen to Irish music instead. So, for this St. Patrick’s Day, I am going to share with you my Top 10 Favorite Irish Songs. Now, this list included folk songs, modern Irish songs, lullabies, and maybe even a drinking song or two. These are the songs that are either Irish in origin or are deeply connected to the culture.

So, sit back and pin a lucky four-leaf clover to your shirt, as I countdown my Top 10 Favorite Irish Songs!

10. “The Last Rose of Summer”

Performed by Laura Wright

Written as a poem by Thomas Moore, “The Last Rose of Summer” is a reflection on life as person’s days are drawing to a close. The song uses the imagery of a rose being the last one blooming, while all of its companions have since wilted away. Instead of wanting the rose to cling onto life, Moore suggests the rose to go in peace to be with its fellow roses.

What makes the song one of my favorites is how simple, yet true to life it is. After using the rose as a metaphor, the poet suggest that life is tough if you do not have friends or family by your side, and should his time comes, he would like it to be like that of the rose, for what is a life without the warmth of friendship. These philosophical lyrics make the song a true Irish classic, as well as a good start for this countdown.

9. “Siúil A Rún”

Performed by Clannad

This macaronic song (English lyrics mixed with Irish lyrics) tells the story of a young woman lamenting for her love as he is forced to join the army, and how she will support him through it. The woman states that she will sell every possession she has to support her love in order for him to be successful in the army, as well as pray for his safe return, even if he does not return at all. What I love about this song is the love and emotion you feel for her as she does everything she can to support her man. It reminds me of a lot of modern wives of soldiers who have gone off to fight in wars and battles that they have no choice to be in. Plus, the Irish chorus flows very nicely with the English verses. By the time you finish hearing “Siúil A Rún,” you will wish you can help the lady out to support her love.

8. “Over the Hill and Far Away” by Gary Moore

Though it is one of the more modern songs on this list, this Irish rock song from Gary Moore invokes imagery from that of an old Irish folk song. “Over the Hills and Far Away” tells the story of a man accused of a robbery he did not commit, but he cannot say where he really was, for he spent the night with the wife of his best friend. Now, he is sent to prison for ten long years, but swears to return to her one day, and she will wait for her.

This song screams “Irish.” Whether it is the sweeping triplet riffs in the violins and field drums, or Moore powerful, reflective vocals, the songs fills me with deep Irish pride. Yes, the contents of the lyrics are bit sketchy, but I never said that Irish music does not have mature subject matter. Regardless, this is one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite guitarists. Heck, I think there might be a couple of cover versions out there I might have to check out in the near future….

7. “Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral”

Performed by Bob McGrath (Bob from Sesame Street)

What a simply beautiful song. Yet another reflective tune, “Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral” is a song about a man reflecting back to his days in Killarney, and the lullaby his mother used to sing to him as he drifted off to sleep. This represents that beautiful and emotion one can find in Irish music. It is really one of those songs that will put a person’s mind at ease when they are having a rough day, and want to relax from the stress that the real world brings to them. This is simply one of the best Irish songs ever written, and definitely one of my favorites.

6. “Carrickfergus”

Performed by The Dubliners

“Carrickfergus” is a song about the town of the same name. While the Irish version of the song is a bit humorous in nature, the English version is filled with a lot of nostalgia. The song is about a man’s reflective look at living in Carrickfergus, and how he pines for it those old days. What I love about this song is how it paints the beauty and wonder that is Ireland, from its green fields and vast body of water that surrounds it, to the architecture of the buildings. It makes me feel like if I had grown up in a place like Carrickfergus, I would miss it, too. If you need a good nostalgic kick, “Carrickfergus” is the tune for you.

5. “Danny Boy”

Performed by Frank Patterson

Now, before anyone complains, I am aware that this song was written by an English composer than an Irish composer. However, the song itself has become synonymous with Irish culture that it might as well be an Irish song. The imagery presented in “Danny Boy” suggests that it is about a married couple sending a message to their son who either joined the army, or became a part of the Irish Diaspora; a movement that saw a lot of Irish people immigrating to other countries, including England and the United States. The song gives the imagery of parents calling their children home to Ireland. Some people have interpreted this as the heavens calling young lads to their “home.” Whatever the interpretation of the song is correct, “Danny Boy” remains a tune used to give piece of mind to a lot of people, and really gives one’s soul that lift it needs in hard times.

4. “Dúlamán”

Performed by Altan

“Dúlamán” is Gaelic for “seaweed,” which used to be a delicacy in Ireland during a time of famine in the country. The song tells one of the more twisted tales found in Irish music. The song is about two seaweed collectors, one who has a daughter that the other seaweed collector wishes to marry. Even though he does not wish for him to marry his daughter, the other seaweed collector secretly elopes with the daughter later on that night. Gee, I wonder where I have heard that one before…

I absolutely love listening to “Dúlamán” for its incredible use of the Gaelic language. Nearly every version of the song has such great flow to the lyrics. The song is really energetic in most versions, especially when it uses the bodhrán, an Irish frame drum. And while its subject matter is a bit bizarre, it is still a very enjoyable song.

3. “My Irish Molly-O”

Performed by DeDanann

If you want a song that really represents good Irish folk music, look no further than “My Molly Irish-O.” The song is upbeat, and uses beautiful imagery to represent the beauty of the titular Molly-O. Plus, like a lot of Irish folk songs, it is about a girl that no matter if she was rich or poor, the love for her would not change at all. Though this is one of many Irish songs about a girl named Molly, it is my favorite because you can genuine feel the love the singer has for her. Overall, “My Irish Molly-O” is a fun tune that celebrates love and life at the same time.

2. “The Voice” by Eimear Quinn

Written by Brendan Graham and made famous by Eimear Quinn after winning the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest, “The Voice” invokes many Irish music conventions. The song is a very Celtic-inspired song, filled with imagery this woman being “the voice,” a being that watches the world, and how she controls the elements a la Mother Nature. The song uses a lot of traditional Irish winds, percussion and string instruments to give a true Irish feel to it.

What makes this song one of my favorite Irish songs is that it has a lot of emotion to it. It has the slow, soulfulness of a lot of Irish music, but also has the energy that pumps you up to dance and celebrate all that is great in the world. If I am ever feeling a bit down in the dumps, I can put on “The Voice,” and my spirit is lifted.

1.  “Whiskey in the Jar”

Performed by Metallica (Big shock there)

This one is probably not a surprise to a lot of you, but yes; “Whiskey in the Jar” is my favorite Irish song of all time. I heard this song years ago when listening to Thin Lizzy on the radio, and fell in love with the melody, the riffs, and the drumbeats. Years later, when Metallica released a cover of the song, I fell even more in love with this song.

It is pretty easy to see why this song is my favorite Irish song. It has an infectious melody and chorus, and it is full of a lot of energy in both the vocals and instrumental parts. There are many versions of the song out there, both in the traditional setting and the rock setting, and for me, all of them are spectacular. Some of my favorite versions include the Thin Lizzy and Metallica versions, as well as version by The Dubliners and the Irish Rovers.

The one thing I have always found ironic about the song is while a lot of people associate this song as an Irish drinking song, mainly because of the title of the song is “WHISKEY in the Jar.” Truthfully, it is a story of betrayal and robbery. The song is about a man who robs from Captain Farrell, and returns home to his love Molly (Jenny in some version), only to be betrayed by his love, who informs the Captain of his whereabouts. This leads to his defeat and captured by the Captain, and he is sent to prison. Man, this song is a little bit messed up…

Whether it is for the story or for the music aspects of the song, “Whiskey in the jar” has become a part of the world’s view of Irish music and culture because of how fantastic is it. I love the song from way back in my youth, and I still love it to this day, which is why I dub it my favorite Irish song of all time!

And those are my favorite Irish songs. There a lot more of them out there, some that I would love to talk about, which I might do again another time. For now, we must return to our month long Wrassle-Palooza celebration with a look at an album from the most popular WWE Superstar of the modern era…as well as one of my least favorite wrestlers of all time. I am sure you know what it is coming next week. Until next time, this is Barius wishing you all a safe St. Patrick’s Day, and I will leave you with the a version of “Danny Boy” performed by the Swedish Chef, Beaker and Animal. Enjoy!

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