Top 50 Irish Songs You Need to Hear: Folk, Rebel, & Modern Hits

Ireland has a musical tradition unlike any other—rich in storytelling, emotion, and infectious melodies that capture the heart and soul of the Emerald Isle. Whether it’s the haunting beauty of a traditional ballad, the foot-stomping energy of a pub song, or the anthemic power of Irish rock, these songs tell tales of love, loss, rebellion, and celebration. From timeless folk classics passed down through generations to chart-topping modern hits, these 50 Irish songs embody the essence of Ireland’s deep cultural roots.

No matter the occasion—St. Patrick’s Day, a night at the pub, or simply a longing for home—this playlist is a tribute to the music that has defined Ireland for centuries. So, grab a pint, turn up the volume, and let these songs take you on a journey through Ireland’s rich musical history.

Classic Irish Ballads

Danny Boy – Various Artists
“Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling, from glen to glen, and down the mountain side.”

The Fields of Athenry – Paddy Reilly
“Low lie the fields of Athenry, where once we watched the small free birds fly.”

Raglan Road – Luke Kelly
“On Raglan Road on an autumn day, I met her first and knew that her dark hair would weave a snare.”

Grace – Jim McCann
“Oh, Grace just hold me in your arms and let this moment linger, they take me out at dawn and I will die.”

The Town I Loved So Well – Phil Coulter
“For what’s done is done and what’s won is won, and what’s lost is lost and gone forever.”

The Rose of Tralee – Various Artists
“She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer, yet ’twas not her beauty alone that won me.”

She Moved Through the Fair – Van Morrison & The Chieftains
“And she went her way homeward with one star awake, as the swan in the evening moves over the lake.”

Only Our Rivers Run Free – Christy Moore
“Only our rivers run free, only our rivers run free.”

Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go? – The Clancy Brothers
“And we’ll all go together to pluck wild mountain thyme all around the blooming heather.”

The Galway Shawl – The Dubliners
“She wore no jewels, no costly diamonds, no paint nor powder, no none at all.”

Traditional Irish Folk Songs

Whiskey in the Jar – The Dubliners / Thin Lizzy / Metallica
“As I was goin’ over the Cork and Kerry mountains, I saw Captain Farrell and his money he was countin’.”

The Wild Rover – The Clancy Brothers
“And it’s no, nay, never, no, nay, never, no more, will I play the wild rover, no never, no more.”

Molly Malone – The Dubliners
“In Dublin’s fair city where the girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone.”

Black Velvet Band – The Dubliners
“Her eyes they shone like diamonds, you’d think she was queen of the land.”

Star of the County Down – Van Morrison & The Chieftains
“From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay and from Galway to Dublin town, no maid I’ve seen like the fair colleen that I met in the County Down.”

Carrickfergus – The Dubliners
“But the sea is wide and I cannot swim over, and neither have I wings to fly.”

The Rare Auld Times – Dublin City Ramblers
“I remember Dublin city in the rare auld times.”

Spancil Hill – Christy Moore
“Last night as I lay dreaming of pleasant days gone by, my mind being bent on rambling to Ireland I did fly.”

The Parting Glass – The High Kings
“So fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you all.”

Rocky Road to Dublin – The Dubliners
“One, two, three, four, five, hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road and all the way to Dublin, whack-fol-lol-de-ra!”

Irish Rebel Songs

The Foggy Dew – The Chieftains & Sinead O’Connor
“‘Twas England bade our wild geese go, that small nations might be free.”

Come Out, Ye Black and Tans – Dominic Behan
“Come out, ye Black and Tans, come out and fight me like a man.”

A Nation Once Again – The Wolfe Tones
“When boyhood’s fire was in my blood, I read of ancient freemen.”

James Connolly – The Wolfe Tones
“A great crowd had gathered outside of Kilmainham, their heads all uncovered, they knelt to the ground.”

Boys of the Old Brigade – The Wolfe Tones
“Oh father why are you crying, so I heard the young man say.”

Patriot Game – The Dubliners
“Come all you young rebels and list while I sing.”

Four Green Fields – Tommy Makem
“My four green fields ran red with blood, said she.”

The Rising of the Moon – The Dubliners
“And back through the glen I rode again, and my heart with grief was sore.”

The Men Behind the Wire – Barleycorn
“Armoured cars and tanks and guns came to take away our sons.”

Erin Go Bragh – The Dubliners
“Oh, my name’s not Pat and my name’s not Mick, and my home’s not in Ireland, it lies across the sea.”

Modern Irish Hits

The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy
“Guess who just got back today, them wild-eyed boys that had been away.”

With or Without You – U2
“And you give yourself away, and you give yourself away.”

Dreams – The Cranberries
“Oh, my life is changing every day, in every possible way.”

Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinéad O’Connor
“It’s been seven hours and fifteen days since you took your love away.”

Take Me to Church – Hozier
“I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies.”

Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
“If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?”

Galway Girl – Ed Sheeran & Steve Earle
“And I ask you, friend, what’s a fella to do? ‘Cause her hair was black and her eyes were blue.”

I’m Shipping Up to Boston – Dropkick Murphys
“I’m shipping up to Boston, whoa-oh-oh-oh!”

Linger – The Cranberries
“You know I’m such a fool for you, you’ve got me wrapped around your finger.”

Teenage Kicks – The Undertones
“I need excitement, oh I need it bad, and it’s the best I’ve ever had.”

Irish Party & Pub Songs

Seven Drunken Nights – The Dubliners
“As I went home on Monday night as drunk as drunk could be…”

Finnegan’s Wake – The Clancy Brothers
“Tim Finnegan lived in Walkin’ Street, a gentleman Irish mighty odd.”

Tell Me Ma – Sham Rock
“She is handsome, she is pretty, she is the belle of Belfast City!”

Dirty Old Town – The Pogues
“I met my love by the gasworks wall, dreamed a dream by the old canal.”

Nancy Spain – Christy Moore
“And the sun it shines out of your eyes, my own Nancy Spain.”

Ride On – Christy Moore
“Ride on, see you, I could never go with you, no matter how I wanted to.”

I Useta Lover – Saw Doctors
“I useta see her up the chapel when she went to Sunday Mass.”

Irish Rover – The Dubliners & The Pogues
“On the fourth of July eighteen hundred and six, we set sail from the sweet Cove of Cork.”

Whiskey on a Sunday – The Dubliners
“Come day, go day, wish in my heart it was Sunday.”

Green Fields of France – The Fureys
“Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly?”

These 50 songs are not just for the Irish, but for anyone who appreciates powerful storytelling, deep emotions, and melodies that stay with you long after the music stops. So, whether you’re reminiscing about old memories, making new ones, or just embracing the Irish spirit, this collection is your soundtrack.

Now, raise a glass, sing your heart out, and let the music of Ireland carry you away. Sláinte!