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Top ten greatest Irish ballads of all time - SEE VIDEOS

PATRICK COOPER,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 5:10 AM

Updated Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 8:47 AM

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So what are the ten greatest Irish ballads?

We could sit here and argue for months, and I would happily do but here is my selection.

All these songs have touched my heart at one time or another. I hope they touch yours too.

1.“Song for Ireland” by Scottish folk singer Phil Colclough -- beautifully rendered by Mary Black, written in 1982 it has become a classic.

2.“Scorn not his simplicty” Phil Coulter’s beautiful paean to his Down Syndrome son. Wonderfully rendered by Luke Kelly of the Dubliners.

3. “The Time Has Come” heartbreaking 1981 hunger strike song commemorating death of Patsy O’Hara. Christy Moore co-wrote with Donal Lunny and does a magnificent version.

4. “Arthur MacBride” An anti-British army recruiting song from the 1840s, beautifully rendered by Paul Brady.

5. ‘I dreamt I dwelt ‘ by Irish composer Michael Balfe from his opera “Bohemian girl. “ A heartrending, and lonely song. Enya does a stellar version of it.

6. “The Fields of Athenry” by Pete St.John has become the unofficial Irish national anthem thanks to Celtic Football club and the Irish soccer team. A wonderful haunting ballad of the Irish famine .Paddy Reilly does a magnificent version

7.”The Bold Fenian Men’” ballad of the 19th century commemorating the Fenian uprising. Sinead O’Connor does the definitive version.

8. “Grace” about Grace Gifford who married her husband hours before he was executed for his part in the 1916 Rising Written by Frank O’Meara in 1985. The Dubliners do a powerful version.

9.”Only Her Rivers Run Free “ Written by Mickie McConnell, brother of our blogger, Cormac McConnell in 1965. Christy Moore does a magnificent version.

10.”Raglan Road,” poignant song about love and loss written by Patrick Kavanagh. Luke Kelly hits it out of the park.

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31 Comments

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chancer48 | Nov 14, 2010, 08:03 PM EST

The song you all are referring to as "Aurthur McBride" is called "No Man's Land". It is by Eric Bogle.

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snuffey | Nov 13, 2010, 07:16 AM EST

I think the "West is Awake" is very good ballad !!!

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Searlit | Nov 11, 2010, 01:24 PM EST

Yeah, I didn't think that was Sinead O'Connor singing, either.

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GeorgeDillon | Nov 11, 2010, 02:47 AM EST

While people are throwing other songs into the ring, I'll give my two cents worth: A song called "I'll wear no Convict's Uniform". It comes from the time of the Great Hunger Strike. Can't remember the artist, maybe someone will remind me. It's a very moving statement of the reason that men were willing to fast till the end.

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GeorgeDillon | Nov 11, 2010, 02:42 AM EST

mcdolan: You're two times wrong. "Arthur McBride" is most certainly not from the 20th century. That's absurd. It existed long before the Fureys were born--"The Green Fields of France" is an entirely different song, and a modern one. If the author of the melody of Arthur MacBride were still alive, he would have had a good law suit for plegiarism against the Fureys! It's also wrong for this site to say the song is from the 1840s. Again, very sloppy thinking on the part of Irish Central. It may have been collected in the 1840s but it's much earlier. Logically, the reference to the France is to British recruitment for armies to fight Napoleon. There was no campaign of British recruitment in the 1840s. (There are actually quite a few songs in the Irish tradition from the Napoleonic era). And note that the song speaks of the "king". This must be George IV. It certainly can't be Queen Victoria, who reigned throughout the 1840s. Incidentally, I corrected this already, but maybe Irish Cenetral doesn't like to be corrected--anyway, I'll repeat: That is NOT Sinead O'Connor singing on the song mentioned above. And the song is NOT the title given above. The song cited above is called Down By the Glenside, it is NOT The Bold Fenian Men, which is actually a march, a very different melody. A bit of care all around is called for, I would say.

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mcdolan | Nov 11, 2010, 01:59 AM EST

Nice list. Am certain that Arthur MacBride is about the First World War and is called 'The Green Feilds of France' by The Fureys, which would be the popular version. Would also add Dominic Behan's 'The Patriot Game' which was iconic late 60s/early 70s. (And my Catholic granny from Belfast used to entertain us kids with 'The Old Orange Sash'!).

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JBRAFTREE | Nov 10, 2010, 11:32 PM EST

How about the Great Tommy Makem's "Four Green Fields" ???

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Searlit | Nov 10, 2010, 08:09 PM EST

There are so many great Irish songs, musicians and songwriters in Ireland. The songs chosen are all great! I would put Luka Bloom's version of 'Black is the Colour' at the top, though.

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elektros | Nov 10, 2010, 07:40 PM EST

Supposedly, 'A Nation Once Again' is the most widely recognised tune in the world. I'm not sure if that's true, but it should have made the top ten. We all have our favourites, I'm sure, but being London Irish I would have especially liked to have seen the Mountains of Mourne make the list, as well as Galway Bay, the Rose of Tralee, and many others. Ten is too few anyway. As for 'Orange' songs, don't they tend to be more anti-Irish than Irish? LOL! Mind you, the Old Orange Flute is not really biassed, and quite amusing.

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PolinDeB | Nov 10, 2010, 07:05 PM EST

What about Irish ways and Irish laws... Moving hearts... darn you Americans need to study more...

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haikued2 | Nov 10, 2010, 06:00 PM EST

Patsy Watchorn does a great rendition of Scorn Not His Simplicity and is a great admirer of Luke Kelly, in fact took Lukes place on The Dubliners.

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newyorklass | Nov 10, 2010, 04:03 PM EST

I was thrilled to see that Song for Ireland by Mary Black was No. 1. Great song, great artist -- but I have to agree with some of the readers -- where are the old traditional songs that one would automtically think of as the top 10 ballads?

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edmundburke | Nov 10, 2010, 03:17 PM EST

If Ireland were founded in 1960, this list might work for me. As it wasn't, I think, at least, "The Foggy Dew", a fantastic ballad, should be on the list, particularly since its subject is the Easter Rising, the seminal event in modern Irish history. Also, I once read that "The Foggy Dew" was runner up to "Soldiers' Song" as Ireland's national anthem. For these reasons, it should have been on the list.

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bern1952 | Nov 10, 2010, 03:17 PM EST

To cover all the Irish ballads worth of recognition you would need a top 50.

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bern1952 | Nov 10, 2010, 03:01 PM EST

I think the list should include the ballads from both traditions in Ireland - if we really want to accept all Irish people as Irish! It should be someone from the "Orange" tradition who makes the selection. Both traditions are an integral part of our history and most of the ones chosen all represent one tradition

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