Top ten Irish songs to get the party started - VIDEOS

"The Boys of the Old Brigade" seems to be the song that most bands play about the 3rd or 4th song into the first set. Just has a great beat. Thomas Davis "A Nation Once Again" usually makes for a great end of set song going into a break. Of course, if you are playing in Bundoran, make sure you play "Fightin' Men of Crossmaglen."

Even the old IRA were a sectarian murder gang though. They won't tell you this in school but Cork in particular was known for vicious relgious and political murder of Protestants and pro-Crown Catholics mass graves are still being discovered in that County. I would not taint my Irish party with songs glorifying their brutal crimes often against fellow Irishmen.

Stukafaust.....The IRA that you are referring to, is an organization that hijacked the name of the IRA. The Old IRA, as most people would refer as, and are mentioned in these ballads and songs, were men who fought for independence after 1916, and defended innocent people from the butchery of the Black N Tans who occupied Ireland in that time era. My grandmother told me stories of how her family harbored young fellas on the run from the English and how the Black N Tans would shoot young boys in the back and raid households in the middle of the night. Who was there to stand up to them, it was the IRA. They don't call Cork the Rebel County for nothing!!! On another note, Surprised not to see "N17" by the SawDoctors on the list. Great Song that illustrates the issue of young people forced to emigrate from Ireland.

Shame you have listed songs about the IRA, an organisation which bombed women and children with impunity in shopping centres and cities throughout Britain and Ireland. It's not like you'd post up ballads about al-Qaeda would you?

Not a complete list without The Foggy Dew or the Body of an American

not even a mention of The Rising Of the moon The Wests Awake The Mountains Of Mourne The Boys Of Barna straide

I think the songs are great

"A Nation Once Again" The nation of which the Protestant patriot Thomas Davis speaks in this song is Ireland, the whole country(an tír uile agus gach roinn di). Davis, the son of a Welch father and Irish mother, was the chief organizer of the Young Irelanders, whose leaders included Wm. Smith O'Brien M.P. (also Protestant) and John Mitchell, a Unitarian. Davis was also a staunch supporter of an Ghaeilge and lamented its decline. But in the modern, politically correct Ireland of today, Gaeilgeoirí who espouse an Irish nation with full sovereignty over the whole country are few and far between.

DITTO chriswalsh............The blacks always go black no matter what, even if the white gene gives them blues eyes and fair skin. Obama is nothing but a common Chicago Thug and the bit of Irish blood in him, trust me, he could care less about.

Hail Glorious St Patrick (should be in the no 1 spot!) Hail glorious St Patrick, Dear saint of our isle. On us thy poor children, Bestow a sweet smile. And now thou art high in the mansions above On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love.

I love reading all of them.I wasn't familiar with some.This is a great web site.

Interesting that there are no songs about St. Patrick himself?

I love these songs, some of them tend to "get my blood up" - there's no way i can escape my father's and grandfather's tempraments. Did you forget An Poc Ar Buile and oro se de bheatha bhaile?

again why is there ira songs in any st. patrick day songs

Re Irish Rover: It's ".... we set sail from the Coal Quay of Cork...."