List of Irish ballads

The following are often sung Irish folk ballads.

Contents

1.2.1 Eighteenth century themes and earlier
1.2.2 Nineteenth century themes
1.2.3 Twentieth century themes
1.2.4 Northern Ireland themes

2 Non-political

3 See Also

Political

Unionist

The Lambeg Drum
The Sash

Nationalist

Eighteenth century themes and earlier

Boolavogue - song about 1798 rebellion
The Flight of Earls - about the flight of the Irish earls abroad following their defeat by the English in the early seventeenth century.
Follow me up to Carlow - about the struggles of the Irish against Elizabeth I of England
Ó ró Sé do Bheatha Bhaile (Originally a jacobite song, it later received new verses by nationalist poet Padraic Pearse and was often sung by IRA members and sympathisers, both during the Easter Rising and since)
the Wind that Shakes the Barley- A young man's remorse at leaving his lady love to Join the United Irishmen is cut short when she is killed by an English bullet

Nineteenth century themes

A Nation Once Again - nineteenth century Irish nationalist anthem
The Bold Fenian Men - song about the nineteenth century Fenians
The Fields of Athenry - 1980s song about the Irish potato famine
God Save Ireland- nineteenth century Irish nationalist anthem
The Harp that Once (Rang Through Tara's Halls) - anthem of County Meath - one of Moore's Melodies
The Minstrel Boy
The Rising of the Moon
Wrap the Green Flag Around Me

Twentieth century themes

The Green Fields of France - About an Irish soldier, Willie McBride, in the First World War
The Foggy Dew - about the Easter Rising
Kevin Barry - about a young medical student and Irish revolutionary controversially executed during the Irish War of Independence
Amhrán na bhFiann - Irish Volunteers anthem, since 1927 the anthem of the Irish Free State/Éire/Republic of Ireland
Sean Sabhat from Garryowen

Northern Ireland themes

Four Green Fields - 1967 folk song, an allegory about partition by Tommy Makem
The Men Behind the Wire - 1970s song about internment in Northern Ireland
Rubber bullets for the ladies - 1970s song about the British Army in Northern Ireland
The Island - 1980s anti-IRA song in aftermath of the IRA's Enniskillen bombing (Composer: Paul Brady)
The Town I Loved So Well - 1980s song about the impact of The Troubles in Derry (Composer: Phil Coulter)
Teddy Bear's Head - song about the partition of Ireland and the fact that the six counties of Northern Ireland belong with the rest (author unknown, heard sung by the Wolfe Tones)
Sunday Bloody Sunday, War (album) by U2.

Non-political

Are you right, there, Michael, are you right? - comic nineteenth century song about a slow train on a West Clare Railway that left the composer late for a concert (Composer: Percy French)
Biddy Mulligan - about a Dublin woman, the "pride of the Coombe"
The Black Velvet Band
Carraigfergus - about Carraigfergus in County Down (more usually spelled Carrickfergus in modern fashion)
Clare to Here - about emigration
Dicey Riley - about drinking
Down by the Sally Gardens
Dublin in the Rare Old Times - 1980s song about Dublin before the 1960s (composer: Pete St. John)
Fairytale of New York - about emigration (1988 song by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl. Composer: Shane MacGowan)
I'll take you home again, Kathleen
Ireland's Call - Official anthem for the Ireland national rugby union team, which includes players from both the Republic and Northern Ireland
Mother Macree
Mursheen Durkin
Molly (also known as Nora, referring to Nora Barnacle, wife of James Joyce)
Molly Malone - Anthem of Dublin (eighteenth century in origins)
Monto - about the famous red light district in Dublin around Mountgomery Street
The Mountains of Mourne - about Irish emigrants in London (Composer: Percy French)
Nancy Spain
The Old Triangle - by writer Brendan Behan, about his time in Mountjoy Jail
On Raglan Road (Patrick Kavanagh poem to the nineteenth century melody The Dawning of the Day)
On the one road
Phil the Fluters Ball - (Composer: Percy French)
Ride On 1980s song most identified with singer Christy Moore (Composer: Jimmy McCarthy)
She moved through the fair - one of the famed nineteenth century Moore's Melodies
Song of Love - 1990s song by The Divine Comedy (theme music of Father Ted. Composer: Neil Hannon)
Seven Drunken Nights
Spancil Hill - about emigration
The Star of the County Down about a peasant falling in love with the county's most beautiful lass
Whiskey in the Jar
Whistling Gipsy
The Contender about 1930s Irish boxer Jack Doyle
The Dawning of the Day, 19th century song also known as Fáinne Geal an Lae
The Irish Rover
The Lonesome Boatman
The Rocky Road to Dublin
The Rose of Tralee

List of Irish ballads

Political

Unionist

Nationalist

Eighteenth century themes and earlier

Nineteenth century themes

Twentieth century themes

Northern Ireland themes

Non-political

See Also

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