37 Best Irish Songs Ever, Perfect For St. Patrick’s Day

25. “Red Is the Rose” by The Irish Tenors

Song Year: 2000

We told you the best Irish songs featured roses. “Red Is the Rose” is another example. But while today it’s accepted as an Irish song, it was originally Scottish. The song is a reworking of “Loch Lomond,” with the Boyne swapped in for the more Scottish body of water.

Careful listeners will notice that the “Loch Lomond” melody survived the rewrite.

Tommy Makem made it popular when he started recording it. Between Makem and The Clancy Brothers, it was soon a popular Irish ballad. But wherever it came from, “Red Is the Rose” is now one of the favorite songs singers choose to sing on St. Patrick’s day.

26. “The Parting Glass” by The Wailing Jennys

Song Year: 2004

If you are looking for the best song to conclude a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, look no further.

“The Parting Glass” has a long tradition of musically wrapping up an evening’s entertainment. Many Irish people consider it the equivalent of “Auld Lang Syne,” and rightly so.

Before Burns wrote his famous poem, the Scots used the song to end their ceilidh evenings.

Lyrical, melodic, and a bit melancholy, “The Parting Glass” is a beautiful song that even the non-singer should feel confident singing.

27. “Roddy McCorley” by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

Song Year: 1961

“Roddy McCorley” is another essential song when discussing the best Irish songs.

The song tells the story of the death of Roddy McCorley. In life, he was an Irish nationalist. After his death, he became a hero for the cause of Irish liberation.

He was commemorated first in a poem and later in a song that several different performers made famous.

Listening, it’s not hard to see why. Even without drums, there’s a propulsive military beat that gets singers moving. In this recording, by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, the beat gets extra emphasis from a strident string accompaniment.

28. “As I Roved Out” by Andy Irving

Song Year:1976

“As I Roved Out” is another of the best Irish songs. However, whereas most songs on this list exist in a handful of tellings and retellings, the permutations of “As I Roved Out” are legion.

Love and abandonment go hand in hand in Irish songs. It’s part of the reason many of them sound inherently mournful.

In that sense, “As I Roved Out” is a phrase roughly equivalent to “once upon a time.” It’s a fairy-tale beginning for the doomed couple in the song. This version, sung by Andy Irving, remains one of the most popular versions of the story.

29. “Gypsy Rover” by The Kingston Trio

Song Year: 1961

Here is another folk song with several variations that is almost as popular as “The Wraggle-Taggle Gypsy,” which tells a similar story. But when it comes to stories of young maidens eloping, “Whistling Gypsy Rover” is one of the best Irish songs.

It’s full of snapping dotted rhythms and a relaxed, indulgent chorus. For a novelty, the young lovers get their happy ending, making it an excellent song for St. Patrick’s Day.

30. “The Patriot Game” by Dominic Behan

Song Year: 1958

Another song crucial to discussions of the best Irish Songs is “The Patriot Game.”

These days, it’s something or Ireland’s unofficial anthem. But when Dominic Behan released it, he intended it as a cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming overwhelmed by nationalistic pride.

Despite this, it’s a favorite across Ireland, and often gets sung at sporting events. St. Patrick’s Day wouldn’t be complete without it.

31. “The Minstrel” Boy by John McDermott

Song Year: 1992

“The Minstrel Boy” is another old but popular Irish song for St. Patrick’s Day.

Thomas Moore wrote the song. In a case of life imitating art, he was dubbed “The Minstrel Boy” by others as a reflection of his prolific musical publications.

Moore set the tune to a popular Irish melody of the time, and after his death, it was usual to find the score embossed with a shamrock.

Like many of the best Irish songs, this one is mournful and nostalgic. What sets it apart from others is its treatment of war. There’s no glorious hope for the future.

There is no triumphal victory of the cause. Instead, the Minstrel, who went to war to play his harp, experiences a life of silence and slavery when he comes home.

It’s an unexpectedly thoughtful meditation on what violence does to those who embrace and survive it.

32. “Eileen Aroon” by The Corrie Folk Trio

Song Year: 1963

Here’s another Irish song with Scottish roots. “Eileen Aroon” is a reconfiguration of “Robin Adair.”

That often happened with early Scottish and Irish music because their musicians were nomadic, so a tune that began in one part of the country slowly migrated to another.

“Eileen Aroon” remains one of the best Irish songs there is. It’s slow, sentimental, and a moving love song.

33.” Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms” by Joni James

Song Year: 1996

If you aren’t ambitious enough to dance to the Irish reels, then “Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms” is the best Irish song for you.

It’s another Thomas Moore composition. He wrote it for his wife, who was suffering from smallpox. It’s a touching reflection on the enduring nature of love and a beautiful waltz for dancers.

34. “St. Patrick’s Breastplate” by Charles Villiers Stanford

Song Year: 1972

Hymnody might seem an unlikely choice for one of the best Irish songs for St Patrick’s Day. But at its core, the holiday is about Patrick bringing the Catholics to Ireland.

Besides, St. Patrick makes for some excellent stories. His most famous tells of him driving the snakes out of Ireland. Even without that, this is an exuberant, operatic tune that sounds wonderful, whether belted out in church or at the local pub.

35. “Galway Girl” by Ed Sheeran 

Song Year: 2017

Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” is another song for St Patrick’s Day. Sheeran wrote it in collaboration with the Irish folk artist Beoga. Consequently, the song draws heavily on imagery and themes from Irish folk songs.

One of the reasons it’s ideal for St Patrick’s Day is that Sheeran chose that day to announce its inclusion on his then-upcoming album.

36. “Follow Me Up to Carlow” by Planxty

Song Year: 1973

Supposedly “Follow Me Up to Carlow” began as a marching tune for Irish armies to keep in time with each other.

It celebrates an Irish victory over the English. And while nominally St. Patrick’s Day is about a saint and his miracles, for many, it is also about celebrating their Irish heritage.

The unlikely history of “Follow Me Up to Carlow” makes it ideal for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

37. “Wind That Shakes the Barley/The Reel with the Beryle” by The Chieftains

Song Year: 1978

The best Irish songs get the singers not just singing but dancing. The Chieftain’s medley of classic melodies handily proves that point.

As you listen, note the distinctive Irish instruments. There’s a bodhran keeping time, pipes on the melody, and occasionally the high-floating penny whistle for harmony.

Top Irish Songs Of All Time, Final Thoughts

The best Irish songs vary wildly. Many are political. Some are fast-paced and encourage you to dance. Yet others are slow and nostalgic.

Whatever the tempo, what comes through in all of them is a fierce love of Ireland, as a country and a people.