Buskers in Dublin

Instead of drinking pints of Guinness, let’s celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with another great export—music. These days, St. Patrick’s Day is more about reveling in Irish culture than about honoring the patron saint of Ireland, and as someone who loves all things Irish—Gaelic and Celtic culture, the Emerald Isle geography, the history—I am also an avid fan of Irish music. I created a St. Patrick’s Day playlist on Spotify, highlighting everything from trad jigs and reels and drinking songs to legendary Irish musicians and controversial political songs to more contemporary songs. And one of my favorites, the last track by The Coronas, is an Irish language version of their song “Heroes or Ghosts.” There are some notable exceptions on the list, such as the Saw Doctors, Sinéad O’Connor, Enya and The Script, but with such a wealth of songs and artists to choose from, I had to make some cuts.

The Playlist: St. Paddy’s Playlist: Irish Artists and Music

For those without Spotify, here are the songs:

Altan – Tommy Peoples/The Road To Cashel/The Repeal Of The Union/Richie’s Reel
Tony DeMarco – Reels: The Kerry Reel / Miss Monaghan
The Chieftains – The Dingle Set
Christy Moore – Ride On
Finbar O’Shay – When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
The Dubliners – Whiskey In The Jar
Will Millar – Belle Of Belfast City
Sharon Shannon – The Galway Girl
The Pogues Featuring The Dubliners – The Irish Rover
Flogging Molly – Salty Dog
Dropkick Murphys – Finnegan’s Wake
Scythian – Fields Of Athenry
Dropkick Murphys – Fields of Athenry
Thin Lizzy – Dancing In The Moonlight (It’s Caught Me In It’s Spotlight)
Van Morrison – Days Like This
U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday
The Cranberries – Zombie
House Of Pain – Top O’ The Morning To Ya
The Corrs – Breathless
The Frames – Fake
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – Falling Slowly
Damien Rice – Eskimo
Snow Patrol – Chocolate
Lisa Hannigan – Ocean and a Rock
Two Door Cinema Club – What You Know
The Coronas – Taibhse Nó Laoch(ra)