The greatest Irish song of all time

14-09-2018 03:50PM #1

This is not a music video list thread

So youtubed Zombie a few days ago for a listen and saw that the music video has over 750 million views!! It's a great song and all but that seems.. excessive. Now I'm on my phone so I can't check how many of those views came after poor Dolores's passing but it got me thinking, what is the greatest irish song ever? Now I'm not asking for personal favourites, but more a song almost everyone could agree on, young and old, and not just the cool kids

Sunday Bloody Sunday (live)? Come Out Ye Black and Tans? Maniac 2000? Aon Focal Eile? River dance ending song?

jester77 · 14-09-2018 03:51PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyQ-tScuzwM

correction · 14-09-2018 03:52PM

Without thinking much I'd consider With or Without You and Sunday Bloody Sunday from U2 to be up there. I'd also throw Cannonball from Damien Rice in there.

Iang87 · 14-09-2018 03:53PM

Fisherman's Blues

MonkeyTennis · 14-09-2018 03:53PM

No Sweat: Heart and Soul.

Lorelli! · 14-09-2018 03:54PM

jester77 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyQ-tScuzwM

Was gonna say the exact same

Sam Quentin · 14-09-2018 03:55PM

Ride On.
Christy Moore

14-09-2018 03:56PM

How about 'The Curragh of Kildare', sung by one of the most under-rated music groups in the last few decades, and one which totally blew their potential. I think Christy Moore is better-known for his version of this track, but I prefer the Johnston's one.

The band had a pretty tragic ending. Adrienne Johnston, one of the singers, died after a fall that is suspected to have been murder/ manslaughter.

I have a personal reason to be fond of this song as it was sung at my Dad's funeral. If you aren't familiar with the Johnstons but like Irish ballads, I'd strongly recommend looking them up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIPWvAmVY2o

GBX · 14-09-2018 03:56PM

Jumbo Breakfast Roll - Dicksie Walsh

Baron Kurtz · 14-09-2018 03:58PM

We don't need nobody else - Whipping Boy
Hole of the Moon - The Waterboys
Speed to my side - Rollerskate Skinny

I dunno if they even count in the manner the OP wants it, but they do to me.

Ashbourne hoop · 14-09-2018 04:01PM

Sinead O'Connor: This is a rebel song

14-09-2018 04:02PM

Quite a few I haven't even heard of, remember I'm not looking for personal favourites, but the consensus greatest.

I'm going to add, Aslan this is

Sam Quentin · 14-09-2018 04:02PM

Fairy Tale of New York.
Is it Irish, if it is then it's hands down the greatest most famous 'Irish' song ever!?

Lorelli! · 14-09-2018 04:04PM

Dearg Doom by The Horslips would be up there.

o1s1n · 14-09-2018 04:04PM

Baron Kurtz wrote: »

We don't need nobody else - Whipping Boy
Hole of the Moon - The Waterboys
Speed to my side - Rollerskate Skinny

I dunno if they even count in the manner the OP wants it, but they do to me.

Hah, please tell me you go about singing 'The Hole of the Moon' and not 'The Whole of the Moon'

irishgrover · 14-09-2018 04:04PM

there are loads and loads.... but one that always pops to mind is "friends in time" - the golden horde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzCWjXomrhc

Jimmy. · 14-09-2018 04:05PM

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Fairy Tale of New York.
Is it Irish, if it is then it's hands down the greatest most famous 'Irish' song ever!?

Dose of scour is all that song would give you, gets played to death every Christmas.

14-09-2018 04:07PM

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Fairy Tale of New York.
Is it Irish, if it is then it's hands down the greatest most famous 'Irish' song ever!?

Good call, I hate myself but it's definitely up there

14-09-2018 04:10PM

Lorelli! wrote: »

Dearg Doom by The Horslips would be up there.

Probably the greatest riff alright, but the rest of the song isnt as good imo

Sam Quentin · 14-09-2018 04:10PM

Jimmy. wrote: »

Dose of scour is all that song would give you, gets played to death every Christmas.

Tell that to the millions of drunk egits in the pubs at Christmas every year belting it out of their mouths and dreaming of Ireland and home,... Not just the Irish the whole World... So that makes it the greatest most famous 'Irish' song ever ever ever.

Irish Guitarist · 14-09-2018 04:11PM

Baron Kurtz wrote: »

We don't need nobody else - Whipping Boy
Hole of the Moon - The Waterboys
Speed to my side - Rollerskate Skinny

I dunno if they even count in the manner the OP wants it, but they do to me.

'Hole' Of The Moon would change the meaning of the song a bit. I imagine it being about a lovelorn couple looking up at the moon smiling then he turns around and flashes at them.

gigantic09 · 14-09-2018 04:12PM

The Pogues, Rainy night in Soho

Luke Kelly, Raglan Road.

Summer wind · 14-09-2018 04:13PM

Baron Kurtz · 14-09-2018 04:13PM

o1s1n wrote: »

Hah, please tell me you go about singing 'The Hole of the Moon' and not 'The Whole of the Moon'

Yeah because that sounds like another word completely!

You'll forgive the predictive error, hopefully.

I don't "go about" doing anything either, for what it's worth

Irish Guitarist · 14-09-2018 04:15PM

The Waterboys aren't exactly Irish by the way. They've had some Irish members as far as I know but Mike Scott is Scottish.

Lorelli! · 14-09-2018 04:19PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Probably the greatest riff alright, but the rest of the song isnt as good imo

How can you not like the lyrics "two heads are better than none. One hundred heads are so much better than one"

only messing.

Everybody likes Teenage Kicks!

bullpost · 14-09-2018 04:21PM

Gloria - Van Morrison

Your Face · 14-09-2018 04:22PM

Any of the Italia 90 songs

Baron Kurtz · 14-09-2018 04:23PM

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

The Waterboys aren't exactly Irish by the way. They've had some Irish members as far as I know but Mike Scott is Scottish.

That's correct. They're as Irish as they are otherwise I suppose. Scott now lives in Dublin and has for years. The rest are Irish. They've had some success in general but I'd imagine they identify closer to these shores. If they have a sway toward hailing from Ireland, then I'm going with that one.

Hitman3000 · 14-09-2018 04:25PM

"Put ' em under pressure". 1990 Irish world cup song. In keeping with the thread title even if I find the song cringey. Great craic in a gathering though.

AlanG · 14-09-2018 04:31PM

Any number of Shane McGowans songs will last long into history - Turkish Song of the Damned, Fairytail of New York and Rainy Night in Soho are masterpieces. The Body of an American being a major part of one of the greatest TV shows of all time (The Wire) will ensure it is sung at funerals throughout America for years to come.
Best of all is probably The Sickbed of Cuchulainn.

The greatest Irish song of all time

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