By Niall McArdle
There’s more to the Irish music scene than Bono, the Edge, Adam and Larry. If you really want to explore the variety of music being made, particularly in the 70s and 80s (when there were really vibrant music scenes in Dublin, Belfast and Derry), check out this amazing database.
Here are 50 – yes, FIFTY – great Irish songs to enjoy.
Stiff Little Fingers “Alternative Ulster”
The Undertones “Teenage Kicks”
Sinead O’Connor “Mandinka”
The Four of Us “Mary”
Ash “There’s a Star”
In Tua Nua “Seven Into The Sea”
The Hothouse Flowers “Don’t Go”
An Emotional Fish “Celebrate”
Light a Big Fire “Mr Twilight”
That Petrol Emotion “Genius Move”
Tuesday Blue “Tunnel Vision”
The Cranberries “Dreams”
The Kane Sisters “Three Deer and a Hare” & “Pangur Ban”
Aslan “This Is”
Dustin “Born Greasy”
The Fountainhead “Someone Like You”
Engine Alley “Mrs Winder”
The Blades “Revelations of Heartbreak”
The Radiators From Space “Faithful Departed”
The Boomtown Rats “Looking After No. 1”
The Stunning ‘Got to Get Away”
Something Happens “Parachute”
Microdisney “High and Dry”
The Virgin Prunes “I Am God”
Gavin Friday “Able”
The Fatima Mansions “Only Losers Take the Bus”
Tokyo Olympics “One Step from Paradise”
Cry Before Dawn “Witness for the World”
The Sultans of Ping FC “Where’s Me Jumper?”
The Frames “Star Star”
Phil Lynott “Old Town”
I Draw Slow “Valentine”
The Pale “Butterfly”
The Golden Horde “Friends in Time”
Paul Cleary “Dublin City Town”
Aidan Walsh “Have You Ever Given Money Away?”
The Devlins “Crossing the River”
Stars of Heaven “28”
The Pogues “Dirty Old Town”. The band is London-Irish, not, you know, Irish-Irish (except for Phil Chevron), and the song was written by an Englishman, Ewan MacColl, about an English town (Salford). But still …
Luka Bloom “Delirious”
The Saw Doctors “N17”
Bagatelle “Summer in Dublin”
Luke Kelly “Raglan Road”
Paul Brady “The Island”
Horslips “King of the Fairies”
Snow Patrol “Chasing Cars” They’re an Irish/Scottish band, usually termed “British”
Van Morrison “Caravan”
Clannad “In A Lifetime”. I promised no U2, but that pudgy fecker Bono snuck in!
Rubberbandits “Dad’s Best Friend”
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Good to see Van Morrison in there, and I love ‘Caravan’. A comprehensive list Niall, and some crackers too. Shame about Bono creeping in at the end…
Regards as always, Pete.
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cheers, pete
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