The Rattlin’ Bog stands as the quintessential Irish "cumulative song"—a rhythmic test of memory that accelerates in speed, volume, and delightful chaos with every new verse.

Although its precise origin remains a mystery, similar cumulative songs have been part of…

Gaelic Storm's "Kiss Me I'm Irish" is a celebration of Irish identity, humor, and heritage. Released on their 2004 album How Are We Getting Home?, the song cleverly weaves references to classic Irish folk songs like “Wild Rover” and…

"The Auld Triangle" is a foundational piece of Irish folk music, famously opening Brendan Behan's 1954 play, The Quare Fellow. This somber drama is set in Mountjoy Prison, chronicling the final hours before an execution. The song functions as…

"The Green Fields of France" (also known as "No Man's Land" or "Willie McBride") was written in 1976 by Scottish-born Australian folk singer Eric Bogle. The song was inspired by a visit to the military cemeteries of Flanders and Northern…

Today marks half a century since the massive freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald, along with its entire crew of 29 men, vanished beneath the frigid, churning waters of Lake Superior.

For many around the world, the story of the "Mighty…

"Drunken Sailor" is a sea shanty whose exact origins and authorship remain unknown, although it shares similarities with traditional Irish folk songs. The song likely emerged in the early 19th century and was used by sailors for various tasks aboard…

"The Rare Old Mountain Dew" or “Let the Grasses Grow” resonates with Ireland's famed illicit whiskey—poitín or poteen. Poitín, brewed by the Irish for centuries, was a covert endeavor to avoid heavy British taxes. The distillers, dubbed poitín makers, navigated…

"Whiskey in the Jar" is an Irish traditional song set in the southern mountains of Ireland, with specific mention of counties Cork and Kerry. The song revolves around a rapparee (highwayman) betrayed by his lover Jenny. It is one of…

The lyrics to “Raglan Road” were written by Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh as a poem titled “Dark Haired Girl” about his unrequited love for Hilda Moriarty, a medical student he met in Dublin in the 1940s. 

When Luke Kelly met…

"Killeagh," Kingfishr’s B-side released with “Bet On Beauty” in December 2024, became an unexpected hit. Its popularity surged due to TikTok videos featuring its chorus and green imagery around St. Patrick’s Day. Since then the song has spent 18 weeks…