The 5 Best Irish Folk Music Albums
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Looking for the best Irish folk music albums? Check out our top 5 picks! From traditional ballads to upbeat reels, these albums are sure to get your toes tapping.
The Dubliners – The Dubliners
This is the debut album by The Dubliners and it was released in 1964. It contains some of their most well-known songs including ‘The Rocky Road to Dublin’, ‘Whiskey in the Jar’ and ‘Seven Drunken Nights’. This is a must-have album for any fan of Irish folk music.
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – At Carnegie Hall
Recorded in 1963, this album is one of the finest live recordings of Irish folk music ever made. The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem were two of the most popular Irish folk musicians of the 20th century, and their concert at Carnegie Hall was a landmark event. This album captures the energy and spirit of that historic concert, and it remains one of the best introductions to Irish folk music.
The Chieftains – The Chieftains 2
The Chieftains – The Chieftains 2 is the second album by Irish ensemble The Chieftains, released in 1963.
The album was their first for Decca Records, with whom they would have a long and successful relationship. It was also their first album recorded in Ireland, and their first with Paddy Moloney as the leader of the band.
The Chieftains 2 was a major step forward for the band, both musically and commercially. It saw them move away from the traditional Scottish and English folk music that had influenced their debut album, and towards the more traditional Irish music of their homeland. This change in direction was partly due to the addition of new members Kevin Conneff (bouzouki) and Michael Tubridy (flute), who brought a more authentically Irish sound to the band.
The album was an instant success, reaching #1 on the Irish charts and cementing The Chieftains’ reputation as one of Ireland’s finest traditional music groups. It has been hailed as a classic of Irish folk music, and is still considered one of The Chieftains’ best albums.
Planxty – The Planxty Collection
Planxty was an Irish folk music group formed in the early 1970s, consisting of Christy Moore, Dónal Lunny,Andy Irvine, and Liam O’Flynn. The group is widely regarded as one of the most influential Irish bands of all time. They are credited with helping to revitalize traditional Irish music and bring it to a wider audience.
The Planxty Collection is a compilation album of some of the best-known and most beloved songs by the band. It includes classics like “The Cliffs of Dooneen,” “The Blacksmith,” and “As I Roved Out.” If you’re looking for a place to start with Irish folk music, this album is a great choice.
The Pogues – If I Should Fall from Grace with God
The Pogues’ If I Should Fall from Grace with God is not only one of the best Irish folk albums, but one of the best albums of the 1980s, period. The group – fronted by the late, great Shane MacGowan – took traditional Irish music and ran it through a Punk filter, resulting in a truly unique and groundbreaking sound. The album features some of the band’s most beloved songs, including “Fairytale of New York” and “A Rainy Night in Soho.” If you’re looking for an Irish folk album that doesn’t adhere to traditional conventions, this is the one for you.
