A List of Irish Traditional Music Indie Rock Bands

A list of Irish traditional music indie rock bands that are worth checking out.

The Pogues

The Pogues are a Celtic Folk Punk band formed in London in 1982 by Shane MacGowan and Spider Stacy. The band reached their height of popularity in the United Kingdom in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but they continued to tour and release new music until 2014. The band was known for their wild live performances, which often degenerated into violence, and for MacGowan’s distinctive voice and songwriting.

The Pogues’ musical style combines traditional Irish folk music with elements of British folk punk and rock. They are credited with helping to popularize Irish traditional music in the UK and overseas, particularly through their hit single “The Fairytale of New York”.

The Cranberries

The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989. The band consists of vocalist Dolores O’Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan, and drummer Fergal Lawler. O’Riordan and Noel Hogan are the band’s primary songwriters; their songs have been influenced by pop, post-punk, and alternative rock, and often deal with personal themes such as love, loss, and relationships.

The Cranberries have sold over 40 million albums worldwide. The band has achieved four top 20 singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart (“Linger”, “Dreams”, “Zombie”, and “Salvation”), and eight top 20 singles on the UK Singles Chart (“Dreams”, “Linger”, “Zombie”, “Ode to My Family”, “Ridiculous Thoughts”, “Free to Decide”, “Salvation”, and “Promises”). The Cranberries have received three Grammy nominations: Best Alternative Album for No Need to Argue (1994), Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “Zombie” (1995), and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (2001).

U2

U2 is an Irish rock band from Dublin, formed in 1976. The group consists of Bono (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), the Edge (lead guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). U2’s early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. Throughout the group’s musical pursuits, they have maintained a sound built on melodic instrumentals and emotive, spiritual lyrics.

The band rose to fame with their debut album, Boy (1980), which contained their first international hit single, “I Will Follow”. Their next release, October (1981), made them critical favorites with songs like “Gloria” and “Fire”. With their widely acclaimed album War (1983), U2 became a massive commercial success; the album yielded singles such as “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day”, which helped make the album one of the most influential records ever made. The band followed up War with The Unforgettable Fire (1984), which produced hit singles such as “Pride (In the Name of Love)” and “With or Without You”. After Joshua Tree (1987) brought them critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide, U2 experimented with alternative rock on their next two albums, Achtung Baby!(1991)

and Zooropa(1993). Since then, they have gone on to release several more successful albums including Pop(1997), All That You Can’t Leave Behind(2000), How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb(2004), No Line on the Horizon(2009),
and most recently Songs of Experience in 2017. U2 has also released more than 50 singles throughout their career; some of their most popular include “With or Without You”, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”,
“Beautiful Day”, “Vertigo”, and most recently “‘Ordinary Love”. They have won 22 Grammy Awards so far, more than any other band in history. In 2005, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility for being “among the definitive bands of the 20th century.” In 2015 they received Kennedy Center Honors for contributions to American culture through arts. They were also awarded Order of Freedom by Greece in 2017.

Thin Lizzy

Formed in 1969, Thin Lizzy was an Irish hard rock band that was led by the vocalist and bassist Phil Lynott. The band is best known for their hit songs “The Boys Are Back in Town” and “Whiskey in the Jar.” Thin Lizzy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Dubliners

The Dubliners are one of the most influential and well-known traditional Irish music bands of all time. Formed in 1962, they popularized Irish folk music with a series of recordings and live performances that captured the imagination of a global audience. The band’s lineup has changed numerous times over the years, but founding members Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, and John Sheahan have remained constant throughout its history. The Dubliners have released over 30 studio albums and have been inducted into both the Ireland Music Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame.

The Wolfe Tones

The Wolfe Tones are an Irish traditional music and indie rock band, formed in 1963 in Dublin, Ireland. The band’s lineup consists of brothers Noel and Brian Walsh on vocals and guitars, respectively, along with Paddy Moloney on percussion. The band is named after Theobald Wolfe Tone, an Irish patriot who was executed for his role in leading the 1798 Irish Rebellion against British rule.

The Wolfe Tones released their self-titled debut album in 1964, which included the hit single “Come Out Ye Black and Tans”. They have since released nineteen studio albums, including Pride of Erin (1969), Spirit of Freedom (1973), Remembrance Day (1975), and 1916 (1978). The band has been a staple of the Irish music scene for over 50 years, and continue to tour regularly throughout Ireland and Europe.

The Chieftains

The Chieftains are a six-piece Irish traditional music band founded in Dublin in 1963, by Paddy Moloney, Sean Keane, Michael Tubridy, and Garech Browne. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes over the years, with Moloney and Keane being the only remaining original members. The Chieftains have won six Grammy Awards and been nominated for three others. They have played a leading role in promoting Irish traditional music around the world and were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.

The Chieftains’ sound is based on the traditional music of Ireland, but they have also incorporated elements of other genres, including rock and roll, into their music. They have collaborated with numerous artists from a variety of genres, including Van Morrison, Mick Jagger, Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, Roseanne Cash, The Pretenders, Sinéad O’Connor, Luciano Pavarotti, Emmylou Harris, Mark Knopfler, Ziggy Marley, Liverpudlian folk rock group The Corrs, and Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies.

The Clancy Brothers

The Clancy Brothers were an Irish folk group, founded in Manchester, England in 1955 by brothers Pat, Tom, and Liam Clancy. They are widely regarded as one of the most influential and acclaimed vocal groups of the twentieth century. The brothers were born into a family of traditional musicians in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Ireland. Their father Bob Clancy was a well-known singer and fiddle player, and their uncles Michael and Paddy were also professional musicians. The brothers moved to Manchester in 1950, where they began their musical careers playing Irish folk music in local pubs. In 1955, they released their first album, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem: Traditional Folk Songs from Ireland and Britain.

The Clancy Brothers’ sound was defined by Liam’s powerful baritone voice and the close harmony singing of Pat and Tom. They were known for their energetic stage performances and renditions of traditional Irish ballads such as “Báidín Fheilimí”, “The Wild Rover”, and “The Leaving of Liverpool”. In 1962, they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, introducing them to a wider audience outside of the folk scene. They went on to record over thirty albums throughout their career, including several best-selling records. The group disbanded in 1996 following Liam’s death, but Tom and Pat continued to perform as a duo until Pat’s death in 1998.

The Clancy Brothers were seminal figures in the Irish folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. They influenced a generation of folk musicians with their distinctive sound and style, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie, Odetta, Pete Seeger, Simon & Garfunkel, Donovan, Paul Brady, Mary O’Hara, Cathal Hayden (of De Dannan), Triona Ni Dhomhnaill (of Skara Brae), Andy Irvine (of Planxty), Christy Moore (of Moving Hearts), Séamus Egan (of Solas), Mick Moloney (of Gaelic Storm), Jerry Douglas (of Alison Krauss & Union Station), John Doyle (of Solas), Dan Tyminski (of Alison Krauss & Union Station), Tim O’Brien (of Hot Rize) , Lunasa , We Banjo 3 , Led by brother Paddy Clancy The Wolfe Tones , dropkick murphys

The Fureys

The Fureys are an Irish folk band formed in 1978 by brothers Eddie and Finbar Furey, and Paul Watchorn, after the demise of their previous group, The Buskers. The group’s line-up has changed several times over the years; Eddie and Finbar are the only constant members. The Fureys have had four UK Top 40 hits: “When You Were Sweet Sixteen”, “Steal Away”, “Red Rose Cafe” and “I Will Love You”. They are also widely known in Ireland for their ballad “The Green Fields of France”.