Posted on 03/17/2026 8:39:13 AM PDT by Kid Shelleen
Celebrate March 17 with this collection of traditional, folk and contemporary Irish songs including “Molly Malone” and “Danny Boy.
It’s St. Patrick’s Day! Whatever plans you’ve got on the calendar to celebrate the March holiday, whether you’re dining on corned beef and cabbage or attending a St. Paddy’s parade, be sure to wear green in honor of the Emerald Island and don’t forget to be on the lookout for a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
While we can’t guarantee that you’ll find it, you’re sure to discover a real treasure in this collection of Irish songs.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.com ...
Ain’t no fun waiting around to be a millionaire by AC/DC. It has a great bagpipes part.
Now this is a prayer! Take your time.
St. Patrick's Breastplate
I bind unto myself today The strong Name of the Trinity, By invocation of the same, The Three in One and One in Three.
I bind this day to me for ever. By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation; His baptism in the Jordan river; His death on Cross for my salvation; His bursting from the spicèd tomb; His riding up the heavenly way; His coming at the day of doom;
I bind unto myself today. I bind unto myself the power Of the great love of the cherubim; The sweet ‘well done’ in judgment hour, The service of the seraphim, Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word, The Patriarchs’ prayers, the Prophets’ scrolls, All good deeds done unto the Lord, And purity of virgin souls.
I bind unto myself today The virtues of the starlit heaven, The glorious sun’s life-giving ray, The whiteness of the moon at even, The flashing of the lightning free, The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks, The stable earth, the deep salt sea, Around the old eternal rocks.
I bind unto myself today The power of God to hold and lead, His eye to watch, His might to stay, His ear to hearken to my need. The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, His shield to ward, The word of God to give me speech, His heavenly host to be my guard. Against the demon snares of sin, The vice that gives temptation force, The natural lusts that war within, The hostile men that mar my course; Or few or many, far or nigh, In every place and in all hours, Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers. Against all Satan’s spells and wiles, Against false words of heresy, Against the knowledge that defiles, Against the heart’s idolatry, Against the wizard’s evil craft, Against the death wound and the burning, The choking wave and the poisoned shaft, Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the Name, The strong Name of the Trinity; By invocation of the same. The Three in One, and One in Three, Of Whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word: Praise to the Lord of my salvation, Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
Amen.
Anything by Rory Gallagher
>>Hubby is legitimately 1/4 Irish
That made me stop and count on my fingers. One of my grandfathers was full PA Irish, so that means I’m 1/4 Irish, too, with a little added from a 4th ggfather. Shocker. Wish I’d known that when I marched with our high school in the St Patrick’s parade in Chicago in saddle shoes and funny uniform hat.
Briggs’ Roses - The Rose of Tralee - Nightnoise
https://youtu.be/PImQUXp-KpI
Thanks for the reminder. I love that song!
Don’t forget The Irish Ballad, by Tom Lehrer.
Thanks for that link.
It’s the first (and only) song that came to mind.
A real favorite!
It’s got a definite America vibe to it, though, with the cats and rats and elephants.
Also,
He says “Hey, Brother Noah, I’ll tell ya what to do —
Build me a floating zoo!”
That’s.. US!
Yes, hubby’s grandma was full Irish. His mom knows all the Irish songs. When he is with her, I send him the audio recording of my friend singing “My Wild Irish Rose” to play for his Mom. She’s 97, and still knows every word.
Her mom sang Irish lullabies to her and her siblings as children. It’s very tender and sweet when you can get her to go back to her childhood like that.
It’s pretty cool that you once marched in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago. I wonder how much snow they had to clear for everyone this year.
My grandfather was descended from the riding clans in Cumberland, those that were not hanged when James VI of Scotland came to the English throne were expelled to Ireland, mostly Fermanagh, a few to Tyrone and Donegal.
Because the Y chromosome is very persistent, I have, through genetic genealogy, found 21 “cousins” with my surname all over the world, including USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, and France. Because your Y chromosome matches can be precisely calibrated by mutation rate, you can go back before surnames existed and trace migration patterns quite a ways back.
It appears that my “Irish” grandfather was from people who came over with William the Conqueror, but of the non-nobility sort (maybe soldiers) who wound up plastered against the Scottish border where they took up cross-border raiding, sheep stealing, robbery and mayhem.
It suited the Scots to ignore them when they were escaping English justice, and it suited the English to ignore them when escaping the Scots. That all came to an end in 1603 when the crowns were joined, it was too early for transportation to Australia, so rural Ireland it was.
Happy St. Patrick’s day.
Galway Bay is my favorite.
Maureen O’Hara was a favorite actress that we watched in the 4pm movies when we’d get home from grammar school. Being Irish was a big deal then, as was being Irish in Chicago with Mayor Daly. That year they dyed the Chicago River green and I remember we were all humiliated when the camera focused on our saddle shoes. It was also a big deal to support Kennedy for president because of his being BOTH Democrat and Irish. I think I must have been the only Republican in our school working for President Nixon the year he lost in 1960. Made the mistake of attending a thank you banquet and actually met the local politicians I was working for. That year I had grandmother vote straight Republican with 3 Democrats. I had learned that the trick was never to meet them.
Your stories of grandmother-in-law are wonderful. Virtual hugs to you all.
The Mountains of Mourne.....
I like your stories, too. Funny about the trick to never meet them. It makes sense!
Returning virtual hugs!
Finnegan’s Wake is hands down the best Irish song ever. But I’ll add Reilly’s Daughter. Great, upbeat tune and the lyrics are pure Irish:
As I was sitting by the fire
Eating spuds and drinking porter
Suddenly a thought came into my mind
I’d like to marry old Reilly’s daughter.
Giddy i-ae Giddy i-ae Giddy i-ae for the one-eyed Reilly
Giddy i-ae (bang bang bang) Play it on your old bass drum.
Reilly played on the big bass drum
Reilly had a mind for murder and slaughter
Reilly had a bright red glittering eye
And he kept that eye on his lovely daughter.
Her hair was black and her eyes were blue
The colonel and the major and the captain sought her
The sergeant and the private and the drummer boy too
But they never had a chance with Reilly’s daughter.
I got me a ring and a parson too
Got me a scratch in a married quarter
Settled me down to a peaceful life
Happy as a king with Reilly’s daughter.
Suddenly a footstep on the stairs
Who should it be but Reilly out for slaughter
With two pistols in his hands
Looking for the man who had married his daughter.
I caught old Reilly by the hair
Rammed his head in a pail of water
Fired his pistols into the air
A damned sight quicker than I married his daughter.
This thread needs a song from The Boss.
Bruce Springsteen - Mrs. McGrath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HStktGoF1as
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.