Pete

“Dirty Old Town,” though frequently performed by Irish musicians and often assumed to be an Irish folk song, was actually written by English songwriter Ewan MacColl in 1949. The song was created as part of a play called “Landscape with Chimneys” set in MacColl’s hometown of Salford, near Manchester, England. The lyrics paint a gritty...

“Whiskey in the Jar,” also known as “Kilgary Mountain,” stands as one of Ireland’s most iconic folk songs, with roots stretching back to the 17th century. The song tells the tale of a highwayman who robs a military officer but is ultimately betrayed by his lover, a narrative that resonated deeply in colonial Ireland where outlaws were...

“All Through the Night,” known in Welsh as “Ar Hyd y Nos,” is actually a Welsh folk song that has been mistakenly attributed to Irish origins over time. The melody dates back to at least the 18th century, with the earliest printed version appearing in Edward Jones’s “Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards” in 1784...

“The Lakes of Pontchartrain,” despite its Irish folk music associations, actually originated in America during the mid-19th century. The song tells the story of an Irish immigrant or traveler who finds himself stranded near the Lakes of Pontchartrain in Louisiana, where he falls in love with a Creole or Cajun girl who offers him shelter. Its earliest...

“Erin Go Bragh,” a patriotic Irish anthem whose title translates to “Ireland Forever,” emerged during the tumultuous period of Irish nationalism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The phrase itself became a rallying cry for Irish independence movements, particularly associated with the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798. The...

“Down by the Salley Gardens” is a beloved Irish poem-turned-song with rich historical roots. It was published by William Butler Yeats in 1889 in “The Wanderings of Oisin and Other Poems,” where he noted it was an “attempt to reconstruct an old song from three lines imperfectly remembered by an old peasant woman in the village of...

“The Rakes of Mallow” is a traditional Irish jig that originated in the 18th century, celebrating the wild and carefree young gentlemen from the town of Mallow in County Cork. These “rakes” were notorious for their extravagant lifestyles, drinking, gambling, and general revelry. The tune first appeared in print in 1748 in John and William...

“Roddy McCorley” is a famous Irish ballad that commemorates the execution of a young Irish rebel during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The song tells the story of Roddy McCorley, who was hanged at the Bridge of Toome in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Although historical records about the real McCorley are somewhat limited, he has become a celebrated...

“The Kerry Dance” is a sentimental Irish ballad composed in the late 19th century by James Lynam Molloy, with lyrics also penned by Molloy. Published around 1879, the song evokes nostalgia for rural Irish gatherings and celebrations that were disappearing during a time of significant cultural change and emigration. The song’s poignant lyrics recall...