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St. Paddy’s Day – help choose a modern Irish playlist

I was recently asked some questions for an US site around their Irish St. Patrick’s Day coverage and it includes a request for some suggestions for an Irish Paddy’s Day playlist, which got me thinking about the idea of a St. Patrick’s Day playlist for this site too.

I want to do a playlist this week for the site that represents modern Ireland and I have some ideas about what should go on it: Villagers, The Gloaming, I Am The Cosmos, Mmoths, Le Galaxie, James Vincent McMorrow and Lisa O’Neill for example.

BUT, I also want your suggestions for what should be on the playlist too.


What song best represents Modern Ireland to you? What current singer/musician has a strong Irish identity you’d like to share with the globe? If you were sending a song out to the rest of the world and saying – “Listen to this not only is it Irish but it is awesome,” what would one track send? What song best represent what it is to be Irish to you today?

What to do

Leave your song suggestions in the comments below please or use #modernirishplaylist on Twitter. Do say why you picked that song too.


The only restriction is that the song has to have been released in the last five years so there’s no room for ‘Jump Around’ and the likes of Dropkick Murphy’s or The Pogues or Thin Lizzy or Luke Kelly. Soz babes.

We want the sound of a modern Ireland.

On Friday, I’ll curate 25 songs into a Spotify playlist that can be sent out to all the expats, those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day abroad or your friends from other countries so you can send it to them and say – this is Irish music. This is what you’re missing.

Looking for some inspiration? Here’s a list of my favourite Irish songs of 2013. More Best of 2013 lists here including albums and readers’ choices.


Hey, before you go...

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View Comments (34) View Comments (34)
  1. Choose yer own favourite track but I’d say artists that should be considered are: Lakker (and/or Eeoo/Eomac), Space Dimension Controller, Automatic Tasty, Boxcutter/Barry Lynn, And So I Watch You From Afar.

  2. damien dempsey – canadian geese. this has been giving me goosebumps since i first heard it last summer, just a beautiful song. plus any of new jackson/mano le tough/mmoths/young wonder/solar bears/shit robot/tieranniesaur/i am the cosmos/come on live long/windings/villagers/o emperor/the minutes/lisa o’neill!

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