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Classic Irish Anthems for Your St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

It’s that time of year again where the Guinness and green hats come out. As with the rest of the world, America can’t resist the celebration of Irish culture for the day. In fact, the 17th of March pre-coronavirus saw 13 million pints of the black stuff sunk in the US alone!

The bars may be shut in some parts of the city, but that’s no reason not to get a groove on and indulge in some classic Irish anthems in your own home. 

Mumbai celebrates the occasion for two days, the Chicago River turns green, and the Sydney Opera House lights up in stunning illumination and of course NYC normally holds the biggest St Patrick’s parade in the world, among many other events. It may be something to do with the genetic spread of Irish DNA around the globe, but as seen in this infographic from Betway.com, there are very few places on earth that aren’t excited for the celebration.

In the spirit of Saint Patrick, we must march on and channel the Irish classics; whether it’s the staples like U2 or some alternative folk that you like, we have you covered.

st pats around the world

Drunken Lullabies—Flogging Molly

Where best to start than with a gritty pub tune Drunken Lullabies? What better way is there to let off the pent-up lockdown steam than with an aggressive Irish tune by a Californian Celtic punk group? 

This is the first song we want to hear on the radio on the 17th to get the festive feels flowing - and it often is. Streaming figures for Flogging Molly rises by around 1,500% on St Patrick’s Day, making it a must-play. Let’s just hope it isn’t also accompanied by Irish ads.

Whisky in the JarThe Dubliners

If you’ve not stocked up on Guinness, then fear not - there’s a plan B. Whisky in a jar is an Irish folk song that has been covered by just about everyone at some point; The Dubliners, Thin Lizzy, The Pogues, Metallica - you name it. This gives you more than just a choice of a different beverage.

Whisky in the Jar is a song about a famous Irish highwayman, Patrick Fleming, who was hanged in 1650. This was at the time of Cromwell’s invasion which is one of the darkest periods in Irish history until the famine. With local highwaymen being often admired in Ireland, this has become another St Patrick’s Day must-play.

Sunday Bloody Sunday—U2

Although this may be storytelling tragic and bleak themes, it no doubt plays an important part in storytelling Ireland’s tragic bloodshed. Ultimately, the song is about peace and unity more than it is about violent resistance, and it’s become an integral song for St Patrick’s Day. 

U2 was once urged by a record company to replace the “bloody” word from its chorus as it may interfere with its radio success. Clearly, they were right to ignore this advice, given that it’s a regular radio favouite.

Alternative Ulster—Stiff Little Fingers

Being a Belfast punk band, Stiff Little Fingers heavily contributed to the anger that evolved in Northern Ireland’s music scene during the 70s - sometimes accompanied by the rather annoying comparison of being Ireland’s answer to the Clash. With countless political songs and an increasingly punk sound, Alternative Ulster became a regular song on the St Patrick’s Day playlist. 

The song is about wasted opportunities and was written in the times of a militarized nation - “Is this the only life we’re gonna have?” helped communicate a message of empowerment, putting the responsibility back onto the punks.

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