Irish Drinking Songs

Everyone sings when he is drunk! However, songs that are sung by drunkards who 'know' what they are singing are called the drinking songs. I am serious! There is a huge tradition behind drinking songs or songs that are sung while a group of friends or workers are drinking alcohol. Characteristics and significance of drinking songs differ from region to region. Singing drinking songs is an age-old tradition in various parts of the world like Italy, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Austria and England. Topers gathering together and singing some joyous drinking songs is an age-old tradition in the land of Celts, Ireland too. This especially happens on St. Patrick's Day, which is also a religious holiday in Ireland. Most of the Irish drinking songs belong to folk music and hence many of their drinking songs are not credited to a particular person.

Singing drinking songs is like a tradition for fraternities, rugby players, pilots, etc. people who like to share the joy of victory with the fellows. Well, the following part of the article is dedicated to the Irish drinking songs that are really popular, not only amongst the Celts but the rest of the world as well.

Traditional Songs

Top Irish drinking songs are really funny and they are really enjoyable to those people who like and know how to have fun in a group. People who enjoy the whole 'sing along' atmosphere along with loads of alcohol, will surely enjoy these popular songs for drinking. Well, not to one's surprise, there is no dearth of such jolly fellows, which is the reason why the traditional drinking songs from Ireland are still remembered by all.

Apart from the legendary Irish music cornerstones, there are a lot of people and bands who have kept the Irish spirit alive in the world's top drinking songs. Well, I am talking about the people and bands like Emerald Rose, Andy M. Stewart, Ed miller, King Laoghaire, Jonathan Ramsay, Ian Gallagher, The Dubliners, Wylde Nept, Irish Rovers, etc. These songs are composed with help of some traditional Irish musical instruments like harp, guitar, fiddle, Irish Warpipes, etc.

Greatest Songs

Here is a list of some traditional drinking songs that are popular in Ireland. Most of these songs are not credited and hence I have mentioned their artist name as - 'traditional'.

• What'll We Do With a Drunken Sailor ~ Traditional Sea Shanty Song (or pirate song)
• Danny Boy ~ Frederick Weatherly
• Johnny Jump Up ~ Traditional
• Jug Of Punch ~ Clancy Brothers
• All For Me Grog ~ Traditional
• An Irish Lullaby (Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra) ~ J.R. Shannon
• Black Velvet Band ~ Traditional
• Bog Down in the Valley ~ Traditional
• Do Virgins Taste Better ~ Traditional
• Flower of Scotland ~ Roy Williamson
• Gypsy Rover ~ Traditional
• Happy Birthday From Ireland ~ Marc Gunn
• The Braes of Killiecrankie ~ Robert Burns
• Lily the Pink ~ Traditional
• Lish Young Buy-A-Broom ~ Traditional
• Monster Mash ~ Bobby Pickett and Lenny Capizzi
• My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose ~ Robert Burns
• Paddy McCollough ~ Gunn McKee
• By the Rising of the Moon ~ J.K. Casey
• Rosin the Beau ~ Traditional
• Scarborough Faire ~ Traditional
• Seven Drunken Nights ~ Traditional
• The Dragon's Retort ~ Claire Stephens McMurray
• The Irishman Who Doesn't Drink ~ Andrew McKee
• The Mermaid Song ~ Traditional
• The Orange and The Green ~ Traditional
• The Parting Glass ~ Traditional
• The Unicorn Song ~ Shel Silverstein
• Soul of a Harper ~ Rie Sheridan
• Whiskey in the Jar ~ Traditional
• Ye Jacobites By Name ~ Robert Burns

Best Songs

Now is the turn of some more nice songs.

• Glass Of Beer ~ Le Ceoltóiri Cultúrlainne
• Streams Of Whiskey ~ The Pogues
• Lots Of Drops Of Brandy ~ The Chieftains
• Drunken Lullabies ~ Flogging Molly
• Come Out Ye Black And Tans ~ Shamrog
• Kiss Me I'm S***faced ~ Dropkick Murphys
• The Wild Rover ~ The Dubliners
• The Irish Rover ~ The Pogues
• Drink It Up Men ~ The Clancy Brothers
• Maloney Wants A Drink ~ The Dubliners
• The Scotsman ~ Bryan Bowers
• Juice Of The Barley ~ Sean Dunphy
• Whiskey, You're the Devil ~ The Highland Rovers Band
• All For Me Grog ~ Brier
• Rising of the Moon ~ John Keegan Casey
• The Moonshiner ~ Delia Murphy
• Mary Mack ~ Traditional
• A Drop of Nelson's Blood ~ Jarvis Cocker
• What's the Rumpus ~ Gaelic Storm
• Darcy's Ass ~ Gaelic Storm
• Pair of Brown Eyes ~ The Pogues
• Do Virgins Taste Better ~ Brobdingnagian Bards
• Have a Drink ~ O'hAnleigh
• Monahan's Mudder's Milk ~ Marc Gunn
• Another Irish Drinking Song ~ the Foremen
• The Rogue Of Dundee ~ Leza Mesiah
• Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits ~ Marc Gunn
• I'll Drink from Dusk Til Dawn ~ Marc Gunn
• Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers ~ Marc Gunn
• Traditional Irish Folk Song ~ Denis Leary
• Home for a Rest ~ Spirit of the West
• Almost Irish ~ Ceann
• 40 Shades of Blue ~ Black47
• Weekend Irish ~ Barleyjuice

Well, the above list may not include all the songs belonging to Irish music, but sure does contains some of the best Irish songs about drinking! Cheers!