Salut! Folk

Here goes then. Nicholas Wall has had his say. Now I am going to have mine – and it will not be my last word.

It is quite impossible to have been listening to Irish music for as long as I have and restrict a choice of the best to the 10 songs or tunes I promised. So I will do it in stages, definitely two and – who knows? – maybe more.

I may, like Nick, allow myself to wander beyond the confines of the sort of Irish music I usually listen to and write about. In other words, pop and rock will get a look in. Notes to each choice will be added in due course….I was keen to get the ball rolling ahead of a trip to Europe (more on my return).

G K Chesterton wrote (if I remember the lines correctly:

Great Gaels of Ireland
All their wars are merry
And all their songs are sad

There is plenty of war, and lots of tears, in my first list. But this, for better or worse and sticking to Irish artists but not always irish songs or compositions, is it:

Raglan Road.…………..Joan Osborne, with the Chieftains

The Island..…………….Paul Brady

Parcel of Rogues………The Dubliners (Luke Kelly singing)

Smoke and Strong Whiskey……….Christy Moore

Anarchie Gordon……….Mary Black

Retour Des Hirondelles/Music For a Found Harmonium……Sharon Shannon

There Were Roses………Cara Dillon

Tinkerman’s Daughter……..Niamh Parsons

Flower of Northumberland………The Johnstons

Ride On.………… Mary Coughlan (with Davy Spillane)

* Don’t worry…the promise of a second list gives ample scope to put right the glaring omissions: Altan, Dervish, Danu and – yes – Sinead O’Connor among them.