List of songs about Dublin explained

This is a list of songs about Dublin, Ireland, including parts of the city such as individual neighborhoods and sections, and famous personages, arranged chronologically.

18th century

• "The Night Before Larry Was Stretched" - about the night before a hanging, in old Newgate cant; recorded by Frank Harte. Other Dublin execution ballads from this period include "The Kilmainham Minit", "Luke Caffrey's Ghost" and "Larry's Ghost".^{[1] [2]}
• "The Dublin Privateer", late 1700s
• "The Dublin Baker", late 1700s
• "The Dublin Tragedy, or, the Unfortunate Merchant's Daughter", late 1700s
• "Miss King of Dublin", late 1700s
• "The Country Recruit's Description of the Military", late 1700s
• "A New Song on the Police Guards", late 1700s
• "The May Bush", late 1700s
• "Lock Hospital" (also known as "St. James Hospital" and "The Unfortunate Rake") - Irish version of a song also found in Britain and the USA (where it developed into "The Dying Cowboy" and "St. James Infirmary)"^[3]

19th century

• "Ye Men of Sweet Liberties Hall" - written by Dubliner Zozimus (Michael Moran, 1794–1846) about the Dublin Liberties.
• "The Holly and Ivy Girl" - a Christmas song written by John Keegan (1809–1849).^[4]
• "Donnelly and Cooper" - relates a bout between the Dublin boxer and an Englishman, from about 1845^[5]
• "The Twangman" - a comical murder ballad attributed (by Dominic Behan) to Zozimus (Michael Moran).^[6]
• "The Finding of Moses" - a comical ballad attributed to Zozimus (Michael Moran).^[6]
• "Molly Malone" - probably the best-known song about Dublin.^[7]
• "Courtin' in the Kitchen" - a music-hall-type song made popular by Delia Murphy.^[8]
• "The Spanish Lady" - a man becomes enamoured of a Spanish lady; versions of this popular song were recorded by Al O'Donnell, the Clancy Brothers and the Dubliners.^[6]
• "The Return of Pat Malloy"^[9]
• "The Little Beggarman" - sung to the melody of the "Red-Haired Boy", recorded by The Clancy Brothers.^[10]
• "General Guinness" - a song about the stout from Dublin, recorded by The Boys of the Lough.^[11]
• "Miss Brown of Dublin City" - a murder ballad related to "The Cruel Ship's Carpenter", recorded by Ed McCurdy.^{[6] [12]}
• "'Twas in the end of King James's Street" - a romance ending in tragedy, from the Petrie collection^[13]
• "The Humours of Donnybrook Fair", 1830-1850 - at least three songs were written about Donnybrook Fair.^[14]
• "Hannah Healy, the Pride of Howth", c. 1840 - about a girl from Howth.^[14]
• "The Phenix of Fingal", c. 1840^[14]
• "Catherine Skelly, for the Drowning of her Child", c. 1850^[14]
• "Willy O", c. 1850^[14]
• "The Seducer Outwitted", c. 1850^[14]
• "Tim Finigan's Wake" - also known as "Finnegan's Wake" - mid 19th-century broadside and music-hall song published in New York, attributed to John F. Poole.^[15] to an air called "The French Musician"^{[16] [17]}
• "Sally and Johnny", c. 1854^[14]
• "The True-Lovers' Trip to the Strawberry Beds", c. 1854 - about a trip to a favourite courting spot.^[14]
• "The Night of the Ragman's Ball" - collected by Colm O'Lochlainn from a ballad singer in Thomas Street in 1913; melody, called "It was in Dublin city", is in the Petrie collection (1855). Luke Cheevers said it, and a follow-up, "The Ragman's Wake", was written by Tommy Winters, who died in WW1. Recorded by Frank Harte, The Dubliners.^[16]
• "The Rocky Road to Dublin" - a rollicking song written by Galwayman D. K. Gavan for music-hall artist Harry Clifton around 1863.^{[18] [19]}
• "Lannigan's Ball" - written by Galwayman D. K. Gavan for popular music-hall artist Harry Clifton around 1863.^{[16] [18]}
• "Dublin Jack of All Trades" - a broadside ballad from the 1860s recorded by The Johnstons, among others.^[14]
• "Tied my Toes to the Bed", c. 1870^[14]
• "The New Tramway", on the new horse tramway of the Dublin Tramway Company, 1872.^[14]
• "Waxies' Dargle" - about the annual outing to Ringsend by Dublin cobblers (waxies).^[20]

1900 - 1950

• "Girls of Dublin Town (Gals of Dublin Town)" - a shanty based on a real ship, the Shanandoah, captained by "Shotgun" Murphy
• "The Pride of Pimlico" - a song about the Dublin Liberties written by Arthur Griffith.^[2]
• "The Cruise of the Calabar" - a comical song about a canal barge by Arthur Griffith^[6]
• "Twenty Men From Dublin Town" - written by Arthur Griffith, recorded by Danny Doyle
• "Down by the Liffeyside (Fish and Chips)" - written by Peadar Kearney^[6]
• "Dying Rebel" - a song about the aftermath of the 1916 Rising in Dublin
• "The Recruiting Sergeant" - Written by Dublin journalist Seamus O'Farrell (1886–1973) in 1915; recorded by, among others, Dominic Behan and The Black Brothers.
• "Easy and Slow" - a song of somewhat constant innuendo set in Dublin's Liberties^[6]
• "Biddy Mulligan the Pride of the Coombe" - written by Seamas Kavanagh about a Dublin street-seller, made popular by Jimmy O'Dea.
• "Daffodil Mulligan (Fresh Fish)" - written by Harry O'Donovan, music by Eva Brennan, about Biddy Mulligan's daughter.
• "The Vamp of Inchicore" - written by Harry O'Donovan, recorded by Jimmy O'Dea
• "Rathgar" - written by Harry O'Donovan, recorded by Jimmy O'Dea
• "The Dublin Fusiliers" - comical song about the regiment, recorded by Jimmy O'Dea in the 1930s, later by the Dubliners.
• "Hannigan's Hooley" - written by Cecil Sheridan, recorded by Maureen Potter
• "I'm On My Way To Dublin Bay" by Owen J McCormack
• "Kevin Barry" - about young medical student and Irish revolutionary Kevin Barry controversially executed during the Irish War of Independence^[21]
• "The Foggy Dew" - about the Easter Rising of 1916, written by Canon Charles O’Neill in 1919.
• "The Row in the Town" - a song written by Peadar Kearney commemorating the 1916 Rising.^[6]
• "Dublin City 1913" - the struggle from 1913 to 1916, written by Donagh MacDonagh^[6]
• "The Banks of the Dargle"
• "Arbour Hill" - written by Declan Hunt about the burial place of the Easter 1916 Leaders.^[22]

1950 - 2000

• "The Auld Triangle" - by writer Brendan Behan, about his time in Mountjoy Prison
• "The Dublin Saunter (Dublin Can Be Heaven)" - by Leo Maguire, made famous by Noel Purcell
• "The Burning of the Abbey Theatre" - a comical song about the Abbey Theatre by Sylvester Gaffney (Leo Maguire).^[23]
• "Three Lovely Lasses from Kimmage" - a comical song by Sylvester Gaffney (Leo Maguire).^[23]
• "Dublin Me Darlin'" - written by Sylvester Gaffney (Leo Maguire), recorded by Danny Doyle.^[24]
• "Monto (Take Her Up To Monto)" - a song by George Hodnett about the famous red-light district around Montgomery Street in Dublin.^[25]
• "On Raglan Road" - Patrick Kavanagh poem to the 19th-century melody "The Dawning of the Day"
• "The Ferryman" - about the ferries on the River Liffey, by Pete St. John.^[26]
• "Ringsend Rose" - about a girl from Ringsend, written by Pete St. John.^[26]
• "Dublin Lady" - by singer/songwriter John Conolly. Not written by the excellent John Conolly but rather by Patrick Carroll (lyric) and Andy Irvine (music).
• "From Dublin With Love" - by Newfoundland singer/songwriter Ron Hynes
• "The Black Dodder" - written and recorded by Dublin singer/songwriter/actor Mick Fitzgerald.
• "Drink" - written and recorded by Dublin singer/songwriter/actor Mick Fitzgerald.
• "Dublin you live in my heart" - by Ian Campbell
• "Dublin Town (Fly Me Home)"
• "Dublin Take Me" - by Rab Noakes
• "The Dublin Rambler" - recorded by the Dublin City Ramblers
• "The Dublin Minstrel Boy (Luke Kelly)" - written and recorded by Paddy Reilly.
• "Summer in Dublin" - written by Liam Reilly and recorded by Bagatelle^[27]
• "Leeson Street Lady" - recorded by Bagatelle.
• "Anne Devlin" - about Robert Emmet's sweetheart, by Pete St John^[26]
• "Mother Redcaps" - song by Pete St John about a cherished music pub in the Dublin Liberties, closed in 2005^[26]
• "Danny Farrell" - a song about a traveller, by Pete St John, recorded by The Dubliners^[26]
• "Rosie Up in Moore Street" - about a Dublin street dealer, by Pete St John^[26]
• "Dicey Riley" - Dublin song about a woman who enjoys her little drop, with verses by Dominic Behan^[28] and Tom Munnelly^[6]
• "The Zoological Gardens" - by Dominic Behan about Dublin Zoo^[6]
• "Come Out Ye Black and Tans" - British Army-taunting song written by Dominic Behan
• "The Mero" - a song about a former cinema in Mary St., Dublin, popular with children, by Pete St. John^[26]
• "Johnie McGory" - a song about children, by Pete St John, recorded by The Dubliners^[26]
• "Ringsend Boatman" - by Pete St John^[26]
• "The Maid From Cabra West" - an Irish version of an English song, sung by Frank Harte^[6]
• "Dublin City in 1962" - written by musician and footballer Dermot O'Brien
• "Dublin in my Tears" - written by Dubliner Brendan Phelan and recorded by the Dublin City Ramblers^[6]
• "Dublin" - written and recorded by Phil Lynott in 1972
• "Inner City Song" - written by harmonica-player Don Baker about 1974 which became a hit for the Jolly Beggarmen (with Baker on harmonica and Johnny Carroll on vocals)
• "Meet Me At The Pillar" - about the 1916 Rising, by Seán and Frank O'Meara; recorded by Jim McCann, the Dublin City Ramblers, and others.
• "My Last Farewell" - by Seán and Frank O'Meara, based on Padraic Pearse's last letter; recorded by the Barleycorn (vocals by Derek McCormack).
• "Dublin in the Rare Old Times" - 1980s song about Dublin before the 1960s (composer: Pete St. John)^[29]
• "Grace" - written in 1985 by Frank and Seán O'Meara about Grace Gifford; recorded by Anthony Kearns, the Wolfe Tones and others.
• "My Dublin Bay" - composed by Waterford-born May O'Higgins.
• "Old Dublin Town" by Pete St. John
• "At the Metropole" - written by Paul Barrett, recorded by Metropolis in 1981.
• "Dubliners" - written by David McDonagh, recorded by the Dubliners and released in 1987 on the 25_Years_Celebration album.
• "The Rose of Inchicore" - written by Dublin singer/songwriter Mick Fitzgerald about a girl from Inchicore
• "Farewell to Dublin" - written and performed by Brian Warfield
• "Second World Song" - written by David McDonagh, recorded by the Dubliners.
• "D'Ya Remember Jem" - recorded by Ronnie Drew
• "Baile Atha Cliath" - for solo recorder, composed by Juan María Solare
• "Christchurch Bells" - written and performed by Hothouse Flowers

Since 2000

• “Zozimus Waltz” by John Brown (2012)
• "Dublin" - by Prefab Sprout
• "800 Voices" - about the Artane Industrial school, written and recorded by Danny Ellis^[30]
• "The Bold Christian Brothers" - about the Artane Industrial school, written and recorded by Danny Ellis^[30]
• "Dublin Sky" - written and recorded by Darren Hayes
• "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew - by U2, the Dubliners and others; #1 in March 2008^[31]
• "Bully's Acre" - a reference to the Bully's Acre, by Kíla, on their Rogha album (2009).
• "True Blue" - written in 2011 by John Healy, Toddy Griffin and Pat Good, performed by Damien Dempsey and many others for charity.
• "Paint the Town Green"-The Script 2014
• "Dublin city sky" - Fontaines D.C. (2019)

See also

• Music of Ireland

Notes and References

1. Harte, Frank, Dublin Street Songs, Topic, 1967
2. Book: O Lochlann, Colm. 1965. More Irish Street Ballads. Dublin. Three Candles Press. 0-330-25317-4. registration.
3. A.L.Lloyd, Folksong in England (London, 1967), pp. 219-220. It was collected in County Cork in 1848 and the singer said he learned it in Dublin in 1790.
4. The Irishman, Vol. 1 No. 1, 1849
5. Web site: Waltz . Robert B. . Engle, David G. . Donnelly and Cooper . The Traditional Ballad Index . California State University, Fresno . 7 Aug 2010.
6. Harte, Frank, Songs of Dublin, (ed.), 1978, Gilbert Dalton, Dublin and 1993, Ossian Publications, Cork.
7. Web site: Cockles and Mussels (Molly Malone) . Folkinfo.org (quoting book by Sean Murphy) . 2002 . 2011-08-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110719115810/http://www.folkinfo.org/songs/displaysong.php?songid=618 . 2011-07-19 .
8. Book: O'Hara, Aidan . 1997. I'll live till I die: Drumlin Publications. Leitrim. http://www.drumlinpublications.com/l'lllive.html. 1-873437-17-X.
9. "My Father Sold Charcoal" Songster, 24-25, in the Library of Congress. Attributed to A. Anderson, to the air of "The Captain with the Whiskers".
10. Book: Brothers, Clancy . 1969. The Irish Songbook. New York. Wise Publications. 0-86001-280-8.
11. Boys Of The Lough - Live At Passim, 1974
12. http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/24303/3;jsessionid=3A52206CCAE0EC42321AC038D3B4751F Tobar an Dualchais
13. George Petrie: Old Irish Folk Music and Song (1855)
14. Hugh Shields. Old Dublin Songs. Folk Music Society of Ireland, Dublin, 1988.
15. John K. Casey: The Rising of the Moon, and other Ballads, Songs and Legends
16. Book: O Lochlann, Colm . 1939. Irish Street Ballads. Dublin. Three Candles Press. 0-330-25316-6.
17. The Journal of the Folk Song Society, vol. IV, p. 294
18. The Era magazine, 22 February 1863
19. Book: Walton, Martin. Treasury of Irish Songs and Ballads. Dublin. Walton's Music.
20. News: Quidnunc . An Irishman's Diary . . 9 October 1933 . 4.
21. Book: Moore, Christy . 2000. One Voice. London. Lir/Hodder and Stoughton. 0-340-76839-8.
22. live. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211208/Rjdi3VlTI_0. 2021-12-08. Arbour Hill Declan Hunt . YouTube.
23. Gaffney: Sing an Irish song Book 8: popular parodies for platform and parties
24. http://www.theballadeers.com/dd_d24a_dmd.htm The Balladeers
25. News: Obituary . George Desmond Hodnett . . 24 September 1990.
26. Web site: Complete list of songs . St John, Pete . Pete St. John/Saint Music . 2007 . Web site . 30 November 2011 .
27. Web site: Bagatelle . Last.fm . 2009-02-11 . 2013-01-01.
28. Dominic Behan: Ireland Sings (London, 1969)
29. Book: Conway, Pat . 1982. Soodlum's Irish Ballad Book. New York. Oak publications. 978-0-8256-0284-9.
30. News: Danny Ellis . 20 May 2011. Siobhán Long. The Irish Times. 28 May 2011.
31. Web site: The Ballad Of Ronnie Drew (2008) . Ie.7digital.com . 2008-02-22 . 2013-01-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120120091353/http://ie.7digital.com/artists/u2/the-ballad-of-ronnie-drew/ . 2012-01-20 .