St Patrick’s Day 2026: The best Irish songs to celebrate in style
Happy Paddy’s Day to those who celebrate! While you're having a few drinks to wet the whistle, you need some of the best songs by the best artists to come out of Ireland to get you in the spirit.
If you’re a university student, I can probably guess your schedule today – wake up at 10 am, have a big breakfast, take a quick shower, throw on your brightest green top, paint a shamrock on your face, have some pre-drinks and head down to the pubs for Guinness while keeping your eyes peeled for anyone wearing a ‘Kiss me I’m Irish’ top.
Here, Music News Blitz writer Megan Rogers-Jones curates the perfect Paddy’s playlist.
‘It won’t always be like this’ - ’Inhaler’
‘Inhaler’ is basically the Irish indie modern version of ‘One Direction’, with nepo baby and leading man Elijah making every teenage girl fall in love with the Dublin accent.
One of the most uplifting breakup songs you could ever listen to, ‘It won't always be like this’ was first released in 2019 and was one of the band's earliest singles.
Fans instantly fell in love with it and then became the leading song for their debut album, 7 years later and it's still one of their biggest hits.
‘H.O.O.D’- ’Kneecap’
A more arguably controversial band, making a lot of headlines in the past year, but you can’t talk about Irish music and not mention Kneecap.
The Belfast-based Irish language rap trio formed in 2017, but their name really exploded in 2024 with their self-titled autobiographical film ‘Kneecap’.
Their song ‘H.O.O.D’ is meant to shine a light on the reality of youth culture in Belfast, factoring in the split of the party life and living in a politically charged environment.
Their rebellious and confrontational songs have everyone talking about them, especially the BBC, due to their use of the Celtic language.
‘Favourite’ - ‘Fontaines D.C.’
I might be biased, but I truly think Fontaines D.C. is the best Irish band, with all their top hits dedicated to their city.
From their 2024 album ‘Starbuster’, the song's music video was filmed in Madrid (where guitarist Carlos O’Connell grew up) and features videos from all the band members' childhoods.
They then explore the city as a tribute to the past, present, and future, honouring their friendship.
One of their more joyful songs, this tune really makes you want to grab your best friend and have a groove in the sun!
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‘Linger’ - ’The Cranberries’
A classic 90s rock band, ‘The Cranberries' released their debut album, ‘Everybody Else is Doing it, So Why Can’t We?’ in 1993, and with that album came some of their biggest hits, including ‘Linger’.
The song was written by the lead singer, Dolores O'Riordan.
It is about feeling heartbroken and rejected by someone you love; the Irish really love their upbeat breakup songs.
'Linger' is the perfect song for when you’re a few drinks deep and your situationship still hasn't replied to the photo of you in your Paddy’s fit on your Insta.
‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ - ‘U2’
There is no Paddy’s celebration without a bit of U2, so I couldn't include Elijah Hewson without mentioning his dad, Bono, and his band, U2, which formed in Dublin in the mid-70s.
They are the most well-known singers to come out of Ireland, recognised for being one of the most influential bands in the world, with 22 Grammy awards under their belt and over 170 million records sold.
‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ is a protest song that was released in 1983, referencing the 1972 ‘Bloody Sunday’ massacre in Derry, and was a call for peace during the ongoing violence.
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