List of songs about Dublin


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".
  • "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" - Irish version of a song also found in Britain and the USA "

19th century

  • "Ye Men of Sweet Liberties Hall" - written by Dubliner Zozimus about the Dublin Liberties.
  • "The Holly and Ivy Girl" - a Christmas song written by John Keegan.
  • "Donnelly and Cooper" - relates a bout between the Dublin boxer and an Englishman, from about 1845
  • "The Twangman" - a comical murder ballad attributed to Zozimus.
  • "The Finding of Moses" - a comical ballad attributed to Zozimus.
  • "Molly Malone" - probably the best-known song about Dublin.
  • "Courtin' in the Kitchen" - a music-hall-type song made popular by Delia Murphy.
  • "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.
  • "The Return of Pat Malloy"
  • "The Little Beggarman" - sung to the melody of the "Red-Haired Boy", recorded by The Clancy Brothers.
  • "General Guinness" - a song about the stout from Dublin, recorded by The Boys of the Lough.
  • "Miss Brown of Dublin City" - a murder ballad related to "The Cruel Ship's Carpenter", recorded by Ed McCurdy.
  • "'Twas in the end of King James's Street" - a romance ending in tragedy, from the [George George Petrie (artist)|Petrie (artist)|Petrie] collection
  • "The Humours of Donnybrook Fair", 1830-1850 - at least three songs were written about Donnybrook Fair.
  • "Hannah Healy, the Pride of Howth", c. 1840 - about a girl from Howth.
  • "The Phenix of Fingal", c. 1840
  • "Catherine Skelly, for the Drowning of her Child", c. 1850
  • "Willy O", c. 1850
  • "The Seducer Outwitted", c. 1850
  • "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. to an air called "The French Musician"
  • "Sally and Johnny", c. 1854
  • "The True-Lovers' Trip to the Strawberry Beds", c. 1854 - about a trip to a favourite courting spot.
  • "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. 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.
  • "The Rocky Road to Dublin" - a rollicking song written by Galwayman D. K. Gavan for music-hall artist Harry Clifton around 1863.
  • "Lannigan's Ball" - written by Galwayman D. K. Gavan for popular music-hall artist Harry Clifton around 1863.
  • "Dublin Jack of All Trades" - a broadside ballad from the 1860s recorded by The Johnstons, among others.
  • "Tied my Toes to the Bed", c. 1870
  • "The New Tramway", on the new horse tramway of the Dublin Tramway Company, 1872.
  • "Waxies' Dargle" - about the annual outing to Ringsend by Dublin cobblers.

1900 - 1950

1950 - 2000

Since 2000