Erin Grá Mo Chroí – A Nostalgic Irish Playlist

Hello, friends, and a Very Happy Saint Paddy’s Day to you! ☘️

As my gift to you on one of my very favorite days of the year, I’m sharing a playlist of 12 of my very favorite nostalgic Irish songs. I’ve been playing these songs on repeat for the past several days, and I fall more in love with them all the time! I’m so excited to share this beautiful music with you.

I have titled this playlist Erin Grá Mo Chrói, which means “Ireland, Love of My Heart” in Gaelic. It wasn’t easy to narrow this list down to a tidy set of 12 songs because there are just so many lovely pieces to choose from! The Irish people love music, love their homeland, and never seem to tire of expressing their deep longing for “that dear little isle so far away” through song.

I hope you enjoy listening to this playlist as much as I enjoyed building it. Sláinte!

~ Cassandra Marie

#1 “Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore” by The High Kings

So fare thee well, my own true love
I’ll think of you night and day
A place in my mind you will surely find
Although I am so far away
And when I’m alone, far away from home
I’ll think of the good times once more
Until I can make it back someday
To Paddy’s green shamrock shore

#2 “Erin Grá Mo Chrói” (Ireland, Love of My Heart) by Cherish the Ladies

Oh Erin grá mo chrói, you’re the dear old land to me
You’re the fairest that my eyes have ever seen
You’re the land Saint Patrick blessed
You’re the bright star of the west
You’re that dear little isle so far away

#3 “Starrs” by Brian Finnegan

“He wanted to cry quietly but not for himself: for the words, so beautiful and sad, like music.” – James Joyce

#4 “Isle of Innisfree” by Celtic Woman

I’ve met some folks who say that I’m a dreamer
And I’ve no doubt there’s truth in what they say
But sure a body’s bound to be a dreamer
When all the things he loves are far away
And precious things are dreams unto an exile
They take him o’er the land across the sea
Especially when it happens he’s an exile
From that dear lovely Isle of Innisfree
And when the moonlight peeps across the rooftops
Of this great city, wondrous though it be,
I scarcely feel its wonder or its laughter
I’m once again back home in Innisfree . . .

#5 “Bridget Donaghue” by Danú

‘Twas in the County Kerry, a little ways from Clare
Where the boys and girls are merry at the pattern dance so fair
The town is called Killorglin, a pretty place to view
But the thing that makes it interesting is my Bridget Donaghue
Oh Bridget Donaghue, I really do love you
Although I’m in America, to you I will be true
And Bridget Donaghue, I’ll tell you what we’ll do
Just take the name of Patterson and I’ll take Donaghue

#6 “Jigs: Carolan’s Favorite Jig / The Rakes of Cashel / Highland March” by Cherish the Ladies

“Now sweetly lies old Ireland
Emerald green beyond the foam,
Awakening sweet memories,
Calling the heart back home.” – Irish Proverb

#7 “Galway Bay” by Celtic Woman

If you ever go across the sea to Ireland
Then maybe at the closing of your day
You can sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh
And see the sun go down on Galway Bay . . .
And if there’s gonna be a life here after
And faith somehow I’m sure there’s gonna be
I will ask my God to let me make my Heaven
In that dear land across the Irish sea

#8 “Home and the Heartland: From Riverdance” by Lisa Kelly

. . . As we circle the world
With our wandering airs
Gathering here and there
Leaving behind our share
Like the leaves in the wind
They are blown along
Each melody rising from
Home and the Heartland
Sing out your songs
And bring out your stories and rhymes
Weave from your dreams
The mystical dances that lead us to
Bind in heart and mind

#9 “The Lark in the Clear Air” by Loreena McKennitt

“Dear thoughts are in my mind
And my soul soars enchanted,
As I hear the sweet lark sing
In the clear air of the day.” – Sir Samuel Ferguson

#10 “Mo Ghile Mear” by The Choral Scholars of University College Dublin

Every day I am constantly sad,
I weep bitterly and shed many tears,
Because our lively young man has left us,
And, alas, we hear no news from him . . .

#11 “Caledonia” by Celtic Woman

I don’t know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I’ve been afraid
That I might drift away
I’ve been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I’ve come from
That’s the reason why I seem
So far away today
Let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia, you’re calling me, now I’m going home
But if I should become a stranger
Know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia’s been everything I’ve ever had

#12 “Daughters of Erin” by Secret Garden

“The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune.” – Irish Proverb

(Note: If you are a Spotify user and would like to add the entire playlist to your library, click here and select “follow.”)

Do you have a favorite Irish song that makes you long for Ireland? What are you listening to this St. Patrick’s Day? Let me know in the comments!

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