Favourite Irish albums of the CLUAS writers
Allen Conlan's top 5 Irish albums of all time...
Act: The Pogues
Album: 'Rum, Sodomy & The Lash'
In my opinion, The Pogues' finest album, filled with the raucous, energetic,
unique sound we have all come to love from Shane and the lads as well as some
very poignant tunes like "A man you don't meet every day", "The old main drag"
and ending with a very moving rendition of "And the band played waltzing
Matilda". A perfect drinking album!
Act:
U2
Album: 'Rattle and Hum' (1988)
Released in 1988, truly announced U2's overall domination of the US.
This is the album which made them into world superstars. Remaining true to
the style they had made their own up to then while introducing American riffs
and influences as in "Angel of Harlem", "Heartland" and the
bluesy collaboration with B.B. King "When love comes to town". If you were to
buy one U2 album, I'd have to say this is the one.
Act:
The Chieftains
Album: 'Water from the well'
Having some would say (including this writer) diluted their music during
recent collaborations with the likes of Mick Jagger, Sting and other lesser 'artists', it was time to get back to what The Chieftains do best - belting out
Irish traditional music like no one else on this Earth can. They released this
album in 2000 and it is a cracker - beautiful renditions of classics from the
traditional repertoire, such as "Puc ar buile" and of course the finest
performances of jigs, polkas and reels like "the Donegal set", "The Dingle set"
and "The Kilfenora set". Again, if you were to buy one Chieftains album,
this is it.
Act:
Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
Album: 'Live in Seattle' (2002)
A sublime album of perfection. One doesn?t merely listen to this album,
one allows it to waft and flow over the senses like standing, eyes closed on a
grassy hill in summer and feeling the warm, scented breeze against one?s face.
Beautifully tranquil modern traditional Irish music at its finest.
Act:
Planxty
Album: 'After the break' (1978)
Planxty delivered
the essential album for anyone with even a passing penchant for Irish
music. Released after the band had taken 'a break' to pursue solo projects, the
original members got back together in 1978 with the help of Matt Molloy and
recorded this amazing collection of tunes and songs. Who can say they have never
heard Christy's version of Raggle Taggle Gypsy-o" followed by Liam O'Flynn
launching into "Tabhair dom do l?h"? The album also contains masterful
musicianship in "The good ship Kangaroo" and "The Rambling S?ler". But the
finest track has to be "The pursuit of the Farmer Michael Hayes" which follows a
murderous farmer as he is being pursued through what seems every town and county
in Ireland. A fantastic, timeless album.
Check out
the final Top 50 Irish Albums of All Time
as voted by CLUAS.com readers
Discuss
this selection of best Irish albums of all time on the
CLUAS Discussion Board.
Check out
the top 5 Irish albums of all time chosen by these other CLUAS writers:
Allen Conlan
Anthony Morrissey
Brano
Brian Farrelly
Brian Kelly
Celine O'Malley
Chris Ford
Ciaran Wrenn
Cormac Looney
Donal Griffin
Dromed
Gav Reilly
Hugh Tynan
Jimmy Murphy
Jules Jackson
Ollie O'Leary
Stephen McNulty
