Celtic/Irish Favorites for Your Instrument

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and there’s no better way to celebrate than by playing Irish music. Ireland has a rich culture of traditional Celtic music dating back centuries, with charming melodies that will please any crowd. Why not learn some of these Irish favorites to play at your local St. Patrick’s Day party?

No matter what instrument you play, you’ll find the perfect Irish song for your St. Patrick’s Day. You can also find Irish music for different levels of playing ability, from the beginning music student to the advanced professional. Add some luck o’ the Irish to your musical repertoire with these classic Celtic favorites for all ages.

Here are some fantastic Irish song books, which you can use to learn Irish music on your own or with help from your music instructor. 

1. Hal Leonard Celtic Violin Play-Along Volume 4 Book/Online Audio Standard

Hal Leonard is one of the best publishers of sheet music and their high quality work continues with this volume of Celtic violin music. Celtic Violin Play-Along Volume 4 will help beginner violinists play their favorite Irish songs quickly and easily. 

Along with printed sheet music, this edition comes with Online Audio of each song. Listen to the tracks to hear how they should sound when played correctly, then use the audio tracks as a guide and playing alongside the recording. Each song also includes backing tracks, chord symbols, and lyrics so you can sing along and truly make the performance your own. You can also adjust the Online Audio to slower or faster tempos without changing the song’s pitch!

This Hal Leonard volume includes Irish favorites like The Earl’s Chair, Flowers of Edinburgh, The Gold Ring, Harvest Home, Haste to the Wedding, Julia Delaney, Lord Mayo (Tiarna Mhaigheo), and Rights of Man.

2. Hal Leonard Irish Songs For Easy Guitar (With Tab) Standard

For Celtic guitarists, Irish Songs For Easy Guitar is a must-have. With 25 Irish favorites in notation with tablature, this song book is perfect for guitarists of all levels who want to play Celtic folk. This Hal Leonard collection is 48 pages of beautiful, easy-to-learn melodies that are popular for St. Patrick’s Day or any occasion.

This volume includes such songs as: Danny Boy, Harrigan, I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen, “The Irish Rover, Kerry Dance, Killarney, MacNamara’s Band, Mary’s A Grand Old Name, Molly Malone (Cockles & Mussels), Mother Machree, Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder, My Wild Irish Rose, The Parting Glass, The Rose Of Tralee, Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That’s An Irish Lullaby), and many more!

3. Hal Leonard Irish Favorites For Easy Piano Standard

The next item in our favorite Irish/Celtic song book list is another volume from Hal Leonard, Irish Favorites for Easy Piano. This collection of songs includes many beloved classics spanning the wide world of Irish music, from nostalgic ballads to crowd-pleasing pub songs. With 96 pages of sheet music, Irish Favorites for Easy Piano is perfect for pianists of all levels.

Learn to play piano arrangements of 30 songs including Danny Boy (Londonderry Air), The Girl I Left Behind Me, It’s A Long, Long Way To Tipperary, Killarney, My Wild Irish Rose, Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, That’s An Irish Lullabye, Tourelay, The Wearing Of The Green, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, Who Threw The Overalls In Mistress Murphy’s Chowder, and many more.

4. Waltons Irish Tin Whistle Standard

Finally, for Celtic music fans looking to capture an authentic Irish sound this St. Patrick’s Day, we love this Irish tin whistle from Waltons. For $9.95, this package includes a D whistle and an instructional leaflet with 20 popular Celtic songs.

Also called the penny whistle or “feadóg stain” in Gaelic, the Irish tin whistle is a great gift for musicians of all ages who want to learn a new instrument. This simple, six-holed woodwind instrument has an iconic sound associated with Irish folk music as well as pop hits like My Heart Will Go On. Similar to a recorder, the Irish tin whistle can be mastered with relative ease. Learn to play this instrument and regale your friends and family with authentic Celtic music during St. Patrick’s Day or any holiday.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Music and Arts

At Music and Arts, we love celebrating music from around the world and encourage every musician to broaden their horizons. Learning music from another country expands your range, helps your playing ability, and teaches you to appreciate what each unique culture has to offer. 

If you’d like to learn more traditional Irish/Celtic music for St. Patrick’s Day, or any other music, private lessons from Music and Arts can help. We offer music lessons for adults and children of all ages and playing ability. Refine your skills or learn a new instrument today! Call 888-731-5396 to learn more.