Irish
Funeral Songs
Explore 11 funeral songs tagged as "irish". Each song has been carefully curated to help you create a meaningful memorial service.
All Irish Songs
Danny Boy
Traditional Irish
Ireland's most beloved song—a parent's farewell to a child going away, perhaps forever.
Why it's meaningful: The ultimate Irish funeral song. The promise to sleep in peace until the loved one returns is deeply moving.
Best moment: During the service or graveside. No Irish funeral is complete without it.
Only Time
Enya
Enya's serene, layered masterpiece about the mysteries that only time can reveal.
Why it's meaningful: The question 'who can say where the road goes?' speaks to the mystery beyond death.
Best moment: Processional or during reflection. The layered vocals create a sacred atmosphere.
The Fields of Athenry
Traditional Irish
A beloved Irish folk song about separation, hardship, and enduring love through adversity.
Why it's meaningful: The themes of forced separation and undying love parallel the separation of death.
Best moment: Wake or reception. Often sung communally, bringing people together.
Raglan Road
Luke Kelly
Patrick Kavanagh's poem set to the traditional air 'The Dawning of the Day.' Luke Kelly's definitive version.
Why it's meaningful: The greatest Irish love poem. For someone who loved deeply and poetically.
Best moment: During the service. Luke Kelly's passionate delivery is unforgettable.
The Departed
Dropkick Murphys
A raucous Celtic punk tribute to the dead—raising a glass to those who've gone before.
Why it's meaningful: Perfect for an Irish-style wake. Celebrates the departed with defiant joy.
Best moment: Wake or reception. Gets people on their feet and toasting to the departed.
If I Ever Leave This World Alive
Flogging Molly
A Celtic punk anthem about leaving the world with spirit intact and a promise to watch over loved ones.
Why it's meaningful: The title says it all—a pledge from the departed that their spirit lives on.
Best moment: Recessional or wake. The Celtic energy turns grief into celebration.
Galway Bay
Traditional Irish
A nostalgic song about watching the sun go down on Galway Bay and longing for home.
Why it's meaningful: The sun setting on the bay becomes a metaphor for the peaceful end of a life.
Best moment: For someone with Irish roots. The nostalgia for home is deeply comforting.
She Moved Through the Fair
Traditional Irish
A haunting traditional song about a ghostly visitation from a dead lover.
Why it's meaningful: The vision of the departed moving 'through the fair' captures the hope that love transcends death.
Best moment: During reflection. The otherworldly quality creates a sense of the departed's presence.
Grace
The Wolfe Tones
A love song written from the perspective of Joseph Plunkett to his wife Grace on the eve of his execution.
Why it's meaningful: Love letters written in the shadow of death carry extraordinary power.
Best moment: For someone with strong Irish heritage. The historical weight adds depth.
Molly Malone
Traditional Irish
Dublin's unofficial anthem about a fishmonger who dies young—'she died of a fever.'
Why it's meaningful: A song about an ordinary life cut short. Every life matters, no matter how humble.
Best moment: Wake or reception. Easy for everyone to sing along.
Mo Ghile Mear (My Gallant Hero)
Iarla Ó Lionáird
A stirring Irish-language lament for a departed hero, with full choral arrangement.
Why it's meaningful: The Irish language adds ancient gravitas. The choral arrangement is spine-tingling.
Best moment: Processional or during service. The choral power fills any space.