Irish ballad

Emerald Isle tune

An Irish ballad is a traditional or traditional-style song from Ireland, typically telling a story of love, rebellion, emigration, or folk heroes.

The form encompasses centuries of material—from ancient laments to songs about the Troubles.

Irish ballads often feature plaintive melodies and are performed in pubs and at gatherings: He sang an old Irish ballad about the 1798 rebellion.

Related
  • folkRegular common people
  • CelticOf Irish-Welsh descent
  • harpPlucked orchestral strings
  • fiddleAdjust restlessly; folk violin
  • DublinIrish capital city

pub · lament · emigration · famine · Molly Malone · Danny Boy · whiskey · tin whistle · rebellion · rebel song · mournful · green · Erin · sorrowful · drinking song · melody · verse · homeland

Categories
Opposites
tempo and dance character

Irish balladIrish jig

Fast Celtic folk dance

hornpipe · slip jig · polka · set dance

musical form and structure

Irish balladjig

Spirited folk dance

reel · dance tune · fiddle tune · hornpipe

Family

Irish, ballad, Ireland, Irishman, Irishwoman, Irishness, balladeer, balladry, ballads

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G