The best Irish wedding songs is a topic that stirs up a fine bit of debate.
There’s endless great Irish songs to choose from and finding a playlist of appropriate tunes can be very time consuming – however, it doesn’t have to be.
In this guide, you’ll find three sections:
- The first contains Irish wedding music for the ceremony
- The second contains Irish first dance songs
- The third contains traditional Irish wedding songs for the post-meal boogie
The best Irish wedding music for the ceremony
The first section of this guide looks at Irish wedding music for the ceremony. The music you pick for this portion of the day will generally be relaxed and emotive.
Below, you’ll find traditional Irish wedding songs like ‘Dreams’, ‘Cannonball’ and plenty more. Dive on in!
1. Dreams (The Cranberries)
The first of our traditional Irish wedding songs is one of the most popular for good reason. Dreams (The Cranberries) injects a nice mix of classic Irish pop/rock to the ceremony.
I’ve heard this sang acoustically at weddings in Ireland on several occasions and it never fails to to stun those in attendance into silence.
From the unmistakable intro to the breathtaking vocals, it’s a masterpiece from start to finish. If you’re looking for Irish wedding music to walk into, this is a great, lively option.
2. Signal Fire (Snow Patrol)
One of the more modern Irish wedding songs in this guide, Signal Fire is a top pick that is great for bringing a bit more energy to the room, while the slower intro sets the mood.
This is a nostalgia-tickling song that’ll bring back memories to those in attendance. Again, it’s great when sang acoustically.
Related read: See our guide to 18 beautiful Irish wedding blessings and old Irish blessings
3. Linger (The Cranberries)
Released in 1993 by Irish band The Cranberries, ‘Linger‘ is a moving love song written by lead vocalist and musician Dolores O’Riordan (1971-2018) and band guitarist Noel Anthony Hogan.
With its acoustic arrangement it became the band’s first major hit reaching #3 in Ireland and #14 on the UK pop charts.
It’s one of the more upbeat Irish wedding songs and it’s immediately recognisable.
4. Nothing Compares 2 U (Sinéad O’Connor)
Sinéad O’Connor will never fail to catch the attention of your guests and have them singing along.
Although Nothing Compares 2 U is a bit of a slow-paced, somewhat sad song, it’s one of those Irish wedding songs that’ll always spark nostalgia and bring a tear to an eye or two.
Related read: Read our guide to 21 of the most unique and unusual Irish wedding traditions
5. Beautiful Day (U2)
If you’re not familiar with U2, they’re a band from Dublin, that was formed back in 1976. ‘Beautiful Day‘ is one of their most successful releases to-date.
This one definitely won’t work for the ceremony if you play the original version, but if you have a band/singer on-site, few Irish wedding songs compare.
6. Cannonball (Damien Rice)
Cannonball is another one of those instantly recognisable Irish wedding songs and one of those that spark a touch of nostalgia in most people when they hear it.
A powerful song that’ll encourage goosebumps and reflection alike, yet will still have people singing along.
7. Beautiful in White (Westlife)
Westlife’s Beautiful in White is another of the more popular Irish songs for weddings an it’s the only one in this guide that was specifically written with the bride in mind.
The lyrics make this a very apt inclusion in any ceremony and they rival some of the more notable Irish wedding poems:
“So as long as I live I’ll love you.
Will have and hold you
You look so beautiful in white
And from now to my very last breath
This day I’ll cherish
You look so beautiful in white tonight.”
The best Irish first dance songs
The second section of our guide to the best Irish wedding songs focuses on the tune you first hit the dance floor to.
Below, you’ll find a nice mix of Irish first dance songs, from ‘I Fall Apart’ and ‘Higher Love’ to some traditional Irish wedding music.
1. I Fall Apart (Rory Gallagher)
Rory Gallagher might well be the best guitarist you’ve never heard of, but if you’ve ever been to an Irish wedding, you’ll have surely heard “I Fall Apart”.
It’s a raw love song in which the guitar says just as much as the vivid lyrics. Plus, that outro never fails to encourage people to whip out the air guitars!
2. With Or Without You (U2)
As soon as the bassline kicks in on this tune, everyone knows what’s coming. Hauntingly melodic, it’s a true classic that people will bop along to.
As the bridge explodes into action and the tempo picks up, you’ll soon see people hitting the dance floor!
This is one of several Irish love songs for weddings that works for both the ceremony and the afters.
3. The One (Kodaline)
Next up is arguably one of the most popular Irish wedding songs for a first dance.
With its restrained tempo, “The One” is a great tune for a slow dance, while the lyrics tell a familiar story to anyone who has ever found their soulmate.
Related read: See our guide to the best Irish wedding toasts
4. Higher Love (James Vincent McMorrow)
We’ve more slow Irish music for weddings next, with James Vincent McMorrow’s Higher Love, which you’ll recognise from radio, ads and television series.
This is a slow yet stead tune that’s beautifully composed and that suits a first dance perfectly.
4. Falling Slowly (Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova)
Falling Slowly first appeared in one of the more popular Irish movies, Once, starring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.
This starts off slow but goes on to have explosive vocals. The theme of the song is love, making it apt for a first dance.
5. What Have I Done (Dermot Kennedy)
We’ve had several emails since this guide to Irish wedding music was first published asking about the ‘Dermot Kennedy wedding song’.
I first thought that this might be “Power Over Me“, but from chatting to people it seems like it’s actually ‘What Have I Done’, which is a little ironic considering you’ve just gotten married…
The best Irish wedding songs
The final section in our guide to the best Irish wedding songs focuses on tunes to play when the first dance is done and people are taking to the floor.
Below, you’ll find a good variety of Irish wedding music, with a mix of traditional Irish wedding songs and more modern tunes.
1. Galway Girl (Steve Earle)
Written by Steve Earle and originally recorded with Sharon Shannon, ‘Galway Girl‘ is an iconic piece which rocked the charts back in 2000.
If you’re an Ed Sheeran fan, you’ll have probably heard of a song that he released called ‘Galway Girl’. However, back in 2000, the original ‘Galway Girl’ took the charts by storm.
2. N17 (The Saw Doctors)
If you’re looking for Irish music for weddings that’ll get people boppin’, you won’t go wrong with ‘N17’ from the Saw Doctors.
‘N17’ is a song about an Irish emigrant that longs to be back in Ireland, driving along the N17 road that connects counties Galway, Mayo and Sligo.
3. Whiskey in the Jar (Thin Lizzy)
We’ve more lively Irish music for weddings next with the iconic ‘Whiskey in the Jar‘ by Thin Lizzy.
Set in the Cork and Kerry mountains, this song tells the story of a highwayman who has been betrayed by his lover.
4. Sweetest Thing (U2)
This is another of the classic Irish songs for wedding that’ll spark childhood memories for many people in the room.
It’s said that Bono wrote it as an apology to his wife after missing her birthday while recording, and it’s since become a classic Irish love song.
5. The Green Fields of France (The Fuerys)
The chances are that you may have seen ‘The Green Fields of France‘ go viral a couple of years back after it was performed beautifully by Finbar Furey and the late Christy Dignam on the Late Late Show.
This song was written by Eric Bogle, who was a Scottish folk singer. Bogie said that he wrote ‘The Green Fields of France’ as a response to the widespread anti-Irish sentiment in Great Britain during the 1970s.
6. The Voyage (Christy Moore)
If you’re fond of Irish trad songs and want to sprinkle some throughout your big day, add the rich tones of Christy Moore and “The Voyage” to your Irish wedding songs list.
It can also be a bit of a nostalgic one so don’t be surprised to see a few tears being shed. Maybe follow it up with something a little more upbeat to keep spirits high.
7. Crazy World (Aslan)
Next up is ‘Crazy World‘, a banger from Dublin’s Aslan and one that’s guaranteed to get people singing.
This was first released in 1993 and was released on the album ‘Goodbye Charlie Moonhead’.
8. The Irish Wedding Song (Andy Cooney)
It’s not a wedding without a bit of cheese, and “The Irish Wedding Song” is pure Irish cheese on a stick.
Guaranteed to have folks old and young singing along, ironically or otherwise! Light-hearted and fun, it’ll almost certainly make an appearance at some point in the day!
Related read: Read our guide to 21 of the best Irish toasts for your big day
9. Love You ‘Till the End (The Pogues)
If the title doesn’t give it away, this is a superb love song from The Pogues, filled with beautiful lyrics and a relaxing, laid-back rhythm.
It’s another popular choice for the first dance and a great one for getting people up on the floor. If you’re looking for Irish songs for weddings to get a crowd rowdy, pop this on your playlist!
Irish songs for wedding ceremony Spotify playlist
The Spotify playlist above contains all of the Irish songs for weddings mentioned in the guide above.
Just a heads up – you may need an account to view/open it.
What would you add to our Irish wedding songs list?
Although we’ve put a fair bit of time into this Irish wedding songs list, I’m sure we’ve left out some great Irish wedding music.
If you have any songs or ballads that you think we should add, leave a comment in the section below.
FAQs about Celtic wedding songs
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What are some old Celtic wedding songs?’ to ‘What makes a good reception entrance tune?’.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
What music is played at an Irish wedding?
This will vary depending on the couple. At the ceremony, they tend to be slow songs often sang acoustically. During the afters, you’ll hear rock, pop, dance and everything in between.
What are some upbeat Irish wedding songs?
If you’re looking for music for that’ll spark a bit of life in a weary crowd, Dreams (The Cranberries), Power Over Me (Dermot Kennedy) and Beautiful Day (U2) are hard to beat.
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.