Ireland in 50 Albums

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#Ireland in 50 Albums

Our series on classic Irish albums - classics, chart-toppers and hidden gems

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>The Scary Era, by Irish hip hop group Scary Éire.</p>

culture

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 38: The Scary Era, by early hip hop act Scary Éire

The pioneering Tullamore group never quite made it to the mainstream, but they helped clear a path for the generation following in their wake

<p>Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats released A Tonic For The Troops in 1978. </p>

culture

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 37: A Tonic For the Troops by The Boomtown Rats (1978)

<p>Engine Alley released A Sonic Holiday in 1992, on the Mother label. </p>

culture

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 36: A Sonic Holiday, by Engine Alley

Gallagher In Studio

culture

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 8: Tattoo, by Rory Gallagher

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 35: Mind Your Own Business, by Henry McCullough (1975)

culture

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 35: Mind Your Own Business, by Henry McCullough (1975)

Wango Tango at Dodger Stadium Day 1

culture

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 34: Gotta Tell You, by Samantha Mumba (2000)

Virgin Prunes

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 33: If I Die, I Die by the Virgin Prunes (1982)

Virgin Prunes' debut album marked them as a unique force in Irish music, taking influence from the punk scene, avant-gardists and even sean-nós singers

Wed, 29 Jan, 2025

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 32: Kissing the Roof of Heaven, by Hinterland (1990)

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 32: Kissing the Roof of Heaven, by Hinterland (1990)

Hinterland were a duo comprised of Donal Coughlan and Gerry Leonard, the guitarist who'd go on to work with David Bowie, writes Paul McDermott

Wed, 15 Jan, 2025

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 31: Comforter by Compulsion (1994)

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 31: Comforter by Compulsion (1994)

Dublin punks Compulsion were once labelled the 'the indie AC/DC'. They may not have capitalised on the early hype, but in Jacknife Lee, they did have a future superstar producer lurking in their midst

Wed, 13 Nov, 2024

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 30: Butterfly Effect, by Sack (1997)

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 30: Butterfly Effect, by Sack (1997)

Perhaps the Dublin band's album didn't make the impact it deserved, but at least they were able to count Morrissey as a fan

Tue, 01 Oct, 2024

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 29: Live and Dangerous, by Thin Lizzy (1978)

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 29: Live and Dangerous, by Thin Lizzy (1978)

Live and Dangerous is hailed as a classic live album, despite the debate that's swirled around how much of it was dubbed by uber-producer Tony Visconti. Not as much as you've been led to believe, according to the band's members

Tue, 19 Mar, 2024

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 28: Mary Coughlan, Tired And Emotional (1985)

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 28: Mary Coughlan, Tired And Emotional (1985)

Nobody was as surprised as Mary Coughlan when her debut album became such a phenomenon in the 1980s

Thu, 22 Feb, 2024

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 27: Hawaii, by The High Llamas (1996)

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 27: Hawaii, by The High Llamas (1996)

Sean O'Hagan and The High Llamas created an album described as the 'missing link between The Beach Boys and Steely Dan'. It was just a pity the proposed collaboration with Brian Wilson didn't happen

Wed, 14 Feb, 2024

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 26: Making Waves, The Nolans (1980)

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 26: Making Waves, The Nolans (1980)

The group formerly known as the Nolan Sisters faced down the misogyny of the music business on their way to making an album that sold more than 5 million copies

Wed, 07 Feb, 2024

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 25: Paradise in the Picturehouse, by The Stunning (1990)

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 25: Paradise in the Picturehouse, by The Stunning (1990)

With tunes such as Brewing Up a Storm and Half Past Two, The Stunning's debut album proved you didn't have to be part of the Dublin scene to make great music

Fri, 26 Jan, 2024

Horslips

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 24: The Táin, by Horslips (1973)

Horslips second album The Táin dipped into Celtic mythology and also gave the band their classic hit 'Dearg Doom'

Tue, 16 Jan, 2024

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 23: Out On His Own, by Louis Stewart (1977)

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 23: Out On His Own, by Louis Stewart (1977)

The acclaimed solo album by the late jazz guitarist has been remastered and is being re-released on vinyl

Tue, 21 Nov, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 22: Delia Murphy, The Queen of Connemara

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 22: Delia Murphy, The Queen of Connemara

The late Mayo woman just recorded one album during a fascinating life that also included helping Jews to escape the Nazis

Wed, 15 Nov, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 21: Sinéad O'Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 21: Sinéad O'Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

Sinéad O'Connor's second album built on the success of her debut. It also featured her classic cover, 'Nothing Compares 2 U', a song that was to bring sharply contrasting outcomes in terms of her career

Wed, 08 Nov, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 20: A Woman's Heart (1992) compilation

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 20: A Woman's Heart (1992) compilation

Eleanor McEvoy teamed up with Mary Black, Dolores Keane, Sharon Shannon, Frances Black and Maura O'Connell for an album that became a phenomenon

Wed, 01 Nov, 2023

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 19: Sacred Heart Hotel, by the Stars of Heaven

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 19: Sacred Heart Hotel, by the Stars of Heaven

The 1986 album came after the band were championed by John Peel and signed to Rough Trade by Geoff Travis

Wed, 27 Sep, 2023

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 18: Ghostown, by The Radiators (1979)

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 18: Ghostown, by The Radiators (1979)

After a tweak to their name and lineup, The Radiators enlisted the help of the legendary Tony Visconti for an album that made little impact on release, but is now recognised as a classic

Wed, 20 Sep, 2023

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 17: Lights of the City, by Jubilee Allstars

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 17: Lights of the City, by Jubilee Allstars

Jubilee Allstars' widely-lauded 2000 album had references to such topics as homelessness and racism

Thu, 15 Jun, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 16: Brang, by The Shanks (1999)

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 16: Brang, by The Shanks (1999)

The North Cork band emerged from a thriving music scene on Leeside in the 1990s

Wed, 17 May, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 15: Tatitum, by Auto Da Fé (1985)

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 15: Tatitum, by Auto Da Fé (1985)

Gay Woods and Trevor Knight got plenty of radio play and a helping hand from Phil Lynott in the lead-up to their only studio album

Wed, 10 May, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 14: Immigrants, Emigrants and Me, by Power of Dreams

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 14: Immigrants, Emigrants and Me, by Power of Dreams

The 1990 album from Craig Walker and co is still regarded as one of the classic Irish records of the era

Wed, 26 Apr, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 13: Spring is coming.... Roger Doyle/Operating Theatre

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 13: Spring is coming.... Roger Doyle/Operating Theatre

Roger Doyle and Olwen Foueré were at the heart of Operating Theatre, a rare group in Ireland using a Fairlight synthesiser in the 1980s. They even had Bono helping out on their single/EP, Spring Is Coming With A Strawberry In The Mouth

Wed, 19 Apr, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 12: Achtung Baby, by U2

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 12: Achtung Baby, by U2

Achtung Baby's electronic flourishes marked a departure in terms of sound for the band, spawning singles such as Mysterious Ways and Even Better Than the Real Thing

Wed, 12 Apr, 2023

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 11: The Talkies, by Girl Band

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 11: The Talkies, by Girl Band

The Dublin four-piece overcame health issues to bring the guitar-band sound in new directions on their momentous second album

Wed, 05 Apr, 2023

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 10: 33 Revolutions per Minute, by Marxman

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 10: 33 Revolutions per Minute, by Marxman

Oisín Lunny and co supported U2 on the Dublin leg of the ZooTV tour, and also offered up one of the early examples of quality Irish hip hop

Wed, 29 Mar, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 9: 'If This Is Rock and Roll...', by The Saw Doctors

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 9: 'If This Is Rock and Roll...', by The Saw Doctors

Leaving it relatively late to become music stars, Davy Carton and co recall how the Tuam band's 1991 debut changed their lives

Wed, 15 Mar, 2023

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 7: Troublegum, by Therapy?

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 7: Troublegum, by Therapy?

Troublegum in 1994 really established Therapy? as a force to be reckoned with

Thu, 23 Feb, 2023

Van Morrison Performing In NY

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 6: Astral Weeks, by Van Morrison

Astral Weeks has been hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time. Beautiful and influential, it was created in the US amidst a complicated period in Morrison's life

Wed, 15 Feb, 2023

A House Dublin 1991

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 5: I Am The Greatest, by A House

Dave Couse and co had been dropped by a major label and looked to be on a downward trajectory when they enlisted the help of a Scottish icon to produce their 1991 masterpiece

Wed, 01 Feb, 2023

Photo of Billy DOHERTY and Damian O'NEILL and Feargal SHARKEY and John O'NEILL and Michael BRADLEY and UNDERTONES

Ireland in 50 albums, No 4: The Undertones' self-titled debut

The Derry band have mixed memories of the early reception they got in their home town, but a push by John Peel helped ensure they became one of the best bands of the era

Wed, 25 Jan, 2023

Clannad Group Portrait

Ireland In 50 Albums, No 3: Legend, by Clannad (1984)

The Donegal outfit's soundtrack for the Robin Of Sherwood TV helped push them to international fame

Wed, 18 Jan, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 2: Stuck Together With God’s Glue, by Something Happens

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 2: Stuck Together With God’s Glue, by Something Happens

In the scramble to identify the 'next U2', the Dublin band fronted by Tom Dunne very much put themselves in the conversation on the back of a 1990 album that included the classic Parachute

Thu, 12 Jan, 2023

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 1: Good Year For Trouble, by the Sultans of Ping

Ireland in 50 Albums, No 1: Good Year For Trouble, by the Sultans of Ping

The first instalment of our new series looks at the Cork band's third album, an impressive offering despite its arrival at a time when the group's profile was on a downward slide

Wed, 04 Jan, 2023