Free Irish Music Podcasts for St. Patrick's Day

It's coming up on St. Patrick's Day again, so that means lots of people are looking for some music to get in the mood, or to play at parties, celebrations, etc. Below is an updated version of a post on free Irish music podcasts that I wrote a few years ago. Happily, three of the four podcasts I wrote about are still going strong. If you know of any others, let me know about them in the comments!

- - - - -

Irish music is a natural part of any St. Patrick's Day party or celebration. And thanks to podcasting, you can get plenty of Irish and Celtic music for free on the Internet, from traditional to contemporary, New Age to Irish rock. Here are a few choice podcasts that play full-length tunes of Irish music. All are available through iTunes and other podcast programs, or at the Web sites linked to below.

Cleveland Celtic Podcast: You wouldn't necessarily associate Cleveland, Ohio with Celtic music, but there's an active music community there, as this podcast attests. The podcast plays Celtic rock and Celtic contemporary music from all over the world, including points far beyond Ohio.

Irish and Celtic Music Podcast: Hosted by a musician who specializes in Irish and Renaissance music, this podcast features interviews and songs covering different types of Irish and Celtic influenced music. There's an emphasis on independent artists, with ballads and uptempo rock-influenced tunes, and Scottish folk songs (and a bit of bagpipes). And you're sure to find some drinking songs in the mix.

Pub Song Podcast: If you want to head straight for the drinking songs, this is the place to go. Brought to you by the host of the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast, it features pub songs from Irish, Celtic, and non-Celtic traditions. The songs are lively and fun, and sometimes just reading the titles will give you a chuckle. The podcast may also include some poetry and news on folk songs.