Irish & Celtic Tune List

Irish & Celtic Tunes (Abstract background image with Celtic knotwork, leafy branches, white stags and owls.) Illustration copyright 2025 Jonathan Lay. trailjams.org
About the TrailJams Irish & Celtic Tunes List

This is a selected list of Irish and Celtic tunes we have played together at TrailJams trad Irish sessions. If you are coming to a TrailJams session, this will give you some idea of tunes the group is likely to know. If you are building your own Irish tune repertoire, or starting a new session, consider this as a suggestion list of tunes to start with. For the most part, the tunes here come from Irish traditions, with a few tunes from other Celtic lands.

TrailJams 52 Core Irish Tune List – If you are just getting started with Irish traditional tunes, or if you are starting up a new trad Irish session, consider working from a much shorter list of tunes. The TrailJams 52 Core Irish Tune List is a focused collection of tunes that are commonly played, and which will make a good foundation for you to build from.

“Tune of the Week” tunes are in bold — these are tunes that the TrailJams music community has given special attention to learning and playing. Click the link on a tune name to go to a page with recordings, sheet music, and other resources for learning the tune. Tunes marked with a star (⭐) are favorites, meaning we’ve played them many times.

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page
For most tunes in this list, there is a web page that has sheet music, play along tracks, and other learning materials. Clicking on the tune’s name (if it has a hyperlink) will take you to its web page.

Just getting started? For a short list of core Irish session tunes, go to the TrailJams 52 Core Irish Tune List.

TrailJams Tune Camp (image: sketch of fiddle)

Tutorials for many of these sets and tunes are available in TrailJams Tune Camp — learn with Soundslice, loop any section, and control the tempo. TrailJams patrons have access to all of the tutorials. Learn more about TrailJams Tune Camp

In the tune list below, click Unlock to unlock the tutorial for a tune. (You only need to do that once). If you’ve already unlocked the tutorial, just click Learn to jump to the tutorial.

Reels

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Jigs

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Hornpipes 

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Polkas

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Marches & An Dros

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Slip Jigs & Hop Jigs 9/8

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Slides, 12/8

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Waltzes, 3/4

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

  • ⭐Ashokan Farewell, The (D, Jay Ungar) See: The Session #4
  • ⭐Crested Hens, The  (E Dorian, bouree) The Session #1
  • Fanny Power (G, by Turlough O’Carolan)
  • Hector the Hero (D, air, lament, by James Scott Skinner (1843-1927))
  • ⭐Inisheer Waltz (G, air, by Thomas Wash circa 1980)
  • ⭐Josefine’s Waltz (G)
  • Si Bheag Si Mhor (D, by Turlough O’Carolan) Unlock Learn
  • ⭐South Wind (G)

Mazurkas

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Barn Dances

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

Other Tunes

Click a tune’s name to go to its web page. Or use “Unlock” & “Learn” to go to its tutorial.

  • Flowers of Edinburgh, The (G)
  • George Brabazon, Planxty (G)