The Fields of Athenry, Grace and Whiskey in The Jar are among the six Irish songs chosen for the first ever EU Songbook, which has now been made available as an app.
Ag Críost an Síol, I'll Tell Me Ma and Song For Ireland are also included among 164 titles from across the European Union and compiled following a public vote.
The EU Songbook is a Danish non-profit project which has no financial ties to the EU and the song categories were decided by members of 17 music academies from 14 EU member states.
Compiled over nine years with the participation of Cork School of Music (CIT) and Sing Ireland, the six Irish songs were voted for by 1.674 people under five separate categories.
The full list is:
Freedom & Peace: The Fields of Athenry (1977) by Pete St. John.
Love Songs: Grace (1985) by Frank and Sean O’Meara.
Nature & Seasons: Song for Ireland (1970s) by June and Phil Colclough.
Folk Songs & Traditionals: Whiskey in The Jar (traditional)
Faith & Spirituality: Ag Críost an Síol (Father Michael Sheehan/Seán O Ríada).
Children’s Songs: I’ll Tell Me Ma (traditional).
"I am honoured to have been invited to be a part of the Irish submission and to have been able to delve more deeply into the background and history of the Irish songs which were voted as Ireland's favourites," said Mark Armstrong of Sing Ireland.
"I hope that this publication will be embraced by all countries and might form a catalyst, no matter how small, to provide some coherence within our ever-fragmenting world.
"And I would like to commend Jeppe and his team on this wonderful initiative, at the core of which is the bringing together of European peoples of diverse cultures through the universal language of music".
Jeppe Marsling, the founder of the European non-profit NGO behind the project, said, "With the EU Songbook, we hope to enable the 27 populations to live less parallel lives through song exchange. We are pleased that one of the Irish songs included, Ag Críost an Síol, is in Gaelic, so that everyone has a chance to experience this most recent official EU language.
"We chose the term 'European English’ on the cover because it reflects the way we Europeans speak our most common second-language - coloured by our native tongues.
"It is not meant for perfection, but for heart-to-heart dialogue. The EU Songbook is intended for all kinds of meetings between all kinds of people, whether in good times or times of crisis: for education, concerts, diplomatic engagements, or even for first-time conversations on a train or in a café.
"Moreover, we hope to inspire singing events on the largely silent annual Europe Day, May 9th - our European ‘Dependence Day’."
More music news, reviews and interviews here
.svg)