It may be a tradition going back for centuries, but Guinness and getting drunk on St Patrick’s Day doesn’t have to be the only the craic associated with the Irish Patron Saint’s Feast Day. Nothing goes together with drinking better than rock n’ roll so in our pictorial tribute to St Patrick, here are our ten favourite rock n’ roll Paddys. Crack open a Guinness, put your feet up and watch these clips. You’ll have a far better time than being in a crowded faux Irish pub being overcharged for pints whilst being earbashed by people who have no Irish heritage whatsoever. Slainté!

The Boomtown Rats

Before Bob Geldof married junkies, tried to save the starving of Africa with Live Aid and had a litter of bratty girls with cocaine, booze, style and taste in friends issues, Sir Bob was an ex teacher who fronted post punk group The Boomtown Rats.

The Undertones

We’re not being fussy as to whether the band were from Northern Ireland or the Republic, so here’s to Derry’s finest. Their debut single Teenage Kicks was one of the all time great punk singles – so much so that legendary BBC DJ John Peel played it twice in a row on his show upon receiving it, and had some of the lyrics engraved on his gravestone.

Ash

Another of Northern Ireland’s finest, Ash broke through as teenagers with the single Kung Fu and then had every girl swooning over the winsome Girl From Mars.

The Pogues

Although London based, most of the band had been born in Ireland and had family there. They might seem the quintessential Irish band these days, but when fusing punk and traditional Irish music in the UK in the early 80s they were considered quite revolutionary. By the time the Irish diaspora in America caught on to them they’d written the ultimate modern Christmas carol with Fairytale of New York. That, of course, is before we get on to the band’s legendary alcoholic singer, Shane MacGowan…

My Bloody Valentine

Although also London based, My Bloody Valentine started out in Dublin before taking their legendary white noise across the Irish Sea and eventually reportedly sending Creation Records broke with the cost of their 1991 masterpiece Loveless.

The Corrs

All talented musicians and songwriters to be sure to be sure, but this group of four siblings from Dundalk were also ridiculously good looking, getting their break with small parts in The Commitments before becoming worldwide stars in the late 90s.

Van Morrison

Another of the North’s finest, the former Them frontman is still one of the greatest white soul singers alive, even if he appears to have been fond of getting his secretaries pregnant lately.

Enya

Sure, Enya was a welcome addition to the music scene in 1990 with the haunting Orinoco Flow, but if you’ve ever been in a doctor’s waiting room or hotel elevator in the last 20 years you’ve heard this too many times.

Still Little Fingers

Northern Ireland’s other great contribution to the first wave of punk, Alternative Ulster is one of the great singles of the time.

Some Band Called U2. Ever Heard of Them?

It’s a bit hard to talk about Irish rock n’ roll without talking about U2, isn’t it? However, down at Tone Deaf Towers one of our editors has a very soft spot for their early work and has been known to sing along very loudly when he thinks there’s no-one in the office.