One of the most popular and traditional pastimes in Ireland is for family and friends to gather for a good old fashioned sing song.
Music has always been a prominent part of Irish culture, as it has with most other communities across the world.
Songs are a great way to keep old stories and traditions alive and pass on knowledge and morals to the next generation.
Singing is also good for the soul, and many people will sing as they work to keep spirits high and help the day go by.
The pastime is still strong in Ireland, and we have compiled some of the best clips of people singing on their own or with others, and as a rehearsed performance, or simply for their own enjoyment.
It is always a treat when a real talent is uncovered in music, and there are plenty of great singers included.
The barman of the Celt Bar in Dublin captured the attention of his patrons as he sang the traditional Irish folk tune The Rare Ould Times as he worked.
The talented singer, known only as Donncha, delighted his customers with his beautiful voice and added a lovely welcoming atmosphere to his bar.
He led all his customers in the sing song and they all joined in for the chorus to give the Celt Bar a great sense of community and joy.
Take a look and feel free to join in too.
Irish pensioners Johnny and Carmel Kierans were like thousands of others forced to stay at home and isolate during the height of the covid-19 pandemic.
However, they refused to let the frightening situation ruin their moods, and kept themselves active and happy by dancing and singing together.
Their song of choice was suitably Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees, and the Drogheda couple performed brilliantly together, in a video that caught the attention of the online public.
Another barman captured the imagination of the online world as he beautifully sang a classic old Irish folk tune as he pulled pints in his day-to-day work.
John Horgan, of the Crossroads Bar in Knockavilla, Co Cork was filmed singing Bright Blue Eyes by Jimmy MacCarthy as he was working behind the bar.
The patrons of the pub all sat listening intently, as John’s calming tones set a beautifully relaxing atmosphere in the pub.
The video was posted online and turned John into an overnight star. He went on to record a charity single.
A local butcher in Co Derry warmed the hearts of thousands as he was recorded dancing and singing with one of his elderly customers.
As Maisie Crawford entered the shop and cheekily asked: “Where’s my boyfriend?”
Mark appeared from around the corner and began dancing with Maisie and singing the classic 1950s song ‘You Don’t Know Me’ – made famous by the likes of Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison.
An Irish girl helped to pass the time as she sat at the wheel of her family tractor by singing country music classic ‘Go Lassie Go’.
Teenager Leanne Rowlette was driving the tractor around her family farm in Dromore and singing along to her radio.
She didn’t know that her father Sean had fitted the tractor with a camera, and was recording her performance.
There was nothing for Leanne to be embarrassed about though, as she sang beautifully and the recording created an online viral video and gained her supporters all around the world.
Father Ray Kelly was conducting the wedding ceremony of Chris and Leah O’Kane when he interrupted proceedings to serenade the happy couple.
No-one was expecting it as Father Kelly performed a moving personalised rendition of Leonard Cohen’s beautiful ballad Hallelujah.
The video was posted online and turned Father Kelly into a celebrity. He went on to record a charity single, sing on a criuse ship, and even audition in front of Simon Cowell on Britain’s Got Talent.