Good name for Irish folk band?

[Tragic_Comedian]

Okay, so me and a few friends are fiddling with the idea of starting an Irish folk band, and we can't decide on a name. So, I thought I'd come here for help deciding. Here are the ones we had it narrowed down to, but feel free to suggest one of your own.
Finnegan's Mourners: A play on the song Finnegan's Wake.
Araby: after the short story by James Joyce
The Devil and a Bag o' Nails: from a public house sign.
The Empty Jugs

Thank you for your time.:smallsmile:

[The Demented One]

I'd like the third one best.

[valadil]

I don't know where this one came from, but how about The Squealin' Herpes?

[Tragic_Comedian]

I don't know where this one came from, but how about The Squealin' Herpes?

Um... I don't think so. :smallbiggrin:

[Hoggy]

I like either The Potato Theives or the third one.

[Innis Cabal]

number one, for sure

[Renrik]

Ah, Irish folk music. I'm actually in an Irish folk band myself. We had a lot of trouble thinking of a name, so I'll chuck you some of the ones we rejected (we ended up going with The Travelers).

The Vagabonds
The Rabid Donkeys (actually, that was an inside joke between the band members. Maybe you shouldn't use it.)
The Wild Geese (exiled Irish soldiers after the Flight of Earls)
Flight of Earls
Saiorse (only if you're gaelic-speaking and political, though. it might already be taken)
MacNamara's Band (there's a song by the name, but it's not really very traditional)
Raparee (irish guerilla fighters)
Shellailagh (irish weapon)
The Highwaymen
Pooka (or Pwca) (crazy Irish fairy)
Banshee Brigade (we weren't actually considering this. use it only for celtpunk or screamo bands)
Tuatha De Danaan (we were going to go with this until I tld the guys what it meant and why it would not make much sense) (Fey race that ruled Ireland prior to celtic invasion)
Bogtrotters (don't play around any irish people or very natonalistic irish-americans if you use this name. So.. don't use it.)

if you're American, you might want to just think of Folk band names so you can go and do America folk, too. Though The Cheiftans did manageto do American folk... huh.

If you're going with a folk/punk, celtpunk, or folk/rock feel, especially political in nature (I get the feeling you aren't) you could use some other names, mostly drawn from the Northern Irish thing, but I think that would be in poor taste, unless you're from Northern Ireland, in which case, go for it.

Also, if you mix irish folk with heavy metal, I will hurt you. I don't care if you mix it with rock, punk, reggae, rap, classical, country, American folk, klezmer, or jazz, (hell, we've performed American folk and Eastern European classical at our shows, and intend to do an Irish folk version fo Lucy int he Sky with Diamonds) but don't you dare mix it with metal, heavy metal, speed metal, or death metal. Especially not death metal. If you do, my bandmates and I and a few select fans shall hunt you down and beat you to death. With pennywhistles.

Concerning Irish bands: if you keep a nice and traditional feel, you may find most of your audience to be elderly people, die-hard Irish nationalists, fake Irish natonalists, and the tiny amount of young people that really actually like Irish music and heave ever heard of the Clancy Brothers. If you go with the more energetic, rowdy feel, you get to play at pubs, and you'll probably end up playing not just at Saint Patrick's Day and the Renaissance fest (we just got an invite to our second show there. I think it might becomean annual deal.). The latter requires stage energy and a bit of image, but it's not hard to pull off. That's where a lot fo the Irish folk scene seems to be headed, or has been headed for some time. You could also go New Age, and give yourself a name like Emerald Tide or Gaea's Beloved, and preach about the wisdom of the druids and the good fairies and magic of Ireland. Do not. The same rules apply to this as apply to death metal. Also, if you don't know gaelic, don't sing a gaelic song.

Right then. So, good luck. Maybe message me. We might be in the same area. I doubt it, because I live in central nowhere, but we might be.

[Oregano]

Are you Irish, if so what part of Ireland? because I know a good name for a band from munster.

The herman munsters.:smallamused: Na, that's shockingly bad.

Anyway, I prefer the third name.

[Tragic_Comedian]

Are you Irish, if so what part of Ireland? because I know a good name for a band from munster.

The herman munsters.:smallamused: Na, that's shockingly bad.

Anyway, I prefer the third name.

Nah, I ain't Irish. I wish I was.

[Dryken]

How many members in the band are there? If there are five (or even seven) you can call yourselves The Seven Drunken Nights.

[Tragic_Comedian]

How many members in the band are there? If there are five (or even seven) you can call yourselves The Seven Drunken Nights.

That's a good one! I might consider that, that'd be cool.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Seven Drunken Knights!"
"But there's only 5 guys up there!"
"The last two Knights are always suppressed." :smallbiggrin:

[valadil]

Tuatha De Danaan (we were going to go with this until I tld the guys what it meant and why it would not make much sense) (Fey race that ruled Ireland prior to celtic invasion)

...

Also, if you mix irish folk with heavy metal, I will hurt you. I don't care if you mix it with rock, punk, reggae, rap, classical, country, American folk, klezmer, or jazz, (hell, we've performed American folk and Eastern European classical at our shows, and intend to do an Irish folk version fo Lucy int he Sky with Diamonds) but don't you dare mix it with metal, heavy metal, speed metal, or death metal. Especially not death metal. If you do, my bandmates and I and a few select fans shall hunt you down and beat you to death. With pennywhistles.


Tuatha de Danaan is already taken by a brazilian folk metal band who thinks they're irish.

[Dryken]

That's a good one! I might consider that, that'd be cool.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Seven Drunken Knights!"
"But there's only 5 guys up there!"
"The last two Knights are always suppressed." :smallbiggrin:

Actually it's The Seven Drunken Nights, no knights. it's originally a song by the Dubliners and the joke is "This is called the Seven Drunken Nights and you're only allowed to sing about five of them."

[Renrik]

^Well, the very first night that I came home...

^^ We're packing our bags and bayou knives for Brazil

Out of the ones you suggested, I like Finnegan's Mourner's the best.

[EvilElitest]

I feel obligated to say "the hangovers" to go along with the irish sterotype

Anyways, i like the second option
from
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[Tragic_Comedian]

Actually it's The Seven Drunken Nights, no knights. it's originally a song by the Dubliners and the joke is "This is called the Seven Drunken Nights and you're only allowed to sing about five of them."

I know. I was just messing around.

[nagora]

The Celtic Tigers (reference to tiresome analogy about the Irish economy that's probably not going to be heard for a while now).

The Rap-Scallions (if you want to mix rap and Irish music and Irish term for spring onions)
The Scallions (If you don't)

The Rath of Grapes (Rath=Irish fort; grapes= drunk)

The Dun Lendings (Tolkien reference mixed with Dun=Irish earth works and done lending=poor)

The Cattle Raiders (ref: The Tain)

Violently Neutral (bit of politics there)

Three Colours Drunk (art-house cinema meets Irish flag meets alcohol)

[Sampi]

Sham Rock

or

Rock Sham

[nagora]

Sham Rock

or

Rock Sham

Both been done over here and probably everywhere else in the world were part-Irish people want to rock.

[Tragic_Comedian]

The Celtic Tigers (reference to tiresome analogy about the Irish economy that's probably not going to be heard for a while now).

The Rap-Scallions (if you want to mix rap and Irish music and Irish term for spring onions)
The Scallions (If you don't)

The Rath of Grapes (Rath=Irish fort; grapes= drunk)

The Dun Lendings (Tolkien reference mixed with Dun=Irish earth works and done lending=poor)

The Cattle Raiders (ref: The Tain)

Violently Neutral (bit of politics there)

Three Colours Drunk (art-house cinema meets Irish flag meets alcohol)

I like The Rath of Grapes and Violently Neutral, but all are very good.

[Chronicled]

I really like the "The Wild Geese" suggestion.

[nagora]

Tuatha De Danaan (we were going to go with this until I tld the guys what it meant and why it would not make much sense) (Fey race that ruled Ireland prior to celtic invasion)
De Dannan are a very successful Irish group already, so best to avoid that one.

http://www.play.com/Music/MP3-Download-Album/4-/5954991/The-Best-Of-DeDannan/Product.html

Also: are you calling our gods fairies, buster?!

[RTGoodman]

Several Irish bands I listen to have names related to places in Ireland or Irish historical figures (for instance, the Dubliners, Athenrye, the Wolfe Tones, etc.). Maybe pick a place or person that you like the sound of (or one that's famous from Irish music already) and try that. Off the top of my head the only thing I can think of is Mullingar (from "The Man from Mullingar," originally by the Wolfe Tones, if I remember correctly), but you can probably think of some others.

Also, I really like the Seven Drunken Knights as a band name. It's got an allusion to the sorts of music you might be playing (though depending on the setting, you'd indeed be limited to five nights), and it's got Knight right there in it, making it pseudo-medieval and therefore at least three times cooler. And hey, maybe you can get some gigs at Renaissance Festivals and the like!

Also, your last name on the original list sort of made me think of "Whiskey in the Jar," and you could probably take anything from that song and make it into a band name.

[Renrik]

^ Renaissance festivals are a good source of gigs. Trust me, they're a very good source. Especially if you can get in good with an Irish dance troupe.

^^ I live in the US, and, as we know, the Tuatha De Danaan can't swim over the atlantic ocean. So yes. Yes, I am.

Not really. I actualy called them fey, as in fey-ish. Also, they are in the same folklore pantheon as all the fairies. I used theterm as a simplified explanation for them.

[2xSlick]

As a quarter Irish I can safely say the best band name would be The Tanned and Sober Gentlemen

[Construct]

The Fightin' Firkins! What are the Irish famous for if not violence, alcohol and apparent sexual innuendo?

And...that'll be my ancestors kicking me in the nadgers. >.<

[Jorkens]

Taking names from traditional tunes is a fairly good scheme. The Nine Points of Roguery or The Boys of Twenty Five or something similar.