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When The Clancy Brothers introduced their rousing  When The Ship Comes In  with those words at Bob's 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (aka BobFest) in 1992, one could have argued that there had already been many Dylan songs performed with that Irish accent!  The Clancy Brothers themselves had covered  Girl From The North Country on their 1972 album “Save The Land,” and Liam Clancy recorded  Fare Thee Well  on his 1974 solo album “Farewell To Tarwathie” (reissued as “The Dutchman.”)  Presented here is just a sampling of Irish Dylan covers...

CHRISTY MOORE  is considered one of the best singer-songwriters in contemporary Irish music. In 1972 he recorded Song To Woody for his third album “Prosperous.”
PLANXTY  evolved from the band assembled for “Prosperous.” Moore led the folk-rock outfit for a couple of years, and returned when they reunited in 1979.  “Words & Music," their 1983 album, featured  I Pity The Poor Immigrant.
DeDANANN  is another influential modern Irish band, with an ever changing line-up that at various times has included Mary Black, Maura O'Connell and Eleanor Shanley.  “½ Set In Harlem” from 1991 contained  Restless Farewell.
THEM, Van Morrison's band from Belfast had one of the earliest Irish Dylan covers, with 1966's It's All Over Now, Baby Blue from “Them Again” (US Parrot label LP shown.)  That's a young Van, front & center!  He still occasionally performs the song in concert
ALTAN is widely regarded as one of the top traditional bands in Ireland.  “Another Sky” included  Girl From The North Country  in 2000.
U2  performed a politically charged  Maggie's Farm at the “Live For Ireland” benefit concert in 1986.  They often play  All Along The Watchtower  in concert,  and it appeared on their 1988 album “Rattle and Hum.”
THE BLACK FAMILY  included Tomorrow Is A Long Time  on their 1995 eponymous album.  All  5 siblings appear on this album,  with Frances Black handling the main vocal on the Dylan cover.  Mary Black joined Joan Baez on Joan's live albumRing Them Bells, also in 1995.
THE POGUES  mixed punk with Irish folk to create a unique sound.  When The Ship Comes In  is on 96's “Pogue Mahone.”
THE CLANCY BROTHERS & ROBBIE O'CONNELL went into the studio three years later and recorded a studio version of the song they performed at BobFest,  When The Ship Comes In, as well as a cover of  Ramblin' Gamblin' Willie.  Both graced 1995's “Older But No Wiser.”
BLACK 47 derived their name from the blackest year of the Irish potato famine, 1847.  Based in New York,  the group of Irish expatriates' 1999 live version of  Like A Rolling Stone  from “Live In New York City” is certainly one of the angriest versions of the song.
SOLAS is an Irish folk supergroup led by Seamus Egan.  By using instruments that are not traditional in Irish music, they feature a modern sound that is still rooted in traditional Irish folk music. Dignity  appeared on 2002's “The Edge of Silence.”  Donal Clancy (son of Liam) is a member.
THE DUBLINERS celebrated their 30th anniversary with “30 Years A-Graying” in 1993.  Vocalist Ronnie Drew teamed with DeDanann for a rendition of  Boots Of Spanish Leather.  In 2000 he teamed with Eleanor Shanley to sing the song again (see below.)

Other Irish covers already appearing elsewhere on DYLAN COVER ALBUMS:
To Make You Feel My Love...-...LUKA BLOOM (Christy Moore's younger brother)
To Ramona...-...SINÉAD LOHAN
I Believe In You...-...SINÉAD O'CONNOR
It Ain't Me Babe - Zimmerman Framed: The Songs of Bob Dylan  includes these Irish covers:
Love Minus Zero/No Limit -- THE RAMBLER  (1966)
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight -- DON DUGGAN  (1968)
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere-- THE COTTON MILL BOYS  (1971)

More Irish covers worth searching for:
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue  -  ENERGY ORCHARD......(Stop The Machine,  1992)
Abandoned Love - SEÁN KEANE......(All Heart No Roses ,1993)
Forever Young- HOTHOUSE FLOWERS......(This Is It (Your Soul) single ,  1993)
One Too Many Mornings -  ELEANOR SHANLEY......(Eleanor Shanley,  1995)
Restless Farewell- LIAM  CLANCY, ROBBIE O'CONNELL & DONAL CLANCY......(Clancy, O'Connell & Clancy,  1997)
Like A Rolling Stone - HAIR OF THE DOG....(Dirty Dog EP, 1998 "America's number one Irish folk band"http://www.hair-of-the-dog.com)
If Not For You....and....Dark Eyes - SUSAN McKEOWN & LINDSEY HORNER......(Mighty Rain, 1998)
Boots Of Spanish Leather....and....Restless Farewell - RONNIE DREW & ELEANOR SHANLEY......(A Couple More Years,  2000)

If you're wondering...  no, I'm not Irish!  :)  D.P.

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