WATCH: Irish places that feature in famous songs and music videos

The Irish are famous for their love of music. It runs through our veins and of course, there's no better setting for music videos than the beautiful vistas found across Ireland. 

Two artists from the island of Ireland are up for prizes at the GRAMMY Awards 2025 which will take place on February 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. Dublin band Fontaines DC have received two nominations for Best Rock Album and Best Alternative Music Performance while Belfast hip-hop artist Jordan Adetunji has been nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance.

It’s not surprising that the nominated artists cut across different music genres as Irish music has been influenced by and has influenced the development of folk, rock, pop and fusion styles around the world. Indeed, the island itself, its landscapes, cities and people have inspired a number of pop classics. 

Cyprus Avenue, Orangefield, Hyndford Street and many more Belfast streets play important supporting roles in the music of GRAMMY award-winning Van Morrison. You can follow the Van Morrison Trail to see these streets, where Morrison grew up, and places like The Hollow mentioned in "Brown-eyed Girl".

The video for Ed Sheeran’s "Galway Girl" was filmed in Galway and captures the vibrancy of this city on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. Stop for a pint in O’Connell’s pub where most of the video was shot and wander the city’s cobbled streets that also feature.

Superstar Taylor Swift refers to County Wicklow in her song "Sweet Nothing" when she wonders if the pebble she picked up in Wicklow ever misses its home. If you are wondering where she found it, you can visit some scenic possibilities highlighted by Visit Wicklow.

And of course, Ireland’s most successful band, U2, were hugely influenced by their Dublin home and filmed many of their videos in the city including "Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own", 'Gloria", and "Pride".

In the video for "The Sweetest Thing", you can see Bono and his wife enjoying a carriage ride around Fitzwilliam Place, Upper and Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Leeson Street and Holles Street in the city’s elegant Georgian squares. To find out more about the connection between the band and the city, follow the U2 Walking Trail around Dublin.

Another iconic Dublin musician who featured the city in his hits is Phil Lynott whose statue stands on Harry Street, just off Grafton Street. The busy shopping street was recently the location for one of two Coldplay videos for their new single "We Pray".

And earlier this year TikTok sensations Chasing Abbey chose to feature top spots along the Wild Atlantic Way in a video for their Platinum hit, a reimagining of a traditional Irish folk song. The video includes the dramatic Ring of Kerry in Killarney National Park, Dingle Harbour, Loop Head Lighthouse and King John’s Castle, Limerick.

Delve into Ireland’s musical heritage at the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum in Dublin's Temple Bar, celebrating legendary artists like U2, Thin Lizzy and other musical icons of the Emerald Isle through interactive exhibits and iconic memorabilia.