Hoping an older gent, an irishmen or a muso can help me out.
What on earth do you call Irish ballads? There is a very distinct mode used, and I'd love to find more of it, but have no idea where to start. The Lord of the Rings films used them twice, and I was hooked! And are they even irish? That's as close as I could think.
LOTR Examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WskRAEggqkQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV1xhnLcihc&feature=fvwrel
and Game of Thrones also published something similar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL-Mf8L2frE
This is the only Irish balad I know - its top 5 in my Ipod
www.youtube.com/watch
"mongolian fishmongers" is a good irish band from bendigo (used to be called mcalpine fusiliers). i think they still play
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mongolian-Fishmongers/101347643285511
http://www.reverbnation.com/mongolianfishmongers
Polkadopolous has a cool tune with pipes if thats ur thing
Hey Jye
Enya is a composer/singer and is of the traditional Irish background - Also performed for LoTR - 'May it be'
Clannad is also an Irish traditional band with old and contemporary music (I think Enya was in this band originally) They also sing in the traditional gaelic language (which is quite haunting).
The Dubliners sing the very old and traditional Irish jig and reel music plus the Fureys also play the old traditional stuff - good foot tapping music and really good when you are pissed as a fart and start dancing like a River Dance member....
Hope this helps you on your search!!
Chris
