The essentials

I subjected my original list to the ultimate pop culture litmus test: which ones would I take with me on “Survivor: Inis Mor” and came up with a leaner, meaner lineup. Some albums from the original list made the cut again — call it unwavering loyalty or pure pig-headedness. There are plenty of new additions as well as a short list of honorable mentions. Because rules are rules, but every “Survivor” knows to keep a few tracks — er, tricks — up her sleeve.

Amen (So Be It) / Paddy Casey / 2000 / Sony
Timing is everything, in life and especially in the music business. Unfortunately for Irish singer / songwriter Paddy Casey, “Amen” didn’t have a prayer in the U.S. record charts during its original release, thanks to the David Gray/”White Ladder” juggernaut that same year. But this quiet gem of a record showcases Casey’s talent for producing acoustic, blue-eyed blues. You won’t find yourself tearing up the dance floor to tracks like “Ancient Sorrow” or “It’s Over Now,” but you will probably put them in heavy rotation on your MP3 player.

The Big Guns: The Very Best of Rory Gallagher / 2005 / BMG Heritage
Whether you’re a longtime fan of the late, great Irish guitar virtuoso, or have just discovered him, this collection will leave you begging for more. The 2-CD set features 24 tracks, including “Big Guns”, “Tattoo’d Lady”, “Lonesome Highway” and a personal favorite, “Calling Card.” The selection is neither comprehensive nor perfect, but no serious Irish music library is complete without a generous helping of Gallagher’s trademark fusion of Celtic, trad, jazz and blues.

Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy / Thin Lizzy / 1991 / Polygram Released five years following the death of Phil Lynott, “Dedication” paints a more detailed picture of the band than any of their individual albums, which were hit-and-miss in terms of quality. They pretty much defined home-brewed rock and roll in 1970s Ireland. Best remembered for their international hit, “The Boys Are Back in Town,” they also scored big with their slamming version of “Whiskey in the Jar,” which would inspire a Metallica cover two decades later.

Enlightenment / Van Morrison / 1990 / Polydor
If 1968’s “Astral Weeks” is the portrait of the artist as a young man, “Enlightenment” captures Van Morrison at the height of his powers: mature, introspective, and innovative. Lush horns give excitement and urgency to the opening track, “Real, Real Gone,” and the slightly stuttering vocals on “In the Days Before Rock and Roll” evoke the static signals of Radio Luxembourg. The title track is one of his most beautiful compositions, framing the search for salvation in the age-old question about the sound of one hand clapping. Throw this on the CD player, close your eyes and listen.

Final Straw / Snow Patrol / 2004 / A&M Records
Third time was definitely the charm for this Belfast band, with “Final Straw” breaking the back of British radio lists in 2004. They’ve been compared to everyone from Coldplay, Radiohead and U2, but lead singer Gary Lightbody’s vocals are not so easily classified. The U.S. version of the album includes 12 tracks — including the hypnotic “How to be Dead” and “Somewhere a Clock is Ticking,” as well as two bonus tracks.

Fire of Freedom / Black 47 / 1993 / Capitol
There’s a longstanding tradition of Irish musicians appropriating traditional melodies and writing new words for them, but few have done it to greater effect than Black 47. Thus, “Living in America [Fordham Road 8:00 a.m.]” co-opts “The Foggy Dew.” This early effort was a breath of smoky, beer-scented air, from the bagpipe skirl of “Funky Ceili” to “Maria’s Wedding” and “James Connolly.” Don’t miss the litany of long-shuttered Bainbridge Avenue watering holes in “Rockin’ the Bronx.”

I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got / Sinead O’Connor / 1990 / Capitol
Yes, there was a time when a young woman’s bald head, big mouth and bad attitude were enough to grab the attention of the music industry. In O’Connor’s case, it helped that she was gorgeous, had the voice of an angel and the support of fellow Dubs U2. This Grammy-nominated album thrust her into the worldwide spotlight, with her one top-40 single, a cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.” But the real depth here comes from “I Am Stretched on Your Grave,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and the heartbreaking “Three Babies.”

If I Should Fall from Grace with God / The Pogues / 1998 / Island Records
For these London-born, punk trad pioneers, it’s tempting to reach for a greatest hits collection, like 1991’s “The Best of the Pogues,” which covers all of the band’s biggest hits. But this album captures Shane McGowan and Co. at their peak, with their most perfectly realized album. In addition to the great title track, there’s the raucous “Turkish Song of the Dammed,” the biting observations of “Thousands are Sailing,” and, of course, their biggest hit, “Fairytale of New York.”

In the Name of the Father / Soundtrack / 1994 / Island Records
When director Jim Sheridan tapped Bono, Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer to score his Oscar-nominated film about the Guilford Four, he struck gold. The album opens with the hypnotic title track, which namechecks everyone from the Holy Spirit to George Best while building to a raucous crescendo, and finishes with Sinead O’Connor’s most beautiful recording ever, “You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart.” In between are offerings from The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, Trevor Jones and Bob Marley, plus another Bono/Friday/Seezer track, the deliciously jumpy “Billy Boola.”

No Need to Argue / The Cranberries / 1994 / Polygram
Dolores O’Riordan sounds a bit like a Sinead O’Connor-wannabe, and the band’s songwriting is sometimes dodgy. But the Cranberries were popular for a while in the mid-’90s, so they’ve earned a spot. Some might argue that their first album, “Everybody’s Doing it, So Why Can’t We?” is more worthy, but “Linger” isn’t in the same league with the searing “Zombie.” And who can resist a rock song that references Phil Coulter’s “Town I Loved So Well?”

O / Damien Rice / 2003 / Vector
Ireland’s answer to David Gray’s “White Ladder,” “O” was similarly self-produced and recorded at home. Rice is a singer/songwriter with a sweet, rich sound and a talent for channeling the bittersweet undercurrents of everyday life into his lyrics. It’s not exactly radio-friendly – there are no pop hits here – but this brilliant debut album warrants repeat listening.

Sing a Powerful Song / The Saw Doctors / 1997 / Paradigm / Ryko
If you want to know why this Tuam band has such a devoted cult following, this album will answer all questions. Combining great songwriting, kick-arse rock and rootsy folk, the Saw Doctors have created a sound that defies easy classification. The 17 tracks include their best-known songs “I Useta Lover” and “N-17,” plus the majestic “Green and Red of Mayo,” and the delicate “Clare Island.”

Under a Blood Red Sky / U2 / 1983 / Island
Their earlier material is so different in tone and texture that the post-“Unforgettable Fire” U2 might as well be a different band from the “War”-era outfit. The concert at Red Rocks is a seminal moment in rock history — showing a band on the verge of mega-stardom. The album has all of the band’s great early songs, from “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” and “New Year’s Day” to “Gloria” and “I Will Follow.” The highlight of the eight tracks is the passionate and defiant “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” On their current tour, the newly inducted members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have added these and other vintage hits to their playlist.

The Undertones (Original Recording) / The Undertones / 1979 / Ryko
Formed in Derry in 1978, against the backdrop of the punk rock explosion and The Troubles, this band was together for only five years — enough time to record a couple of important albums and launch the career of Feargal Sharkey. Bask in the bittersweet angst of “Teenage Kicks” and “Girls Don’t Like It”, and then bop to the happy strains of “Here Comes the Summer” — for those in their mid-thirties and up, this is youth preserved on a silicon disc.

The Whole of the Moon: The Music of Mike Scott and the Waterboys / 1998 / Capitol
There are gems scattered throughout the Waterboys’ catalog, but if you’re new to the band (or only buying one album), this is the place to start. Not quite a best-of collection — after all, it’s missing their most famous track, “A Bang on the Ear” — it still manages to hit most of the high notes, notably on the title track, a live version of “A Girl Called Johnny” and “Fisherman’s Blues.” The album also includes some of lead singer Mike Scott’s very fine solo work.

Honorable mentions

Babble / That Petrol Emotion / 1987 / Universal Int’l
In a review, Rolling Stone Magazine described TPE as “The Clash crossed with Creedence.” Formed by Undertones alumni Sean and Damian O’Neill.

Inflammable Material / Stiff Little Fingers / 1979 / EMI Int’l
A classic from the punk era that’s as hot as the title suggests. The reissued version has plenty of bonus material, including an interview with singer Jake Burns.

Songs From the Rain / Hothouse Flowers / 1993 / Sire
Liam O’Maonlai and Co. are in fine form on this record, which infuses rock with a sense of spirituality in a style reminiscent of fellow Dubliners U2.

Astral Weeks / Van Morrison / 1968 / Warner Bros.
Widely considered Morrison’s masterwork, “Astral Weeks” evokes, in its 47:16 running time, an impressionist painting, complete with beautiful and yet maddeningly elusive imagery.

Fisherman’s Blues / The Waterboys / 1988 / Capitol
It’s tough to choose the best album from a discography that includes “This is the Sea” and “A Pagan Place,” but “Fisherman’s Blues” edges them out by virtue of its title track and “A Bang on the Ear.”

Greatest Hits / Horslips / 2005 / Brentwood
Anyone who’s ever strummed a trad tune on an electric guitar owes a debt to the original Celtic rockers. Along with Thin Lizzy and the Boomtown Rats, they rock revolutionaries in the Ireland of the dismal 70s.

Vegetarians of Love / Bob Geldof / 1990 / Universal
Influences of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison abound on the first solo album by a post-Live Aid, post-Boomtown Rats Bob Geldof. Sublime.