Saoirse Ronan Singing "Fairytale of New York" Is Irish Christmas Magic
Watch the Blitz actress serenade The Tonight Show audience with The Pogues' holiday classic.
The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York" is a modern-classic Christmas song, a bittersweet ode to a bright-eyed couples' love turned sour made brighter by a gorgeous arrangement that starts as a ballad and ticks up to a near-jig. And though most of the band was English, its considered a quintessentially Ireland-meets-New York song. So it's fitting that Jimmy Fallon asked the Bronx-born Irish actress Saoirse Ronan to serenade Tonight Show viewers with a rousing rendition of the tune in December 2018.
"Saoirse, last time you were here, you were telling me about pub lock-ins in Ireland," Fallon told Ronan, as they wore holiday scarves and stood behind a piano in front of The Tonight Show audience.
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"Yeah, the whole town just goes to the pub," the Blitz actress replied. "We lock the doors, we have a drink and we have a sing-along."
"I was thinking maybe we can have a Tonight Show lock-in right here, right now. What do you think?" Fallon continued.
"I think that's a great idea," the actress agreed.
Watch Saoirse Ronan and Jimmy Fallon sing "Fairytale of New York" here.
Saoirse Ronan and Jimmy Fallon's Christmas duet is so merry
Fallon kicked off the live rendition of the maudlin holiday track by doing his best impression of Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, with Ronan joining him to sing the verses originally performed by Kirsty MacColl.
Ronan and Fallon led the audience in a sing-along to the chorus, ending their joyous duet with a toast (of Guinness pints, naturally), and wishing each other a "happy holidays."
The duo's magical performance was like a warm hug, transporting the Studio 6B audience — and viewers at home — to a cozy Irish pub on Christmas Eve.
When Ronan returned to The Tonight Show in November 2024, she mentioned their magical Christmas duet, and how if she did karaoke with Fallon they would have to do "Fairytale of New York."
"We crushed that one," said Fallon. "I don't like to sing in front of anyone unless it's you, James," she told him sweetly.
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Hozier sang "Fairytale of New York" on SNL's 2024 Christmas episode
In 2024, another Irish star dazzled with a live version of the track: Musical Guest Hozier performed the song on Martin Short's December 21 Saturday Night Live Christmas episode.
Backed by a fiddle, cello, tin whistle, and a trio of silken-voiced backup singers performing Kirsty MacColl's part of the duet, "Fairytale of New York" was perfectly suited to Hozier's rich, resonant voice and Irish brogue. And then the snow started to magically fall inside Studio 8H.
Watch Hozier's performance of "Fairytale of New York" below.
"Fairytale of New York" was originally released by The Pogues in 1987, with vocals by Kirsty MacColl. It has become a beloved classic in the decades since, and according to American Songwriter, "is the most played Christmas song during the holiday season in the U.K."
