As a collection of Irish traditional dance music, Ceol Rince na hÉireann is one of the most important of its kind. Breandán Breathnach (1912-1985), a scholar and collector of Irish music as well as an uilleann piper, was responsible for this formidable collection of tunes compiled since the 1960s, mainly from field recordings of traditional players.

The classic collection, containing over 1,200 tunes, is an essential resource for any traditional player.