I find questions like this incredibly difficult to begin to approach - it is so dependent on personal taste which is, by its very nature - very personal.
To someone who was looking for an overview of Irish music, I would have little hesitation in recommending Gael Linnn's 'Seoltí Séidte' (Setting Sail) - forty three historic recordings made between 1957-1961.
I don't like them all, but there's enough there to whet anybody's appetite
Some of my own personal favourites remain locked in the vaults somewhere - Folkways' delicious Willie Clancy, Michael Gorman Album somewhat innocuously titled, "Irish Dance Music' - Collector Records' Seamus Ennis e.p 'The Ace and Deuce of Piping'.... a few minutes of magic!
Irish music has never been more readily available, but I do wish that the produces would become conscious of the beauty of sound the solo instrument and stop converting it into muzak with (at best) unnecessary accompaniment.
One of these days somebody is going to gather together and issue the unnacompanied recordings of one of Ireland's finest fiddle players, Máirtín Byrnes - without the piano-driver (if they exist)!
That we should all live so long!!
'Bout time you made your own solo album Peter (unless I've missed something)
Jim Carroll