"Give Ireland Back to the Irish" peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 21 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in the United States. According to author Bruce Spizer, listeners there felt alienated by McCartney's political stance and "Airplay was so marginal that the song, for all practical purposes, was also banned by American radio." On the other US singles charts, published by "Cash Box" and "Record World", the single peaked at number 38 and number 36, respectively.