Where to Find the Best Traditional Irish Music

Timing your visit around a traditional music festival can be a brilliant way to hear world-class musicians in spirited settings. Events like the Willie Clancy Summer School in County Clare or the Fleadh Cheoil (Ireland’s largest traditional music festival) bring together locals and international visitors alike for days of music, dancing and traditions.

Throughout the summer, there are many smaller music festivals in villages and towns all across the country. These events offer a chance to experience the music in a more authentic setting, often with sessions spilling into the local pubs long after the last official performance.

From timeless folk tunes to classic rock and contemporary pop, let our Ultimate Irish Playlist be the soundtrack to your next adventure — whether you’re exploring Ireland or simply dreaming from afar.

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Galway is a bohemian city renowned for its vibrant art scene and rich heritage. Each step along its cobblestone streets and colourful facades is a window into Irish culture, from talented street performers to historic monuments.

From the lively Latin Quarter to the cobbled streets near Eyre Square, you’ll find live traditional music in pubs such as Tigh Neachtain and Tigh Coilli. Aside from the bars, walking through the city centre offers a vast array of street performers and artists – from percussionists to full bands, whatever your musical taste, you’ll hear it in Galway.

Galway also hosts numerous festivals throughout the year, including the Galway International Arts Festival, which features traditional performances alongside modern interpretations.

Discover must-see highlights in our Galway City travel guide.

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Stepping onto Inis Mór (Inishmore), the largest of the three Aran Islands, feels like stepping back in time. With its strong sense of Gaelic culture and a close-knit island community, traditional music is woven into daily life here. (Check out our Irish Language Guide here for more info).

The Aran Islands are also renowned for their Irish-speaking heritage and striking landscapes, where ancient stone walls and age-old fortresses dot the scenery, all set against the dramatic backdrop of the wild Atlantic Ocean.

Visit during the summer to catch small local festivals or pop into one of the island’s pubs, where locals gather to sing, play and celebrate their heritage. Inis Mór also offers a network of scenic cycling and walking trails that wind through lush landscapes, uncover hidden coves and showcase the island’s rugged natural beauty up close.

Uncover hidden gems across the Aran Islands in our travel guide.

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A seaside bohemian gem known for its food and colourful streets, Kinsale also offers a lively trad scene. Often considered the starting point of the Wild Atlantic Way, a driving route covering the entire west coast of Ireland from Mizen Head in Co. Cork to Malin Head in Co. Donegal.

Kinsale’s pubs are known for their lovely pints and even lovelier traditional music sessions. Especially in the summer, these sessions can occur every night of the week. But music isn’t the only thing to enjoy here – Kinsale’s gourmet scene is top class, offers a whole host of marine activities and has been named one of Ireland’s most beautiful towns by Conde Nast.

Read our guide to Kinsale, or uncover West Cork in our regional guide below, from its dramatic coastlines to cosy pubs.

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