Singing and dancing along to live traditional Irish music in Dublin isn’t reserved for one singular night, it’s a daily affair. 

One of the best parts about vacationing in Dublin is being spoiled with live traditional Irish music inside old pubs dotted throughout the city.

Here’s the classic recipe of an iconic pub in Dublin: fiddles and banjo all night long, savory and hearty Irish dishes, endlessly flowering pints of cold beers and a festive crowd. In most pubs, the music lasts all night long, starting from early evening. Sessions can be completely spontaneous with musicians inserting in or exiting out as they wish, totally easygoing.

Here are some of our favorite pubs with live traditional Irish music, so you can stop by a different one every night during your soulful trip.

 

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Many would agree that The Cobblestone is one of the best pubs for live traditional Irish music in Dublin. Sit back with a pint of Guinness and watch the owner play away with his brothers, nephew and a circle of other musicians. For five generations, the Mulligan family have been performing Irish music. There’s a cappella, lively tunes produced by fiddles, concertinas, Uilleann pipes, flutes and more. The sessions are casual, familial. Nothing fancy but with enormous heart.

Another hugely popular pub with live traditional Irish music is Devitt’s of Camden Street, where performers are on stage seven nights a week, starting at 6:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Grab a pint of Hop House, and find yourself surrounded by both locals and travelers, singing along to popular songs from the past. Dinner is also available at the pub, but make sure to put on your dancing shoes. At any moment throughout the sessions, happy crowds can break out and bust out moves.

Right in the smack middle of Temple Bar, The Old Storehouse is a larger venue that welcomes lively visitors ready for the night to start and end at the same pub. It encompasses three bars: a main bar, O’Flaherty’s, and Tommy’s Snug Bar. Traditional Irish music starts at 3 p.m. everyday, hence it’s better to also have dinner there since the food at The Old Storehouse is hearty and delicious. Especially the Fish & Chips. Grab a pint of Smithwicks Red Ale and enjoy brilliant artists that can even medley and mashup a slew of contemporary favorites. From country to pop.

Part of the Harding Hotel is Darkey Kellys pub, its morbid name derives from a serial killer in 1750s – Dorcas “Darkey” Kelly – a madam at the Maiden Tower. Just like others mentioned on this list, traditional Irish music is played seven nights a week at Darkey Kellys where musicians perform Irish classic tunes igniting patriotism, or contemporary chart toppers like The Cranberries. Grab a pint of Beamish Draught Irish Stout and find your way through the friendly crowd, ready to jiggy and mingle.

Word on the street is that The Brazen Head is one of Ireland’s oldest pubs since it was founded in 1198, although how it started has been nebulous. Indeed, history and politics have always braided into The Brazen Head’s past, since it was the secret meeting place during the uprisings of 1798 – an underground Republican group known as the Society of United Irishmen. Legend has it that the pub was also frequented by Irish nationalists, including: Wolfe Tone, Daniel O’Connell, Robert Emmet…etc. Grab a pint of Harp Lager, sink into stories between the walls while spoil yourself with live music.

On Dame Court, there’s also The Stags Head where local Dubliners drink, chat and sing along. The three-floor pub was renovated in 1895, designed by A.J. McLoughlin who depicted the theme of stag through design, which explains a massive stag’s head inside the bar. It’s been said that James Joyce was a frequent customer in this Victorian establishment. In additional to live traditional Irish music, The Stag’s Head has also been featured in different movies and Guinness ad campaigns. 

Another old Irish pub is Nancy Hands Bar & Restaurant, not too far away from the Guinness Storehouse. Grab a pint of Murphy’s Irish Stout to pair with a menu created by Chef Domini Kemp, his creations are full of modern twists on Irish classics, including: Beer-Battered Fish & Chips, Sticky Sesame Chicken, Beer & Guinness Stew…and much more. The Nancy’s Burger comes in three different versions: House (two house-made 4oz beef patties,) Chicken and Vegan. 

Finally, there’s The Celt on Talbot Street for tasty food and, of course, live traditional Irish music starting at 9 p.m. every night, for a good “craic,” as the Irish say. Under twinkling interior lights and rustic charm; the Celt is famous for its Celtic Pie of the Day, hungry travelers can also feast on Roasted Heresford Irish Beef, Granny’s Bacon & Cabbage, or Clonanny Farm Bangers & Mash.