8 Best Nightlife in County Cork, Ireland

With giant multinational Molson Coors at the helm of this establishment, Franciscan Well's microbrewery status is debatable, but every effort has been made to retain the flavor of the beer. On the site of an ancient Franciscan monastery (in fact, story goes that there are monks buried beneath the flooring), it has a heated beer garden and an atmospheric candlelit bar, open daily from 3 pm. Share a pizza fresh from the wood-burning oven.

Down a narrow, mural-coated lane off the main drag near the English Market, this cavernous little candlelit pub is the perfect setting for a clandestine pirate meeting, and given its 1787 vintage---making it one of Cork City's oldest inns---that may well have been the case in the misty past. A roaring fire welcomes guests during the winter months, while Rising Brew craft beer quenches the thirst in summer. Get in early for seating; it really is that small.

The huge world-beer selection, poker on Tuesday, and a DJ on Saturday lure a young, hip crowd here.

Nightly music sessions are held here, with traditional Irish showcased on Sunday from 3 pm.

This popular bar, Cork's best local in the opinion of many regulars, is open daily and hosts Cajun, folk, or Irish music from Thursday to Sunday.

On Sunday evening this popular music bar features Arundo, with their blend of traditional Irish and Latin-rhythm music, while on Monday from 9:30 pm Ricky Lynch's folk-blues guitar session is legendary.

Pronounced "shin-ay" (Irish for "that's it"), this is the place for live Irish music—fiddles, flutes, banjos, and bodhráns. Sessions are Friday and Sunday at 6:30 pm and Tuesday at 9:30 pm.

You can hear live music here nightly—trad, blues, rock, swing, and soul.