My husband, 21-year old daughter and I will be in Ireland for 7 nights - 7/15 - 7/22 without an itinerary (other than flying into Shannon and out of Dublin). My daughter really wants to hear Irish Music and I would like suggestions as to where to go. Any other itinerary suggestions welcome - we'll probably spend the first two nights somewhere in Galway

Some of the best Irish music we've heard has come together in an unplanned, spontaneous way when you just had the right people together in a pub.

You're likely to be able to find all kinds of music in Galway City. You'll also find music in Doolin. (I've found better music, though, in the less well-known villages in County Clare.)

A favorite place of mine is Green's Pub in Kinvara. This really is a place for spontaneity, though. There's nothing going on some nights...and absolute magic on others.

Have fun...you will likely enjoy the beauty of Ireland going from West to East. When there a couple of years ago we made a point to take in lots of traditional pub music. It's all over for sure...just need to snoop around.
What we took in was mostly in Killarney, Navan, Shannon and Dublin.

Bill in Missouri

Kilkenny is crawling with Irish pubs, many of them with nightly musical acts. Besides that, it's a charming city in tis own right with historic St. Canice Cathedral and Kilkenny Castle to enjoy, and of course the friendly Irish hosts.

I would not worry about finding music, make the itinerary first and then you can source places for music afterwards. There is traditional music played in every part of the country.

In Dublin, try o'donohue's (o'donohae's?).

Ok here are a few for Dublin:

Johnnie Fox's in the Dublin Mountains. You need tto book a taxi to and from but it's fun.

O'Donohues as above on Merrion Street
Foleys (Across the road from O'Donohues)

Oliver St John Gogherty - upstairs and the Music pub crawl starts here most nights at 7:30

Fitzsimons in Templr bar - very touristy can be a zoo sometimes.

The Cobble stone upstairs and i the bar located in Smithfield. Upstairs there is a charge and tickets I think can be bought at a ticket agen possibly ticketmaster.

Many places in Temple bar have music take a stroll in the evenings.

We heard great trad in Doolin and Dingle.

Most pubs will have a chalkboard out front stating when they have music.

Traditional Irish music was on the top of our list on our visit to Ireland last summer.

One place we did not visit but heard a lot of good things about was Westport (north of Galway) which would be a good place to explore the Connemara.

We did stay one night in Galway but it was not a favorite. We found several pubs with trad. music but they were very packed, the crowds were more into other activities than enjoying music, so the music was secondary and didn't last very long).

Best music was in Doolin and Dingle. We also found good trad. pubs in Ennis and Kenmare.

I would suggest 1st night in Kenmare, 2 nights in Dingle, 1 night in Doolin, 2 nights in Westport, and last night in Dublin. In Dublin we did the musical pub crawl and it was fun.

This not only gives you good music and pubs, but also some of the best scenic areas and sights on the west coast.

Be sure to stock up on CD's while you are there. There is a nice music shop in Ennis (Custy's...I think) and also one in Doolin. Also it is good to ask about local band CD's in pubs. We were so happy that our rental had a CD player, so we enjoyed the sights and sounds of Ireland (and in the Connemara we also enjoyed the smells...burning peat!).

If you want to hear music I suggest that you stay within walking distance of town/pubs. If they say that the music starts at 9 they really mean 10 or 11 depending on when the band has had a chance to have a pint or 2.
Another suggestion is to find out where the band will set up and grab an early seat close by, enjoy some pub grub,a Guinness or my favorite Murphy's, and chat with the locals or other tourists until the band starts...if you get there late it is hard to get close to the music. If you do get there late...remember in Ireland it is OK to join a table if there are seats. This usually leads to making new friends for the night and having great conversations.

An alternative to going so far north would be 1-Doolin, 2-Dingle, 1or2-Kenmare, 1-Cashel (could also see Cahir Castle, Rock of Cashel, and in the evening enjoy a fun show of trad. music and dance at the Bru Boru Centre just beneath the Rock), and 1or2-Dublin.

Another point - in some towns, the pubs have traditional music only one night a week. There will be music almost every night, but at a different location each night. Check with the hotel or B&B which pub has music that night.

Ennis, Co. Clare, is trying to become a Traditional Irish Music Center. It has a Spring and a Fall music festival. One of my required stops when I visit Ireland is Cruise's Restaurant & Pub on Abbey Street adjacent to the Queen's Hotel: featuring 'Trad' Irish music every night. Sometimes you can get lucky and happen on an impromptu session Sunday afternoon. We did just that in March.

Ragtop,

While the following won't connect with your request for music while in Ireland, you might be interested in getting a bit of the flavor of the Irish-trad scene before heading across the Atlantic. The Green Linnet music label has long (about 25 years) been a leading proponent of Celtic music. The company does a first-rate job in keeping this great tradition alive, and you'd be well advised to take a listen to some of the artistry of such bands as Altan (alas, no longer on the G. Linnet label), Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill, and Lunasa. If you're new to the Irish trad scene, consider one of Green Linnet's many excellent anthology CDs, such as its 20th anniversary double-CD collection. Another particularly good one is titled Gaelic Voices.

You can learn more at greenlinnet.com

Best of luck.

Pubs near us in the north do music sessions on a Saturday afternoon--most have an open call for musicians, but you usually get more or less the same group every week. It's mostly traditional with some other types mixed in. You'll find yourself going in for the music and end up closing the pub.

It would depend upon your definition of Irish Music. You can find Trad sessions almost anywhere. If you are looking for more contemporary Irish music, De BARRA'S IN CLONAKILTY, the Lobby Bar in Cork City, The Granary in Killarney and Dolan's warehouse in Limmerick are pretty good venues for a wide range of Music. Also try www.whazon.com and www.festivals.travel.ie for other options.
Dublin is its own category, of course, but Templebar is an automatic. For a pub guide, check out www.templebar.ie or www.visitdublin.com or www.visitdublin.com.

Oops!
Third entry should be:
www.discoverdublin.com

The Quay Pub, on Quay Street (both pronounce 'KAY'), in the Spanish Quarter (Old Town), Galway is usually pretty lively, as well. Our personal favorites are Ciaran Wynne, John Spillane, but there are lots of great performers 'doing the curcuit' (Maria Doyle Kennedy - the brunette from 'The Commitments'- is currently touring. So too is Van Morrison and Brian Kennedy, but I think they are both mostly in England during July.)

Its very easy to find the music- either ask at your hotel/ B&B, the place you eat dinner, or wander about- We never had a problem

If you happen to be in Galway City on a Saturday afternoon there are several pubs in the pedestrian area that have 'Trad' Irish music sessions Saturday afternoons: one is Taaffes; another is just across the street. I think it has 'Ceili' in its name.

Hi Ragtop:

Another interesting option near Galway is to stay at Cregg Castle. The owners are musicians and play a concert most evenings in the great room. Guests are invited to sit in. As castle prices go, they aren't terribly expensive. It's a fine old building on a working farm. We were able to catch an early session in Galway and get back to play a few tunes with Pat and Ann Marie. http://www.creggcastle.com

Just to clarify, trad and irish ballads aren't the same. Trad bands usually play sets which include jigs, reels hornpipes and the like. Ocassionally, someone will break into a solo aire. Some of them will do a blend with some ballads. Others will do ballads which sometimes leads to some of the greatest hits by the Monkees, Neil Diamond, John Denver, Willie Nelson and others.

Ennis, Galway, Doolin and Dublin have pretty easy sessions to find. Dublin and Galway will have early sessions in many places. Others will start late and 9:30 really means about 10-10:30. If you are really interested in listening, get there early and get a seat close to the band, because not everyone goes to hear music and hearing the band can be difficult sometimes.

Bill

The town of Corofin, 1 hour or so south of Galway City, has a mid-week music session every week in the summer. The musicians are young people who are very accomplished. Many take part in the Ireland championships; in fact, 2 years ago one of their musicians was about to leave the country to join a troup of "Riverdance". They also have several "senior citizens" who are wonderful story tellers. No drinks are served - they have a complimentary coffe/desert table set up. It's a wonderful evening, particulary if you brought your kids to see Ireland.