We're headed to Ireland with our 2 kids, ages 9 & 11, and hope to see and hear some of the wonderful local music. My daughter plays the harp and my son the uillean pipes so they are excited. Can kids get into the pubs to listen to music? What other venues are possible. We're going in mid-June and were considering the Doolin area, but saw some other comments that it's too crowded. I stayed in Ballyvaughan on my last visit and loved the town. We also hope to go to one of the islands. Overall our focus is music, active pursuits (hiking, biking, etc.), and maybe seeing some local sports (hurling, Gaelic football, etc.) Any help would be welcome.

I have seen teenagers playing Trad Irish music in pubs but never as spectators.
Around the end of June-first of July there's a Willie Clancy Memorial summer scoile with classes and Ceili (step dancing) competitions in the Miltown Malbay / Spanish Point area: You may find events around the Armada Hotel on Spanish Point. Some Musicians go over to the coast after Ennis' Fleadh Nua (22-28 May this year).

Do a lookup on Willie Clancy.

Children under 18 are not allowed in pubs after 10pm from May-Sept & after 9pm in the winter.

Last June on our family trip my niece and nephew (ages 16 and 12) joined us in pubs for music in Doolin, Dingle, and Kenmare. They enjoyed it...the 16 year old more...my nephew was more into the world cup which was going on at the time. They rarely made it past the first set since with world cup sessions did not start until the last game was over around 10ish. In Doolin and Kenmare we ate at the pubs and stayed for music. In Dingle we went early to watch world cup action and stayed for music. If into music definately go a little early and scope out seats near the musicians (ask..but there is often a sign where they will set up).

In Dingle my niece got to talk to a flute player during the break and she thought is was pretty cool.

Another tip...my nephew really enjoyed his hurling stick and ball he bought and was able to pack in bubble wrap, check it in with luggage and it made it home fine.

On our first trip we spent the night in Cashel. The Bru Boru Center has a summer series (check dates for sure but we were there in June)of music nights with a fun session afterwards that encouraged audience participation. They have a dinner/show package but we ate elsewhere and just went to the show and session. There were some kids there also. Most of the crowd seemed to be Irish.

These 3 areas would also be nice for hiking, biking, and in Dingle some of our group went horseback riding and the 12 year old did 3-hold pitch and putt course.

We picked up some good CD's from local musicians that played in pubs. Ask at pubs with music..sometimes have for sale at the bar too. Dingle, Doolin, and Kenmare all have good music shops where you can pick up some great CD's from local artists. Our rental had a CD player (probably most do now) and we really enjoyed our CD's as we travelled around Ireland.

In Dingle they also have a session/show that sounded good that I think was at a church, that was earlier in the evening. It is only on certain days so we missed it.

There are some pubs that have sessions during the day...I think usually on Sundays.

Doolin can get pretty crazy in the evening and technically, children will get booted out after 9 or 10 which is probably more likely in high season. In Galway there are a couple of pubs that do early sessions (Taffes and Tig Coili) so you can certain get to them. They start around 5:30 or 6. The Temple Bar Pub in Dublin has session on throughout the day (at least on weekends), but it can get crazy. Still, I think the players would usually love talking with very young players. I found that when you actually made a point of listening to the musicians with interest, they were more than happy to talk. I'm a musician (not a prticularly good trad player) but it's pretty universal and I've had some great chats.

Bill

I still would hesitate to take a child to a pub in Temple bar especially at the weekends. There are a lot of people over for stag and hens and would not be apopropriate for a chile. In Dublin you could book a dinnner for the family in Johnny foxes hooley room. Its in the Dublin mountains about 40 minutes with no traffic outside the city centre. Look it on the web and see if there is a child policy. I think this was mentioned ages ago. They do a show qwith music anbd dancing and ytechnically you are in a restaurant not a bar so it may be different there.

Many placves during the summer will have music in the day for the tourist season so you will not miss out.

wojazz3 writes: "... In Galway there are a couple of pubs that do early sessions (Taffes and Tig Coili) so you can certain get to them. They start around 5:30 or 6. ..."

Saturdays in the summertime those Pubs have sessions that begin a bit earlier, like 1:00 PM; and they alternate their sessions. Check their chalkboards for session times.

We were in Ireland in late June two years ago when my kids were 15 and 18. We saw music in pubs in Dingle, Doolin, Kenmare. There were other kids there and no one made us leave at a certain time although I don't think we stayed very late. But definitely later than 9 pm. It is still light at that time of night around he solstice. I was worried about crowds but it wasn't too bad. Doolin was more crowded than Dingle or Kenmare. Dingle has a lot of pubs which spreads things out. We really liked the atmosphere in Dingle.

We also took them to a pub in Kilkenny but they were the only kids there so we didn't feel comfortable and left soon. They canceled the music that night anyway because the tv was showing the Live Eight concert (or whatever it was called).

Didn't take them to pubs in Dublin; it's a whole different atmosphere. I preferred the smaller towns in general.

For hiking, we loved walking the Gap of Dunloe. I think it was my son's favorite day. It is really beautiful and nice to not be in a car at all.

Thanks for the great suggestions. We planned to be in Galway, so that sounds like a good solution. Chances are the kids won't last much after 9:00 anyway. The suggestion of the Willie Clancy gathering sounds great but we need to be in Romania for a wedding on June 30...maybe next year. Some friends of ours went last year and took fiddling and step dancing lessons. They loved it.

Note you will be in Ireland June so its too early for the O'Carrollan harp festival in Keadue,Roscommon. This year it starts first week in August.
Galway and NW area is full of traditional music centres so you may come across a festival in some of the oddest places - check local papers & tourist offices. Some pubs allow kids all night especially tourists whilst others do restrict them to 8 or 9 o'clock.