mexicobeachbum

I saw a St. Pat's message yesterday from SiobhanP, and it got me thinking about pub crawls in Dublin. Our family is very much into Irish music, and our oldest daughter is turning 18 in Dublin in August, so, naturally, we thought of a pub crawl. What are folks' experience with the organized musical pub crawls? Are we better off just doing our own? If so, which pubs do people recommend? We'll be staying near St. Stephen's Green, so probably will be doing our crawling at Temple Bar. Are there any pubs where a person can get up and sing a song themselves? Thanks for any input.

chip

In Dublin last June we did the music and literary pub crawls and enjoyed both.

nice way to get a feel for different pubs and you have plenty of time to go back to your favorite pub or ask the experts where you can hear more music.

we found that many of the pubs with music get packed and unless you are close to the session it is hard to enjoy...so the organized pub crawl gets you up close and personal.

In our experience around Ireland we found it more enjoyable to stake out a table close to the music early, have dinner there and enjoy the evening.

the only time we pub crawled was when we didn't care for the music...when the crowd was fun and the music was good we stayed...sometimes until they kicked us out.

If you do pub crawl a lot remember that it is ok, and more fun, to sit at table with other people if there is room. the best times were meeting other tourists and sharing experiences and of course meeting the Irish!

SiobhanP

The musical Pub Crawl is a more touristy one and starts at 7:30 each evening in the summer and off season on various days of the week. It is good but if you want to do your own here are a few places that have music (Not all pubs have music in Dublin, only a few). O'Donoghues on Merrion Street/Baggott street, then across the road is Foleys and there is usually someone with a guitars singing. In Temple Bar there is Oliver St.John Gogherty which is probably the most popular. There is another place on the Quays across the river from tem,ple bar called the Arlington Hotel which does Irish music and Dancing.

You would not really be able in any place to go up and sing a song it doesn't really work like that here.

If you want a show, dinner and live traditional music and dance try Johnnie Fox's in the Dublin Mountains. I have taken several groups here for business and they loved it. You start with a meal, (Good seafood etc) and then its music and Irish dancing. Its in a separate room with long tables and benches and yot sit beside everyone else. It's a fun atmosphere and you can arrange a fixed price with a taxi from the hotel. You pay a set price for the meal and food and Drink is extra. There is a nice area to sit outside for a drink on a nice day.

Have fun. I am off the pub crawls for a while myself!

mexicobeachbum

Thanks for the responses. I've been out of the country for a couple weeks, and have just had a chance to review them. It's a pity that, just when the smoking seems to be going away in the pubs, that you'll no longer be able to be in a pub after 9 p.m. if you're under 18. That's a pity for our daughters, as they enjoy sitting and listening to a traditional session. I guess, as with the smoking ban, we'll have to see if they enforce that rule.

Ann41

We did the musical pub crawl a few years ago and enjoyed it. But we made a major mistake when we left the last pub the tour went to--couldn't get in anywhere, as every place was packed with lines out the door. The pub crawl was nice because we had out own little room, and you could scout out places to visit later on.

SiobhanP

How old are the girls? If the are 16-18 don't worry no one will say anything. It's really more to keep small children out of the pub and the tours and more touristy ones will not really object. Also I believe in most pubs its 7 or 7:30 that the children have to leave.. I would not really worry too much about that.

mexicobeachbum

Thanks, Siobhan, for your response. Our daughters will be almost 14 and almost 18. In fact, part of the reason we're doing the Dublin pub crawl is to celebrate my older daughter's birthday, as she will turn 18 in Dublin. I think we'll just give it a go, both kids are pretty mature, and it's the music we're really after (although a few pints might be consumed by her parents and aunt and uncle).

SiobhanP

I thnk you are fine for the tour and in the countryside its much less enforced. I was in Co. Carlow this weekend and the kids were out far past 7pm in the placed we went.