Real Dublin Traditional Music Pub Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Dublin, Ireland
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Dublin’s music and pub culture is legendary, but finding authentic traditional music spots, away from the tourist hot spots can be time-consuming. This guided pub crawl removes the guesswork, leading you to off-the-beaten-path venues with live Irish music and drinks along the way. Enjoy local insight into Irish culture and have a lot of fun along the way too. Note that no food is included or available, so plan to eat beforehand.
- Get a guide’s shortlist of Dublin’s best traditional music pubs
- Hassle-free tour with three alcoholic drinks included
- A guide navigates so you don’t get lost
- Great way to make new friends and learn about local music
What's Included
- Alcoholic BeveragesThe pub tour is more about MUSIC than drinking... BUT... there are drinks included too. Each guest is provided with THREE DRINKS - one small Guinness in each bar we visit.
- Guide
- DinnerEat dinner beforehand. No food included or available
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Skyview TowerChimney Viewing Tower, Arran Quay, Smithfield, Dublin, Ireland
We will meet under the entrance to the tower in Smithfield Square. If you cannot find the tower — look up! It is an old industrial chimney literally towering over the square. It is located behind the Jameson Distillery.
End point
- Capel StreetCapel St, Dublin, Ireland
We sometimes change the end point/last pub, If you need to know—after you have booked—please ask.
Itinerary
1
Dublin
3 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- No children allowed on evening tours
- No seating reserved.
- Good mobility essential
- Lots of walking involved
- Not suitable for children (except on the afternoon tour)
- Not suitable for anyone with mobility issues as there is lots of walking involved.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 119 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
WH_E, Jul 2026
Great evening of traditional Irish music in “Real” Irish pubs. Niall did a wonderful job of setting the stage and making sure everyone in the group got the most from the experience. Highly recommend!
Rosemary_P, Jul 2026
This was a great way to spend an evening in Dublin. Niall and David were great guides and a lot of fun. I really appreciated the different pubs we visited on this tour and the music was great. My partner and I stayed in the last one until it closed. I cannot recommend this tour enough.
Susan_T, Jul 2026
There is a lot of walking, so definitely wear comfortable shoes. Because the tour ends in a different place than it starts, you may want to be sure that you have planned for getting back to wherever you are staying or where you left your car (if you drove). If you don't drink, there are some non-alcoholic options, but not a huge variety.
Cori_F, Jul 2026
This was so much fun!!! Neil did a great job giving us information us about trad and leading us around to some local pubs (outside of City Center) to hear it!! I’d recommend this to everyone visiting Dublin!
James_B, Jul 2026
This tour was from a local’s perspective. The value comes as most uninitiated tourists would never uncover. The guide planned three stops with great traditional Irish music. A great tour!
Aubrey_C, Jul 2026
We spent almost 3 weeks in Europe and this tour was probably our favorite. Sean was knowledgeable and engaging when discussing the history of trad music and we couldn’t imagine taking the tour with anyone else. We felt like we were not led into tourist traps but actual pubs with people who just want to sit and play. This will be a core memory from our honeymoon!
Karen_H, Jul 2026
Sean was an absolute gem! Great historical perspective about traditional Irish music and how it relates to Irish culture and pride of place both musically and globally. Sean was kind enough to further send us a comprehensive Trad Irish music playlist AND recommendations for our stay in Dublin. Recommend doing at beginning of a Dublin/Irish trip to get you in the proper spirit of the experience 🇨🇮
AMANDA_B, Jul 2026
Wonderful tour! Visited three very local and off the beaten path pubs with Neal - he gave great history of Irish music and made learning about what we were seeing fun and very informative.
Dawn_T, Jun 2026
Small group, great vibes. No pub partying like at the tourist area pubs- just lots of traditional music and friendly conversation.
Ryan_Y, Jun 2026
Skip this tour. Extremely crowded pubs, no dedicated seating, half pints of beer, lots of unnecessary talking by the guide on random streets (not in a pub), and musicians who threatened to stop playing the next time this tour group came into the pub. The music was good, but you’re having to stand or sit in very crowded areas with limited view or difficulty hearing. The guide is very friendly, but unhelpful in the pubs. He told us to “maneuver” our way to the front. The only way to have done this was to literally sit on a musicians lap and block the view of others already seated in the front row. Plus the guide disappears while you’re in each pub.
Shannon_S, Jun 2026
What a fun evening! Niall and David did an amazing job of making everyone feel welcome. They gave us a great snapshot of traditional Irish music from jigs, reels and other tunes. We made it to pubs, outside the touristy areas we probably would have missed otherwise. Their passion for music shows and they loved sharing it with the group.
Alena_H, Jun 2026
This was a great way to see some good music and cool pubs.
Níall and David were absolutely fabulous and extremely informative, knowledgeable and entertaining! Highly recommend this experience!
Rachel_F, Jun 2026
Fantastic experience! I’ll admit it - I was nervous about discovering live music as a solo traveler. Niall was a great guide and I came away confident - the music was amazing, I now know the etiquette, and I have some great venues to return to. So glad I booked this tour!
Karen_M, Jun 2026
Ciaran was very knowledgable about traditional Irish music and he clearly has a passion for it. I learned a lot, and we went to "out of the way" pubs that were having sessions with trad music and instruments. It was different than I expected, but I enjoyed it. These were public spaces, not performances, which was very authentic. The only downside was it was a bit hard to see and hear at times. There is a lot of walking, so be prepared. We were blessed with nice weather!
Kathy_E, Jun 2026
Great entertaining night. Sean was an excellent guide. Interaction of 2nd & 3rd group of musicians really added to our experience
Kristin_Y, Jun 2026
Sean Smith is a great guide to traditional Irish music. He is a musician that is entertaining, enthusiastic and deeply knowledgeable about trad Irish music. You will have a wonderful evening in his company. Do not miss this experience.
James_W, Jun 2026
Fantastic evening, lovely people and great music. Neil was wonderful amd very informative. Highly recommended.
Lynda_G, Jun 2026
Our guide, Sean, was passionate about sharing his love of Irish music with us. He not only explained details of the history and instruments of traditional Irish music, but joined a group of musicians in song and playing a guitar. We highly recommend this tour!
Ron_L, Jun 2026
This is the real deal. Not touristy at all. Shawn was a wonderful host giving us insights to the local vibe and music
Adrienne_B, Jun 2026
What a great experience to hear traditional Irish music. We loved the three pubs and the guide was fantastic. Thank you. Sean!
Marcia_I, May 2026
Sean led us on a truly magical evening of traditional Irish music in three Dublin pubs (complete with Guinness and other beers in each). We were able to get up close to the musicians in each setting, especially in the final pub where Sean joined the group with his drum and sang beautifully! It was a truly magical evening listening to virtuoso Irish musicians playing beautiful and heart-rending songs. For us, it was the perfect final night in Dublin!
Andy_S, May 2026
We loved the Music at all three pubs. If you love traditional Irish music as we do it it really a wonderful tour. We just didn’t know how much walking was required between venues. Most found that not to be an issue, but we’re a little older it was for us. Sean is a great host and a fountain of knowledge of “trad” music. The pubs were all great, especially the Cobblestone. We had to Uber to the third pub which while it was easy to do, was not expected. The description does state there is walking involved but we didn’t ask how much.. Our bad not his.
Tonya_M, May 2026
Very relaxed. The pubs are very crowded but Kiernan was a master at maneuvering through. He made sure we were up front and personal with the music. Never a dull moment. The trip would not have been. Complete without this experience.
Charles_H, May 2026
Touring Scotland and Ireland for the past 2 weeks. This was the best tour and definitely had some great experiences. Sean was awesome and the experience was amazing. The music incredible. Would advise to do this tour your first night and allow a late night to relax and enjoy.
Sherry_D, May 2026
Shaun did a great job touring the three pubs we visited. We heard a lot of good Irish music. The walk between pubs could have been shorter if different pubs were chosen. It might nit have been possible.
Katia_N, May 2026
If you want to spend an evening immersed in authentic Irish music, this tour is absolutely perfect. We explored authentic pubs loved by locals rather than crowded tourist spots, which made the entire experience feel genuine. An extra highlight was our fantastic guide, who made the evening even more engaging, along with a half pint of Guinness in every pub :)
Dan_S, May 2026
★★★★★ Five stars for an authentic Dublin music sessions pub crawl led by a session musician
We are so glad we did this tour on our very first full night in Dublin.
This was not a typical pub crawl. It was a cultural and musical introduction to Dublin and Ireland through authentic traditional music sessions in pubs that we never would have discovered on our own.
Ciarán provided an outstanding evening and did a fantastic job curating both the music and the overall group experience. Along the way, he shared the history behind the music, along with stories and context about Dublin and Ireland that made the evening far more meaningful than simply hopping from pub to pub.
What made the experience especially unique is that Ciarán is himself a working session musician. During one of the sessions, he jumped in with the musicians, playing guitar and singing, which gave the entire evening an even more authentic feel. Having the tour led by someone who actively participates in Dublin’s traditional music scene made all the difference.
He also has a terrific sense of humor. Be sure to ask him about Dublin’s “Eiffel Tower.” You will know it when you see it.
The included drinks were a nice bonus, but the evening was really about the music, culture, stories, and atmosphere. One tip: definitely have dinner beforehand because the pubs themselves do not offer food during the sessions.
Another thing that really stood out was the thoughtful follow-up afterward. Knowing that our Ireland holiday also included Galway and Cork, Ciarán sent us personalized recommendations for pubs and music sessions in both cities. He also emailed the group additional Dublin suggestions and music recommendations after the tour.
This experience gave us a much deeper appreciation for Irish traditional music and culture early in our trip, and we are very grateful we booked it.
htimney, May 2026
Great experience, Niall was really friendly and knew lots about the history of Irish music and showed us around the real Dublin traditional music scene. He kept us away from the tourist traps in Temple Bar!! Great activity to do in Dublin - we were a couple but there were also solo travels on the tour and Niall made sure everyone was included and felt at ease
Cassandra_H, May 2026
What an excellent evening. I knew right away I wanted to do a trad music pub crawl so I was super excited to see this pop up. Neil was an excellent and informative guide and I appreciated that the group was kept small. He clearly put the effort in to give everyone personalized attention. The first pub we went to, L. Mulligan Grocer, was definitely my favourite, as the musicians chatted with us and were a bit on the Celtic punk side. The next stop was the legendary Cobblestone, which I found insanely cramped and was kindof glad we only had thirty minutes there. Our last stop was also really small but I felt here you could truly appreciate trad music at its fullest. There was at least 12 musicians playing and it was so cool to watch them coming and going. I didn’t feel there was too much walking (maybe too much standing for me personally after a long day) and I loved the extra touches such as recommendations and a playlist. Would recommend to absolutely anyone who appreciates music and non-traditional tourist things.
Debra_G, Apr 2026
Everyone needs to DO THIS TOUR!! If you love music and culture and beer, this is what you need to do when in Dublin. Forget Temple Bar, it's a tourist trap created to bring in more tourists. The three venues we went to on this tour are GENUINE, the real Ireland. Venues that have generations of Irish history and support the local trad community by offering authentic trad sessions of locals that don't play for your money or admiration but because the music is literally in their blood. Our tour guide Niall is a musician himself, and grew to love traditional Irish music since his childhood. He's extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the subject and a wealth of knowledge, and a fantastic sense of humor that put everyone at ease. Our little group all felt like we made a new friend. Be ready to do some walking and drinking too! Each stop came with our choice of beverage. We were able to listen about 30 minutes in each venue. Be ready for crowds and maybe carving out your own space to sit or stand to listen to the music, as this experience will be a highlight of your trip. I would say if you have mobility issues this could prove difficult. The tour group started outside the Jameson Distillery by the Sky Tower ( the tour calls it the chimney tower).
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