Are you planning an adventurous, fun-filled, culturally intensive trip to the Emerald Isle? You’ve come to the right place then, especially if you really want to soak up the musical culture of the country of Ireland. Dotted with so many quaint and welcoming pubs all throughout the country, there’s no better way to truly take in the culture of Ireland than by stopping off in its friendly pubs to take in some of the local tunes. So grab yourself a rental car and some insurance by leading Irish insurance provider, Chill Insurance and hit the road to discover all the musical fare Ireland has on offer.
Dublin
With districts like the Temple Bar just teeming with pubs that offer up a whole host of traditional music including live bands who come in most evenings in the week to play their favourite traditional tunes, you can’t go wrong with a stop off in Dublin. While the Temple Bar district has the biggest selection of pubs with live traditional music, heading a bit off the well worn path can find you some real gems of the city. Head over to Fishamble Street to Darkey Kelly’s pub, which not only has a space for live music nightly but it also is home to a whole host of Irish craft beers and ales as well as delicious, hearty food. If you like the Dubliner’s though, be sure to check out O’Donohughe’s bar on Merrion Row where the band met and played their first gig!
Cork
Out in the countryside you’ll be sure to find small villages to stop off at for a Guinness and a snack. While not all of them may play live music, rest assured there will be all manner of traditional Irish music playing on their music system. If you’re a fan of Hozier and their song ‘Take Me To Church’, you can visit one of the filming locations for the video – the Inniscarra Dam, as well s other various locations around the city including the wasteland near the inner city. Cork isn’t just about music videos though, if you’re in the area be sure to get yourself the gift of the gab by kissing the Blarney Stone up at Blarney Castle, just outside of town.
Galway
Ed Sheeran filmed the music video for his hit song ‘Galway Girl’ at various locations throughout the gorgeous coastal city of Galway. You can follow in his footsteps and visit the very same locations in this colourful and welcoming city, such as O’Connell’s bar on Eyre Square. Don’t stop there though – Galway is the gateway to some of the gorgeous mountainous regions of Connemara with its wild, rocky coastline and spooky but strangely gorgeous marshlands.
So on your next trip to Ireland be sure to take in some of the great musical offerings the country has on offer. With this fantastic ebook put together by Chill Insurance as well, you can be sure to visit all the hottest spots where musicians lived, were born or where they played their first gigs. You never know – you might even run into one of Ireland’s best loved musicians having a pint in their local before putting on a show! So load up your playlist with all your favourite Irish tunes and hit the road – guaranteed you will enjoy every moment of exploring the Emerald Isle.