Trad sessions & Guinness
Traditional Irish Pubs
The Irish pub is one of the great institutions of the country — a place for conversation, music, and community. These are the ones worth going out of your way for.
Traditional Irish Pub & Haberdashery€Dick Mack's
Dick Mack's on Green Street in Dingle is one of those rare places that defies easy description. Part traditional Irish pub, part old-fashioned haberdashery, it has been selling pints and leather goods from the same premises since 1899. A genuine one-off.
Speciality Coffee & Design Shop€Coffeewerk + Press
Coffeewerk + Press at 4 Quay Street in Galway's Latin Quarter combines speciality coffee with a carefully curated collection of art, prints, books and beautifully designed products. One of the most distinctive independent spaces in Galway City.
Speciality Coffee Bar€Kali Coffee Bar
Kali Coffee Bar on Upper Salthill Road is an independent speciality coffee shop owned by husband-and-wife team Enda and Laura. Co-owner Enda Johnstone won the Irish Brewers Cup in 2023 and represented Ireland at the World Coffee Championships. Dog-friendly, with a beautiful outdoor garden known as the Kali Oasis.
Speciality Coffee Shop€District Speciality Coffee
District Speciality Coffee on Abbey Street in Roscommon Town was the first café in the county to bring 3FE speciality-grade coffee beans to the town. Opened in July 2021, it's a small, focused independent shop with a cosy rustic interior, trained baristas and a strong commitment to quality coffee sourced directly from producers.
Speciality Coffee Shop€VDA Coffee
VDA Coffee on Main Street in Carrick-on-Shannon is a bright, welcoming speciality coffee shop with a strong reputation for quality coffee and friendly service. Inspired by the Dutch De Stijl art movement, its name comes from the Dutch phrase Voor De Aroma — For the Aroma.
Traditional Irish Music Pub€The Cobblestone
The Cobblestone on North King Street in Smithfield is one of Dublin's most celebrated traditional Irish music pubs. Known for its spontaneous trad sessions, unpretentious atmosphere and deep roots in Dublin's musical community, it has been a gathering place for musicians and music lovers for generations.
Spanish Tapas€€€Cava Bodega
Tucked away on Middle Street in Galway City, Cava Bodega is a Spanish tapas restaurant and wine bar founded by JP McMahon and Drigín Gaffey. The bright yellow frontage is unmistakable. Inside, the atmosphere shifts towards Spain — tapas arrive in waves, wine comes from Spanish regions, and the menu combines classic Spanish ideas with locally sourced Irish ingredients.
Burgers & Fried Chicken€€Smashbird
Smashbird on Cross Street Lower is Galway's go-to for smash burgers, buttermilk fried chicken, loaded fries, wings and tenders. A 2025 regional Restaurant Awards winner for Burger & American food, it's a casual, satisfying stop right in the Latin Quarter.
Traditional Thatched Pub€Anderson's Thatch Pub
Anderson's Thatch Pub sits on the Elphin Road around 3km from Carrick-on-Shannon, in the Roscommon countryside. A genuine thatched pub with low ceilings, old furniture, traditional music sessions and the kind of atmosphere that has slowly disappeared from most Irish bars.
Distillery & Visitor Experience€€The Shed Distillery
The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney in Drumshanbo is the home of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka. Visitors can take the Curious Journey Distillery Tour through the fully operational distillery, enjoy tastings and finish in the stunning botanical Honey Badger Bar.
Wine Bar & Deli€€Sheridan's Cheesemongers
Sheridan's is a Galway institution — a cheesemonger, deli, and wine bar rolled into one. The upstairs wine bar is one of the most convivial spots in the city, with natural wines, artisan charcuterie, and the best Irish cheeses.
Historic Traditional Pub€Thomas Connolly
Thomas Connolly on Markievicz Road is the oldest traditional pub in Sligo Town, with a public house on the site since 1780 and a licence dating to 1861. Named after a former Mayor of Sligo, it is known for its traditional snugs, extensive whiskey collection, live music and genuine old-world atmosphere.
Traditional Irish Music Pub€Lowry's Bar
Lowry's Bar on Market Street in Clifden has been in the same family since 1949 and is one of the west of Ireland's most celebrated traditional pubs. Named Best Traditional Bar in Ireland at the National Hospitality Awards in 2015, 2018 and 2019, it offers live Irish music seven nights a week in season, an extensive whiskey and gin collection, and the kind of atmosphere that simply can't be manufactured.
Traditional Irish Pub€€Durty Nelly's
Durty Nelly's sits almost directly beneath the walls of Bunratty Castle in County Clare, making it one of the most recognisable pubs in Ireland. With several bars, a restaurant, outdoor seating and live music year-round, it's a natural stop before or after exploring Bunratty Castle & Folk Park — and only six miles from Shannon Airport.
Traditional Irish Pub€€The Rusty Mackerel
At the foot of the spectacular Sliabh Liag cliffs in County Donegal, The Rusty Mackerel is exactly the kind of Irish pub you hope to stumble across after a day on the Wild Atlantic Way. Whitewashed walls, a turf fire, traditional music, fresh Donegal seafood and local beers and spirits — with accommodation upstairs if you'd rather not leave.
Traditional Irish Pub€€The Celt
Just a few minutes' walk from O'Connell Street, The Celt is one of Dublin city centre's best-known traditional music pubs. Behind a classic dark-green frontage on Talbot Street, you'll find traditional Irish food, Guinness, walls covered in old photographs and memorabilia, sport on the screens, and live Irish music seven nights a week.
Traditional Irish Pub€€The Gravediggers
Tucked into a quiet square beside Glasnevin Cemetery, John Kavanagh's is one of Dublin's most distinctive traditional pubs. Most people know it simply as The Gravediggers. Founded in 1833 and still in the Kavanagh family, it has no television, no live music and no nightclub lighting — just dark wood, old counters, a serious reputation for Guinness and Dublin coddle.
Distillery & Visitor Experience€€€Jameson Distillery Bow St.
Founded by John Jameson in 1780, Bow Street was once one of Dublin's great industrial operations — a five-acre complex described as a city within a city. Today it's an immersive visitor experience in the heart of Smithfield, offering guided whiskey tours, comparative tastings, cask-strength whiskey drawn directly from the barrel, cocktail-making classes, whiskey blending and premium tastings. It's also home to Dublin's only live whiskey maturation warehouse.
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