Ireland’s Music Scene

Ireland has a wide and diverse range of music to cater for all tastes. Ranging from Traditional Irish to Rock, Pop and Jazz.

Ireland’s most famous artists include Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher, Enya, Mary Black and Christy Moore. Some of Ireland’s most notable bands include U2, Thin Lizzy, The Chieftans and The Thrills. All of these have made their mark on both the Irish and the international stage. Most of these can be seen playing the main stages of Ireland in Dublin, Cork and Killarney, but what of Ireland’s new talent?

Often over looked are the semi-pro musicians on the pub and club scene. Throughout Ireland today we have a wide number of up and coming bands and musicians making their mark on the Irish music scene. Though for the most part they are unknown outside of Ireland, they are gathering a great following around the countryside. Small local gigs are becoming more popular than ever and are easily found in towns throughout Ireland.
All year round there are live bands performing with no need to prebook tickets or stand in endless queues. There are local bands getting great reviews from all angles. The genres vary so there is something for everyone.

Festivals are also attracting visitors from all parts of the world to Ireland to see bands and artists both large and small. The most popular of these festivals and my personal favorite is “electric picnic”. In an attempt to keep up to date with the latest happenings in the Irish music scene and report back on same I do feel the need to attend so watch this space for more on electric picnic the 3 day “boutique” music festival.

Where can you see these new talented musicians? The answer is almost everywhere. Some of the more popular venues for these smaller gigs include Whelans in Dublin, Cyprus Avenue and An Cruiscin in Cork, Waterford, Galway, Kilkenny and Antrim to name but a few. All of these areas are famous for their natural beauty and attractions, and are now becoming more popular for a great night of entertainment. Though most bands are located in Dublin and the major cities, do not be mistaken, there is plenty of opportunity to catch these bands live in the smaller towns of Ireland. Tickets are generally got on the night and are low in cost. Also unlike some major concerts, accommodation is generally not a problem with B&B’s and Hotels available all over Ireland. Event listings are available online or you can simply ask your Discoveringireland Vacation Specialist who will be pleased to recommend gigs and concerts.

So if the next time you are travelling to Ireland you would like to take in a gig or two and U2 are not headlining at The Point in Dublin, do not despair there is plenty of Irish talent waiting to be discovered all over the country!

However for those visitors to Dublin one place guaranteed to give one the best experience in modern international music acts would be at Dublins O2 arena one which regularly holds concerts from the biggest names in music. With plenty of hotels near the O2 in Dublin and many smaller scale national and international gigs up and down the country, for the keen music fan there is much to take note of on a visit to Ireland.