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County Clare

Pub entertainment in County Clare

  1. A

    Brogan's

    On the corner of Cooke's Lane, Brogan's sees a fine bunch of musicians rattling even the stone floors from about 9pm Monday to Thursday, plus even more nights in summer. It's a big pub that rambles from one room to another.

    reviewed

  2. Greyhound Bar

    Fishers, divers, musicians and locals looking for fun gather at this old bar which is known by the delightful nickname 'the Skinny Dog'. There's good music many nights.

    reviewed

  3. Nagle's

    A trad pub and an undertakers in one. Just the spot for wakes or your last earthly pint.

    reviewed

  4. B

    Poet's Corner Bar

    The old hotel pub often has massive trad sessions on Fridays.

    reviewed

  5. Cooley's House

    Another great old pub, but with music most nights in summer and on Wednesday (trad night) in winter.

    reviewed

  6. Joseph McHugh's Bar

    Next to Vaughan's, lots of courtyard tables and regular trad sessions make this old pub a winner.

    reviewed

  7. C

    John O'Dea

    Unchanged since at least the 1950s, this plain-tile-fronted pub is a hideout for local musicians serious about their trad sessions. Gets some of Clare's best.

    reviewed

  8. D

    McQ’s

    Aromatic peat fires warm this cosy pub that’s a haven on a rainy day. There’s good food and a few simple B&B rooms upstairs.

    reviewed

  9. MacDiarmada's

    Also known as McDermott's, this simple red-and-white old pub can be the rowdy favourite of locals. When the fiddles get going, it can seem like a scene out of a John Ford movie. The inside is pretty basic, as is the menu of sandwiches and roasts. McGann's is a one-minute walk.

    reviewed

  10. O'Connor's

    Right on the water, this sprawling favourite packs them in and has a rollicking atmosphere when the music and drinking are in full swing. It easily gets the most crowded and has the highest tourist quotient; on some summer nights you won't squeeze inside and trying to eat is like playing the fiddle for the first time.

    reviewed

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  12. E

    Cruise's Pub

    This friendly bar has a long side courtyard that's perfect for enjoying a fresh-air pint in the shadow of the old friary. There are trad music sessions most nights from 9.30pm.

    reviewed

  13. McGann's

    McGann's has all the classic touches of a full-on Irish music pub; the action often spills out onto the street. The food here is the best of the trio. Inside you'll find locals playing darts in its warren of small rooms, some with turf fires. There's a small outside covered area.

    reviewed

  14. F

    Cíaran's Bar

    Slip into this small place by day and you can be just another geezer pondering a pint. At night there's usually trad music. Bet you wish you had a copy of the Guinness mural out front!

    reviewed

  15. Mac's Bar

    This engaging place is actually part of the folk park village. It has traditional music many evenings from June to September, and at weekends the rest of the year. Ignore it during the day, but after the park closes (you can still get in) it starts to feel real.

    reviewed

  16. Eugene's

    Not to be missed, Eugene's is a classic pub that defines craic. Intimate, cosy and has a trademark collection of visiting cards covering its walls, alongside photographs of famous writers and musicians. The inspiring collection of whiskey (Irish) and whisky (Scottish) will have you smoothly debating their relative merits.

    reviewed