Galway city Sunday night Irish music session

Beaucoupfish · 25-11-2011 05:36PM #1

Hi,

Im taking my Swiss girlfriend and her mother on quick tour of the west. From Dublin to Westport then down to the cliffs of Moher and back to Dublin from Sunday to Monday. We're staying in Galway on Sunday night so I'm asking does anyone know where I can take them to a good authentic Irish music session in the city on Sunday night.

It's been a while since I was in Galway. I remember upstairs in the Crane being good. I want to take them somewhere real as they won't fall for any of the touristy twee stuff that's often on offer in the capital.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I just want to avoid wandering around wasting time in the rain looking for somewhere and also don't want want to take my girlfriends mother who is in her mid sixties to somewhere teeming with students getting hammered. Just somewhere nice and cosy with a bit of craic.
A nicely planned trip will make my life so much easier.

thanks & regards,

fishy fishy · 25-11-2011 05:53PM

it has to be the Crane - the most authentic and natural "session" bar in Galway

inisboffin · 25-11-2011 07:14PM

fishy fishy wrote: »

it has to be the Crane - the most authentic and natural "session" bar in Galway

+1 for Crane, depending on night. They have a web list too.

Cookes Thatch also has had good session in the last year.

Gingko · 25-11-2011 07:22PM

Neactains on Sunday nights can be very good. But the music is more world music? Sometimes Irish though!

Beaucoupfish · 26-11-2011 01:53AM

Sound. thanks for that.

thesandeman · 26-11-2011 06:17AM

Neactains this Sunday is Blues so may not suit her. Its good blues though if shes into that kind of thing.
Theres ballads in Bar an Caladh (must learn how to spell that place) and Garavans from about 6.
For trad its The Crane and Ti Colies.

BhoscaCapall · 28-11-2011 03:23AM

Does anyone know of any regular sets that have a singer (Irish folk/trad songs)? I don't mind the music but there's only so much fiddly-di-di before it all sounds a bit the same. Nothing like a few ballads to sing along to though.

I know of Pat O'Neill in An Púcan but never really see anyone else? I'm always pretty disappointed whenever St Patricks Day or Arthurs Day come around and instead of some good Irish music it's just student muck like the Blizzards, Keywest and all.

Dave Van Ronk · 28-11-2011 08:38PM

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Does anyone know of any regular sets that have a singer (Irish folk/trad songs)? I don't mind the music but there's only so much fiddly-di-di before it all sounds a bit the same. Nothing like a few ballads to sing along to though.

I know of Pat O'Neill in An Púcan but never really see anyone else? I'm always pretty disappointed whenever St Patricks Day or Arthurs Day come around and instead of some good Irish music it's just student muck like the Blizzards, Keywest and all.

Richardsons on the corner of Eyre Square opposite Cuba. They have The Dubliners-esque Atlantic Pirates on Saturday nights who can belt out some great ballads.

ArtyC · 29-11-2011 12:11AM

The atlantic piraTes are in garavans on friday Eve. On saturday two out of the band play in the merry fiddle up the road

squonk · 29-11-2011 01:45PM

Is there a good spot in the city where you can get a session and a bit of singing that's not mobbed out of it? I've been to Tigh Coilis and The Crane and they're excellent but there's always such a crowd there. I love sitting listening to the music being played and it's hard enough with a crowd chatting in the background. The closest I've come is the Western bar on a thursday night but I'm not sure if their sessions are still on? Somewhere where the music isn't competing with the chat and that you can get up nice and close to listen in?

Mrs OBumble · 29-11-2011 04:08PM

Yes, the sessions in The Western are still on. They've even got social networking stuff going on: https://twitter.com/#!/opentrad and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Galway-Traditional-Irish-Music-Session/132894258454.

There's also one in Murty Rabbits at the same time (9:30pm, Thursday). Not so crowded in there now the tourists have gone away, and it's nice and warm too.

And not quite a session, but you can get very close to the musicians in Barr an Challadah on Woodquay too.

inisboffin · 29-11-2011 04:52PM

The Crane upstairs is quieter than downstairs. Not always Trad though, the pay in gigs are also upstairs. Thecranebar.com will tell you. Again, the Thatch at Cookes Corner can have really decent trad.

Garavans used to have great varied sessions but it seems to be the same band nearly every day now. Still, pretty good ballad session, albeit a bit too tipsy sometimes depending on the day!

bodhrandude · 29-11-2011 06:21PM

Taaffes Bar in Shop Street just across from Tigh Colis is a lovely place to hear a mellow trad session in the early evening, they kick off at 5.30 pm every day. Nice to come into for a break from all the shopping or whatever.

Gingko · 29-11-2011 06:26PM

bodhrandude wrote: »

Taaffes Bar in Shop Street just across from Tigh Colis is a lovely place to hear a mellow trad session in the early evening, they kick off at 5.30 pm every day. Nice to come into for a break from all the shopping or whatever.

Very touristy though no? Certainly is at night anyway and full of gombeens looking to get laid

fishy fishy · 29-11-2011 08:33PM

bodhrandude wrote: »

Taaffes Bar in Shop Street just across from Tigh Colis is a lovely place to hear a mellow trad session in the early evening, they kick off at 5.30 pm every day. Nice to come into for a break from all the shopping or whatever.

don't agree - just done for tourists on the "tourist walk" -and the after work buckos - not an authentic session. Doesn't compete wtih the proper sessions in other pubs

inisboffin · 29-11-2011 09:23PM

fishy fishy wrote: »

don't agree - just done for tourists on the "tourist walk" -and the after work buckos - not an authentic session. Doesn't compete wtih the proper sessions in other pubs

Really depends who's playing. I've been in there when some amazing tunes were happening, and also when it was just on autopilot. Haven't been in for a while though.

bodhrandude · 29-11-2011 10:54PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I0vDX9xYog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8jRAEhpSQA

The evening sessions are really nice, theres an amplified show then at 10 pm that pulls in a nosier crowd and it gets really packed, but a nice way to pass the time in the early evening, if its just the tunes you want to hear. In the Crane and Colis youll get a bit more ballads as well.

Galway city Sunday night Irish music session

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