There's nothing quite like experiencing a traditional Irish music session - the spontaneous gathering of musicians playing reels, jigs, and hornpipes while toes tap and conversation flows. Northern Ireland maintains a vibrant trad music culture, from famous Belfast sessions to intimate gatherings in rural village pubs. This is your insider's guide to finding the best sessions and understanding the culture around them.
Growing up in Ballymena, I've spent countless evenings in sessions across all six counties. I've learned from master musicians, made lifelong friends, and discovered that the music is just the beginning - sessions are about community, storytelling, and connecting to something timeless.
Understanding Irish Traditional Music Sessions
A traditional Irish music session (seisiún in Irish) is an informal gathering where musicians come together to play tunes. Unlike a concert, there's no fixed setlist or designated leader - musicians take turns "leading" sets of tunes while others join in.
Key characteristics of sessions:
- Participatory, not performance - Musicians play for themselves and each other, though audiences are welcome to listen
- Repertoire-based - Players draw from a shared collection of traditional tunes
- Organic structure - No conductor or fixed program, flow emerges naturally
- Instrumental focus - Primarily instrumental tunes, though songs may feature
- Social gathering - As much about community and conversation as music
Sessions typically happen weekly at the same time and place - Tuesday nights at a certain pub, Sunday afternoons at another. Regularity creates community and allows musicians to develop rapport.
Session Etiquette: How to Behave
Sessions have unwritten rules that help maintain the tradition and create welcoming atmosphere:
For Listeners
- Buy a drink - Session musicians don't get paid, they're using the pub's space, so support the venue
- Applaud between sets, not tunes - Musicians play tunes in sets (usually 2-4 tunes), wait until a set finishes to clap
- Don't request songs - This isn't entertainment, it's musicians playing together
- Keep conversation quiet during tunes - Chat between sets, listen respectfully during playing
- No photography without asking - Many musicians prefer not to be photographed while playing
- Don't crowd the musicians - Give them space to see each other and play comfortably
For Musicians
- Wait to be invited - If you're new, ask if you can join rather than just sitting in
- Start with listening - Learn the session's pace and style before jumping in
- Play at session volume - Match the group's dynamics, don't dominate
- Know the tunes or stay quiet - Better to listen and learn than stumble through
- Take turns leading - Don't monopolize, let others start sets too
- Tune your instrument quietly - Before session starts or between sets
Best Traditional Music Sessions by County
County Antrim Sessions
Madden's Bar (Belfast, Smithfield)
Monday nights from 9pm. One of Belfast's most famous sessions, running for decades. High quality musicians, welcoming atmosphere, tourists and locals mix. Can get crowded - arrive early for seating.
The John Hewitt (Belfast, Donegall Street)
Saturday afternoons from 4pm. More relaxed than evening sessions, great for families. Mix of experienced and newer musicians. The pub is owned by the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre, so your drinks support a good cause.
The Barking Dog (Belfast, Malone Road)
Wednesday nights. Smaller, intimate session. Quality musicians in a cozy setting. Excellent food available too.
The Harbour Bar (Portrush)
Thursday nights in summer, Sunday afternoons year-round. Seaside session with local and visiting musicians. More casual, tourist-friendly vibe.
County Down Sessions
Fiddler's Green (Portaferry)
Sunday nights. Village pub session on the Ards Peninsula with strong local following. Fishing village atmosphere, excellent seafood restaurant attached.
Groomsport Inn (Groomsport)
Tuesday nights. Coastal village session, good mix of tunes and songs. Family-friendly earlier evening.
The Percy French (Newcastle)
Friday nights. Session with view of Mourne Mountains. Tourist-friendly but maintains quality. Named after the songwriter, so songs feature more than most sessions.
County Armagh Sessions
The Courthouse (Armagh City)
Thursday nights. Strong session in the ecclesiastical capital. Local musicians with deep repertoire of traditional tunes. The session here played through the Troubles and represents Armagh's resilient music culture.
Hughes' Bar (Keady)
Saturday nights. Village pub session, very welcoming to visitors. More songs than some sessions, storytelling between tunes. Rural Ulster at its finest.
County Londonderry Sessions
Peadar O'Donnell's (Derry City)
Nightly sessions (days vary for different types). Multiple sessions throughout the week - some instrumental, some song-focused. Tourist-friendly but authentic. Located in the heart of Derry's cultural quarter.
The Gweedore Bar (Derry City)
Weekend sessions. Named after the Donegal Gaeltacht, strong connection to Ulster Irish-speaking tradition. More Donegal-style fiddle and flute playing. Excellent craic.
Downey's Bar (Coleraine)
Wednesday nights. University town session with mix of locals and students. Varying quality but enthusiastic. Good for newer musicians wanting to participate.
County Tyrone Sessions
The Horseshoe (Omagh)
Tuesday nights. County Tyrone's trad music heartland, and this session reflects it. Quality playing, strong local attendance. Omagh is underrated for traditional culture - this session proves it.
Mullaghmore Inn (Mullaghmore)
Thursday nights (check locally as schedules vary). Rural pub session in the Sperrins. Small, intimate, locals-focused. Ask directions - it's not easy to find!
McSorley's (Coalisland)
Friday nights. Working-class town with strong Republican tradition, reflected in the songs and tunes. Passionate musicians, welcoming to respectful visitors.
County Fermanagh Sessions
Blakes of the Hollow (Enniskillen)
Sunday nights. The pub itself is a Victorian time capsule - gas lighting, original bar, sawdust on floor. Session quality matches the unique setting. One of Ireland's most atmospheric music pubs.
The Buttermarket (Enniskillen)
Various sessions throughout the week, check their schedule. Arts center hosting regular sessions alongside other cultural events. Good sound acoustics.
Pat's Bar (Garrison)
Saturday nights (summer season). Village pub right on the border with Donegal. Musicians from both sides of the border gather. Lough Melvin pike fishing stories between tunes.
Instruments of Irish Traditional Music
Understanding the instruments helps appreciate what you're hearing:
- Fiddle - Identical to a violin but played in traditional Irish style with characteristic ornamentation
- Tin Whistle - Simple six-holed flute, deceivingly difficult to master
- Flute - Wooden, keyless (usually) - different from orchestra flutes
- Uilleann Pipes - Irish bagpipes, bellows-blown, sweeter than Scottish pipes
- Bodhrán - Irish frame drum, played with wooden beater
- Button Accordion - Melodeon or concertina, essential to session sound
- Banjo - Tenor banjo, four strings, distinctive bright tone
- Guitar - Provides rhythmic accompaniment, rarely takes melody
- Bouzouki - Greek instrument adopted into Irish music for accompaniment
Types of Tunes
Jigs - In 6/8 time, lilting rhythm, most common traditional dance tune
Reels - In 4/4 time, driving rhythm, faster than jigs, enormously popular
Hornpipes - In 4/4 time but with different rhythm than reels, "swing" feel
Polkas - 2/4 time, particularly associated with Cork and Kerry
Slides - 12/8 time, similar to jigs but different emphasis
Slow Airs - Slow, melodic pieces, often based on song melodies
Musicians typically play tunes in sets - starting one tune, then smoothly transitioning to another in the same time signature and key.
Session Seasons and Timing
Traditional music never stops in Northern Ireland, but session culture follows rhythms:
Peak Season (Summer - June to August): Tourism brings extra visitors, some sessions have special summer programming. Fleadh Cheoil (music festival season) means many musicians travel to competitions.
Festival Season (August): Major festivals like Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann can draw musicians away from regular sessions, but create pop-up sessions in host towns.
Quieter Months (January-March): Regular sessions continue but with core locals. Cozy, intimate atmosphere. Perfect for listening and learning.
Christmas & New Year: Special sessions, more songs, festive atmosphere. Check ahead as some pubs have adjusted schedules.
Learning More About the Music
Want to deepen your understanding?
- Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann - Organization promoting Irish music, operates branches across NI offering classes
- Local fleadhs - Music competitions held county and regional level, free to attend and watch
- Music shops - Staff are usually musicians who can provide local session information
- thesession.org - Website listing sessions worldwide, tune database, discussion forums
Combining Sessions with Your Trip
Planning your Northern Ireland visit around music sessions enriches the experience:
- Base yourself in Belfast or Derry for multiple session options
- Plan rural touring to hit sessions on the right nights
- Combine sessions with local dining - many session pubs serve excellent food
- Check festival calendars for fleadhs and music weekends
- Book accommodation within walking distance if you're drinking
Final Thoughts
Traditional Irish music sessions represent something precious - a living folk tradition still thriving in the modern world. Unlike staged "Irish nights" in hotels, real sessions are organic gatherings where music happens for its own sake, where tunes passed down through generations find new life, where strangers become friends over shared appreciation for the music.
My advice? Don't just visit one session and tick a box. Give yourself time to experience several - urban and rural, large and intimate, different counties and styles. Sit quietly, buy your drink, listen deeply. Let the music work its magic.
You might arrive a tourist and leave a session regular, planning your next visit around Tuesday night at your new favorite pub. That's how the music gets you.