The Final Draft > The best pubs in Kilkenny for live music

The best pubs in Kilkenny for live music

Kilkenny’s lively pub scene and buzzing nightlife are a renowned cornerstone of its cultural vibrancy. At the heart of that is the city’s love of and dedication to live music sessions. Whatever time of year, whatever days of the week you visit us here in the Marble City, you’ll be able to find at least one pub where you can grab a pint of Smithwick’s and watch some great musicians play the evening away.

To help you find the perfect pub for a night of live tunes, here are five of the best pubs for live music in Kilkenny.

Kyteler’s Inn

Located on St. Kieran’s Street, Kyteler’s Inn is a 14th-century pub that was famously first established by the notorious accused witch Dame Alice de Kyteler. Today, it’s renowned for hosting nightly traditional Irish music sessions that are guaranteed to raise the roof.

Depending on the night of your visit, you might see such acclaimed trad groups as the Raglan Rogues, the Abbeyfolf, or Folk in Time. Whoever is playing, you can be sure that you’ll be treated to a lively night full of stellar musicianship.

You can find their weekly music listings on their site, and admission to the pub is free - although they do ask that you spend some money at the bar. Grab yourself a pint of Smithwick’s and enjoy the session.

The Barrel Yard

Our very own Barrel Yard, here at the Smithwick’s Experience brewery tour, has become a well-known spot in the city for live music, ever since we opened our doors for the first Barrel Yard Session back in 2022. Since then, our sessions have become one of the best weekend activities Kilkenny has in store for every spring we kick off Session season, filling the yard with the sound of great live music, clinking pint glasses and laughter.

There’s plenty of seating as well as standing room, and admission is free to the Barrel Yard Sessions… just be sure to get there early to secure a good seat. If you want to experience our live music sessions as well as one of our Kilkenny brewery tours, book your tour for the late afternoon. You can easily make your way to the yard for the evening at the end of the tour, and there’ll be gourmet food trucks on site too, so you don’t even have to worry about where to eat! Keep an eye on our social media for the music schedule - in the meantime, here’s September’s lineup.

Matt The Millers Bar & Restaurant

Beautifully located on John’s Quay, in the heart of Kilkenny and on the banks of the River Nore, Matt the Miller’s is a hugely popular spot among locals and visitors alike. They’ve always had music at the heart of their business, and you’ll find a fabulous fusion of traditional Irish music with a good selection of contemporary local artists too.

Things tend to start off with a trad session from around 6 pm, before their resident band takes to the stage with their set list of crowd-pleasing tunes and high energy. Later again, if you’re not ready to stop dancing, you can cut a rug to a live DJ until the wee small hours.

Entry is free for this lively night of local talent; visit mattthemillers.com for updates.

Ryan’s Bar

Located on Friary Street, Ryan’s Bar is a 150-year-old pub that’s long been a local favourite for its lineup of superb live music. Ryan’s hosts both national and international bands alongside Kilkenny musicians, with a seven-night-a-week music schedule. And while there’s plenty of trad played here, you’ll also hear lots of live rock & roll, with bands from Ireland and beyond banging out rock classics from the Stones, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, and many more legends. The pub’s owner, Arthur, has been running Ryan’s for over 20 years now and in that time has built its reputation as the “home of music” in Kilkenny.

Cleere’s Bar & Theatre

Not even a three-minute walk from us here on Parliament Street, Cleere’s Bar & Theatre is a hopping hub for great live music, and a great place to go after your brewery tour if you don’t want to walk far. It’s got a cosy front bar and a 100-seat venue where it hosts regular trad music, comedy shows, and live gigs that showcase the best of Irish musical talent.

You’ll likely have to buy tickets for most of the shows here, but admission tends to be affordably priced. Many of the gigs they put on are sell-out shows, so it’s worth your while checking their website early to get tickets for the gig of your choice.