Traditional Irish Music Festivals and Summer Schools: The 2027 Guide

Nothing in Ireland compares to a great trad session: a fiddle, a flute, a bodhrán and a box crammed into the corner of a pub, the tunes getting faster as the night goes on. In Donegal, the sessions at The Forge and The Reel Inn are a regular weekly thing for me.

I was at the Fleadh (pronounced fla) in Belfast in 2026, and it was madness: the crowds were far bigger than anyone expected, and it was a roaring success. I’ve ended up in a full sing-along at Foxy John’s in Dingle, stood in the crowds for the Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street the year Bono joined in, and spent more afternoons than I can count watching the buskers on Galway’s Shop Street.

One Thursday night at the Springhill in Portrush, I counted 14 musicians round the table, on guitar, mandolin, banjo, tin whistle, bodhrán, uilleann pipes, fiddle and more. What I loved most was how the whole pub went completely quiet the moment someone started to sing. This guide covers the festivals and summer schools built around that music, North and South, month by month. For every other kind of festival, see my guide to the best festivals in Ireland.

Trad Festivals: Fast Facts

Trad Festival Calendar at a Glance

Traditional Music Festivals Month by Month

January: TradFest Temple Bar, Dublin

Dublin’s big winter trad festival (20–24 January 2027) puts concerts in castles and cathedrals, and free walk-in sessions in Temple Bar’s pubs and hotels. It’s the perfect cure for January. Also in January: the Atlantic Irish Fest in Bundoran, mixing music with talks and outdoor activities on the Wild Atlantic Way, and the John McFadden Festival in Newport, Co. Mayo (29–31 January 2027). See 2 days in Dublin.

February and March: Killarney and Kilkenny

The Gathering in Killarney (February) brings concerts, céilís and workshops to Kerry in the off-season. Kilkenny TradFest fills the medieval city’s pubs over the St Patrick’s weekend. See things to do in Killarney and visiting Kilkenny.

April and May: Ardara and Fleadh Nua

The Cup of Tae Festival in Ardara, Co. Donegal (30 April–3 May 2027) is a small, beloved gathering of Donegal fiddlers in a village famous for its tweed. Fleadh Nua in Ennis (late May) has been held in the town since 1974: over 120 events, including concerts, céilís, workshops and sessions, with the Kilfenora Céilí Band a regular highlight. See things to do in Donegal and County Clare.

June: Doolin and Dungarvan

The Doolin Folk Festival brings trad and folk to Clare’s best-known music village, near the Cliffs of Moher. TuneFest in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford (mid-June) fills the harbour town with sessions. See the Cliffs of Moher.

July: Willie Clancy Week and the Summer Schools

July is summer-school season (see below), led by Willie Clancy Week in Miltown Malbay (3–11 July 2027), when a small Clare village fills with pipers, fiddlers and set dancers from all over the world.

August: The Fleadh and Festival Peak

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (Belfast, August 2027): the world’s biggest trad festival, with competitions, concerts and sessions on every corner. See the Northern Ireland section below.

Ballyshannon Folk & Traditional Music Festival (August bank holiday weekend): one of Ireland’s longest-running folk festivals, in the Donegal town where I’ve also been to the Rory Gallagher Festival with my husband and avid guitarist.

Feakle Festival (early August): a week of classes, céilís and sessions in a tiny East Clare village, celebrating the East Clare music tradition.

Donegal Fiddle Week, Glencolmcille (early August): run by Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí since 1986, with daily fiddle classes and evening concerts in the Folk Village.

O’Carolan Harp Festival, Keadue, Co. Roscommon (early August): harp music in honour of Turlough O’Carolan, the blind harper buried nearby.

Masters of Tradition, Bantry (18–22 August 2027): intimate concerts by the finest traditional players, often in Bantry House. See things to do in Cork.

September and October: Ballinasloe, Dingle and Cork

Féile Cheoil Larry Reynolds in Ballinasloe (early September) honours the Galway fiddler who founded Boston’s Comhaltas branch, with set dancing. Dingle Tradfest (late September) fills the town’s pubs, and Dingle is where I’ve had one of my best trad nights: a session at Foxy John’s that became a full sing-along. Cork Folk Festival (late September/early October) and Sligo Live (late October) round out the autumn. See things to do in Dingle.

November: Ennis Trad Festival and Oireachtas na Samhna

The Ennis Trad Festival (November) is all about “the sessions on the ground”: dozens of free sessions across Clare’s county town, plus concerts and album launches. Oireachtas na Samhna, the national Irish-language cultural festival, moves venue each year and includes sean-nós singing and dancing competitions.

Trad Summer Schools: Learn to Play

Summer schools are for anyone who wants to learn: complete beginners to professionals, children to retirees. Classes are in the morning, with lectures and recitals in the afternoon and sessions and céilís at night.

Booking: popular classes fill fast; register online as soon as registration opens in spring, and book accommodation at the same time, because small towns like Miltown Malbay fill completely.

Northern Ireland Trad Festivals

Belfast is a UNESCO City of Music, and the North has a strong trad scene of its own. More in my Northern Ireland travel guide.

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Belfast (August 2026 and 2027): the Fleadh moves around the island; Belfast hosted it for the first time in 2026 and keeps it for August 2027 (exact dates still to be announced). I was there in 2026, and nobody was expecting the crowds that turned out: more than 1.6 million visits to the city over the week. It was madness, and a roaring success. Book your accommodation as soon as the 2027 dates are out. The competitions are ticketed, but the sessions in pubs, streets and squares are free.

Belfast TradFest and Summer School (late July; 25 July–1 August 2027): concerts, masterclasses, céilís and pub sessions, sometimes with the Ulster Orchestra.

Folk iN Fusion, Belfast (January): folk, roots and trad at the Waterfront Hall.

Imbolc Festival, Derry (early February): traditional, folk and world music. It honors the Celtic goddess Brigid (patron of hearth, poetry, healing, and smithcraft) and overlaps with Saint Brigid’s Day, See what to do in Derry.

Weekly sessions worth the trip: the Springhill, Portrush. Away from the festivals, my favourite night of trad in the North was a Thursday session at the Springhill in Portrush, with 14 musicians crammed round the table: guitar, mandolin, banjo, tin whistle, bodhrán, uilleann pipes, fiddle and more. When someone sang, the whole pub went silent. Pair it with the Causeway Coast. Sessions change, so check the pub’s Facebook page before you go.

Festivals With Trad on the Side

These aren’t trad festivals, but you’ll hear plenty of it: Puck Fair in Killorglin (10–12 August), the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival (September), the Galway International Arts Festival (July) and St Patrick’s Day everywhere. And in Ballyshannon, the Rory Gallagher Festival (June) brings blues and rock to the same streets. All are in my best festivals in Ireland guide.

Map of Trad Festivals and Session Pubs

Every festival, summer school and session pub in this guide, colour-coded by type. Tap a pin for its name, or use the numbered key under the map.

The Best Towns and Pubs for Trad Sessions

You don’t need a festival to hear great trad. These are the places with sessions most nights, especially in summer.

See also 2 days in Galway, Galway travel guide and beautiful towns and villages in Ireland.

Buskers: Grafton Street and Shop Street

Some of the best music in Ireland is free, on the street. Grafton Street in Dublin and Shop Street in Galway have buskers all day, from trad players and sean-nós singers to full bands, and I never walk either without stopping.

The big one is the Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street. Glen Hansard started it in 2010 to raise money for the Dublin Simon Community, and it grew into a Dublin tradition, with famous faces joining in. I’ve been in those crowds, including the year Bono from U2 turned up, and the street was packed. Glen died in July 2026, but the busk is going ahead this Christmas Eve in his memory, with co-founder Mundy and other musicians organising it. Get there early, bring a few euro for the Simon Community buckets, and expect to sing along.

Book a Trad Night

How a Trad Session Works (and How to Join In)

• It’s not a concert. Musicians sit in a circle, usually at a table in the corner, and play for each other. You’re welcome to listen, but it isn’t a performance staged for you.
• Sessions start late: usually 9 to 9:30pm, and often run past closing.
• Ask before joining. If you play, sit nearby, listen for a set or two, and ask the session leader if you can join. Don’t start tunes, and don’t bring a bodhrán uninvited.
• Keep the noise down during slow airs and songs. A singer is often given complete silence; at the Springhill in Portrush, a packed pub went quiet the moment someone started to sing. Join in only on the chorus.
• Buy the musicians a drink if you’ve enjoyed it; it’s the custom, and always appreciated.
• Photos and video: ask first, and never use flash.

Trad Words You’ll Hear

Traditional Irish Music Festivals FAQ

What is the biggest traditional Irish music festival?

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the biggest traditional Irish music festival in the world, and the 2026 Fleadh in Belfast recorded more than 1.6 million visits to the city. It moves around the island; Belfast hosted it in 2026 and hosts it again in August 2027.

Where is the Fleadh Cheoil in 2027?

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2027 is in Belfast in August, the second year in a row the city hosts it; exact dates are announced by Comhaltas. The competitions are ticketed, but sessions in pubs and on the streets are free.

When is the Willie Clancy Summer School 2027?

The 55th Willie Clancy Summer School runs from Saturday 3 July to Sunday 11 July 2027 in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, with classes in uilleann pipes, fiddle, flute, concertina, set dancing and more.

When is TradFest in Dublin?

TradFest Temple Bar is held in late January. In 2026 it ran from 21 to 25 January, and 2027 is listed for 20 to 24 January, with concerts in historic venues and free sessions in Temple Bar pubs.

When is the Ennis Trad Festival?

The Ennis Trad Festival is held in November in Ennis, County Clare, with dozens of free sessions across the town, plus concerts and album launches.

What is the best county for traditional Irish music?

County Clare is widely seen as the heartland of traditional Irish music, with Ennis, Doolin, Miltown Malbay, Feakle and Kilfenora all known for sessions and festivals. Galway, Kerry, Sligo and Donegal also have strong traditions.

Where can I hear trad music in Ireland every night?

Doolin and Ennis in Clare, Galway City, Dingle, Westport (Matt Molloy’s) and The Cobblestone in Dublin have sessions most nights, especially in summer. In Donegal Town, try The Reel Inn. In Northern Ireland, try Kelly’s Cellars in Belfast, Peadar O’Donnell’s in Derry and the Thursday session at the Springhill in Portrush. Most larger cities like Galway, Dublin – Grafton Street, will have buskers performing particulary in tourist season.

Are trad sessions in Irish pubs free?

Yes. Pub sessions are almost always free to listen to; it is customary to buy a drink, and to buy the musicians one if you enjoyed the music. Festival concerts and classes are ticketed.

Can I join a trad session if I play an instrument?

Often, yes, but ask first. Sit near the session, listen for a while, and ask the session leader if you can join. Do not start tunes or bring a bodhrán uninvited.

What is a trad summer school?

A trad summer school is a week of classes in traditional instruments, singing and dancing, with lectures by day and sessions and céilís at night. The Willie Clancy Summer School in Miltown Malbay is the most famous.

What is a Fleadh?

Fleadh (pronounced flah) is Irish for a feast or festival. Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the national festival of traditional music, organised by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

What is sean-nós?

Sean-nós means “old style”. It usually refers to unaccompanied, highly ornamented singing, often in Irish, and also to a free, solo style of step dancing.

What are uilleann pipes?

Uilleann pipes are the Irish bagpipes, played sitting down, with air supplied by a bellows under the arm rather than by blowing. They are celebrated at the Willie Clancy Summer School.

What are the best trad festivals in Northern Ireland?

The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast (2026 and 2027), Belfast TradFest and Summer School in late July, Folk iN Fusion in Belfast in January, and the Imbolc Festival in Derry in February.

What is the Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street?

The Christmas Eve busk is an annual charity busk on Grafton Street in Dublin, started by Glen Hansard in 2010 to raise money for the Dublin Simon Community. Well-known musicians, including Bono, have joined it over the years. After Hansard’s death in July 2026, organisers confirmed it will continue.

Is there a trad music tour in Dublin?

Yes. The Temple Bar Traditional Irish Music Pub Crawl takes you between pubs with two professional musicians, who play and explain the music, in about two hours and fifteen minutes. The Cobblestone in Smithfield also has free sessions most nights.

More Irish Culture and Traditions

• The Best Festivals in Ireland, Month by Month
• Irish Culture and Traditions and Irish Folklore
• Samhain in Ireland and Ancient Celtic Holidays
• Christmas in Ireland
• Ireland Travel Guide, Ireland Travel Tips and Where to Stay in Ireland
• Regions: Dublin, Ancient East, Hidden Heartlands, Wild Atlantic Way, Northern Ireland

Got a favourite session pub? Share it in my Facebook group, Ireland Uncovered: Hidden Gems & Local Tips.