An Droichead Beag Session

An Droichead Beag (The Little Bridge) is the only pub in Dingle offering music seven nights a week all year around. Many the town’s talented traditional Irish musicians can be heard here including John Brown, Bréanainn and Séamus Ó Beaglaoich, Eoin Duignan, Aoife Granville, Michael Herlihy, Jon Saunders and Tommy Sullivan.


You can be assured of a good session any night at Droichead Beag. It is one of the larger establishments in town with several rooms

The Tuesday night session is more relaxed than the busy weekend with a warm and friendly atmosphere. It is lead by Michael Herlihy on box with John Brown on guitar. Michael is a lively West Kerry style box player who owns and operates the music shop, Siopa Ceol an Daingin, on Main Street just up the street from An Droichead Beag. John is well-know for his singing and guitar playing in and around Dingle.


There is a CD available called The Mighty Session that features some of Ireland's leading musicians that have played at An Droichead Beag over time.

Also Aoife Granville who plays violin and flute there on Mondays and Saturdays has a new CD out called Sráid Eoin Shuffle. CD is available from the local music shops or by mail order from Mulligan in Galway.

As with most sessions in Dingle, the music gets started at about 9:30 pm.

Dingle, Traditional Irish Music, Music Sessions

Marina Inn Session

The Marina Inn is unique for its early session on Sunday, starting at about 6 pm. Family visitors will appreciate the early session since children and even teenagers under 18 are not allowed in pubs after 9 pm (10 pm in the summer); all of the other sessions in town begin at 9:30 pm or later.

Marina Inn is located on Strand Street in Dingle/An Daingean opposite the Tourist Office. The establishment is frequented by locals and tourists and it is also a favorite hang-out for the fishermen that come into the Dingle Harbor to process and unload their catch. It is not unusual to hear Spanish or Portuguese spoken at the bar. Food is served up to 9 pm in the summer and earlier off season. The specialty is, of course, locally caught fish.

The Sunday session is regarded as one of the best in town and is one of my favorites. It is lead by champion piper Con Durham with Tommy O'Sullivan, guitar player and singer. Tommy who is referred to as "One of the great contemporary folk voices of Ireland" has a wonderful new album called Song Ablaze. Other regulars are Lucinda Cook on uilleann pipes, Phillip Crickard and Mark Crickard both on fiddle.

Last Sunday we had a great session with 2 uilleann pipers, 3 fiddles, 1 mandolin, 1 guitar, and me on harmonica. Claire Horgan joined us to sing a few songs in Irish and it was beautifully done in the old style.

Marina Inn is also home to the Quay Wren, a penny whistle and Drum band, one of the main groups that make up the Wren Day festivities on St. Stephen Day, December 26^th. This group is also guided by Con Durham, who plays the whistle on that day.

In the summertime there is a session most nights but only the Sunday one is early.

Dingle/An Daingean, Music Sessions, Irish Music