With a huge repertoire of music attributed to our green isles, it’s no surprise that music plays a huge part in the Irish identity. With everything from U2 & Thin Lizzie to more traditional bands like The Dubliners and The Fureys, Irish music is popular and beloved worldwide. Inspired by January’s Tradfest, many of our guests have asked for suggestions of musical tours to take around Dublin. Many music tours take you on a trip not only through the history of the tunes but the history of the state, placing these famous Irish artists in their rightful place at the heart of Irish storytelling. Here are some of Dublin’s Top Music Tours to enjoy during your stay.
1. Dalton’s History Tour
Discover Dublin through song with Dalton’s History Tour, running by appointment only. Some of the most famous traditional songs in Ireland are related to the many colourful characters in our history books. You can enjoy some of our most beloved songs on this walking tour in the company of a professional local singer and visit the historic locations associated with them. Starting at Christchurch and progressing around the Viking quarter of the city including Temple bar, it’s a truly enjoyable tour with lots of laughs and plenty of singalongs. Public tours take around 2 hours, private tours are a little more relaxed and can take up to 3 hours with plenty of places to stop along the way.
2. Windmill Lane Studio
Named for its unique address, Windmill Lane Studio was born out of passion and dedication to world-class music production in Dublin. It’s now known as the heart of music production in Ireland. Opened in 1978 by Brian Masterson and James Morris, it relocated to its permanent home in 1990 and many famous faces have seen the inside of its walls since. Their tours are an exciting chance to see how a music production facility works in person. You never know who might have been trying out a new lyric or new arrangement of chords at that very microphone or standing in that same spot only minutes before you walked through the door.
3. Rock n Stroll Trail
This self-guided tour is a great way to see the city in your own time while ticking off some important musical landmarks along the way. The tour route can be downloaded and printed and followed in your own time, with lots of opportunities to stop for a snack or a pint. The important buildings are marked with a plaque describing why it’s important to the Dublin music scene. For example on the side of what was the former Dandelion Market, now named The Well, the plaque reads ‘U2 played some of their earliest gigs at the Dandelion Market formerly on this site’. The tour hasn’t been promoted in a few years but most of the plaques are still visible.
4. Monumental Music Tours
Monumental Music Tours brings songs and stories to life on the streets of Dublin. So named because every stop along the trail of this lively 90-minute walking tour is monumental in the notoriety of the Irish music scene. Each story is accompanied by a song and often a character to bring it to life and we’d be surprised if you didn’t know a few more tunes by the end of the walk. The tour begins at the famous Molly Malone statue, led by musicians with a variety of instruments and is only about 1km in distance so suitable for families.
5. Dublin’s Musical Pub Crawl
Pubs and music go hand in hand, so it stands to reason that a musical pub crawl would be one of the most entertaining tours in the city. The Musical Pub Crawl is led by two professional musicians who perform tunes and songs while telling the story of Irish music. They have a walking tour and a second dinner tour which includes a meal and some drinks. You’ll witness some authentic performances of traditional music and Irish dancing with a group of like-minded people. They have tours from Monday to Saturday and they take roughly 2.5 hours. They also offer a private tour option for small groups.
Author Bio: Katie McGarr is a resident writer for Ashling Hotel Dublin, a luxury 4 star hotel in the heart of Ireland’s capital, Dublin, situated in close proximity to Phoenix Park, The Guinness Storehouse and Dublin Zoo. When she’s not taking vibrant street photos, you can find her writing articles about travel, food, and lifestyle.