Page 341 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

ENTER T AINMENT IN IRELAND  339

Nights of Irish music and song
are scheduled in many pubs,
such as The Laurels and the
Danny Mann in Killarney, the
Yeats Tavern in Drumcliff, near
Sligo, and An Brog in Cork. In
Derry, the Gweedore Bar, Castle
Bar and Dungloe Bar are among
the cluster of musical pubs
The Moscow Ballet at Belfast’s Grand Opera House (see p280) along Waterloo Street. Wherever
you are, a query to the locals
in local halls around the country. at weekends. For some of will send you off to the nearest
Many of them are superb and Ireland’s “big band” jazz music, musical pub. For more pub
they have spawned several of keep an eye out for Waterford’s listings, see pp 326–31.
Ireland’s leading actors. Brass and Co who play at dances In Tralee, Siamsa Tíre,
around the country. Jazz lovers the National Folk Theatre,
have a field day at the Cork Jazz stages marvellous folk drama
Classical Music, Opera Festival in late October, when incorporating traditional music,
and Dance international jazz greats play in singing and dance. The Corn-
Major venues for classical music the city’s theatres. Barn, in Bunratty Folk Park, is
include the Crawford Art the setting for The Traditional
Gallery, Opera House and Irish Night during the
Everyman Palace in Cork; the summer months.
Theatre Royal in Waterford Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann,
and the Hawks Well Theatre in in Monkstown has branches
Sligo. Belfast’s Ulster Hall hosts around the country and
concerts from rock bands to the organizes traditional music and
Ulster Symphony Orchestra. dance nights all year. Traditional
Opera lovers from around Pub scene, with musicians playing at the Irish dancing can be stylish step
the world come to Ireland for Feakle Festival, County Clare dancing or joyous set dancing.
the Wexford Festival Opera Visitors are usually encouraged
in October and November, Traditional Music to join in the fun.
and Dance
where rare or forgotten operatic The Fleadh Cheoil (national
works are revived. Elsewhere, The country pub has helped traditional music festival) is a
opera is performed in Cork’s keep Irish music alive and weekend of music, dance,
Opera House and in Belfast’s provided the setting for the song and stage shows that spill
Grand Opera House. musical revival that began in over into colourful street
Ireland has no resident the 1960s. Today, sessions of entertainment. It takes place
ballet or avant-garde dance informal or impromptu music at the end of August in a
companies, but leading inter- are still commonplace. In pubs, different town each year and
national companies perform traditional music embraces attracts large crowds. Earlier in
occasionally at the major ballads and rebel songs, as well August, the Feakle Festival in
venues around the country. as the older sean-nós – County Clare is a more intimate
unaccompanied, understated celebration of tradi tional
stories, often sung in Irish. music, song and dance.
Rock, Jazz and Country
When international music stars
tour Ireland, concerts outside
Dublin are held at large out door
sites. RDS and 3Arena in Dublin,
Semple Stadium in County
Tipperary and Slane Castle
(see p249) in County Meath
are popular venues. Tickets
and informa tion are available
from Ticketmaster.
Musical pubs (see pp326–31)
are your best bet for good rock
and jazz performed by Irish
groups. Check local tourist
offices and newspapers for rock
and jazz nights, which usually
take place midweek, with
country and traditional music The Opera House adjoining the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork

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