It ain't always what you think... Come for the trad and stay for the amazing array of music in Westport.
From jazz to folk to rock to blues, you'll find music to be a revered aspect of everyday life in this heritage town. And, for goodness sake, make sure to be in town in mid-June for the annual Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, which is consistently ranked among the top ten small festivals in Ireland.
To get a little taste of Westport's eclectic music scene, click here to see a clip of The After 8's - a bunch a local Irish lads just doing some Negro spirituals, among a million other things
The After 8's
And, oh heck, why not a little bit of Robert Johnson blues while you're at it. Hey, it's always great when that traditional blues instrument, the tin whistle :-), takes over for the harmonica... And always great to hear Joseph tickling those ivories. Click here to hear a snippet. Always a showstopper, James on vocals and Eddie on harp, giving you a righteous Lucille One of the best nights of music you might ever hear. As I always tell the lads, it'd be hard to have more fun than this... Tuesday nights at Matt Molloys Pub in Westport.
It's one of the best pubs in Ireland, and you'll often see Matt - the flautist for the world-renowned, iconic Irish band The Chieftains - sitting in on an impromptu session of Irish Trad music in the middle room. Why, you can just go back and forth.