Why book Irish Night at the Merry Ploughboy
Why book Irish Night at the Merry Ploughboy
Run by musicians, not a stage show bused in from town
The Merry Ploughboy Pub is owned and run by the traditional musicians who play there, which shows in how the evening is put together — a live session with genuine performer-audience interaction, not a scripted revue. It's a well-known, long-running venue for traditional Irish music on the southern edge of Dublin.
A full band, not a backing track
The evening is carried by a live band — fiddle, bodhrán and uilleann pipes among the lead instruments — playing fast-paced traditional Irish songs and tunes, with the stepdancers performing to the same live music rather than a recording.
Communal tables and an accessible room
Seating is at communal dining tables, which keeps the room sociable rather than formal, and the venue is wheelchair accessible — worth knowing if step-only access has ruled out other Dublin trad nights for you.
How the evening unfolds
How the evening unfolds
Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 8pm — here's the shape of the roughly 3.5-hour evening.
The pub
A musicians' pub, not a tourist hall
You arrive at a pub owned and run by traditional musicians, with communal dining tables rather than a formal theatre layout — the room is built for a session, not a spectacle.
The session
Live fiddle, bodhrán & uilleann pipes
A live band leads fast-paced traditional Irish songs and tunes on fiddle, bodhrán and uilleann pipes, with plenty of performer-audience interaction rather than a stand-and-watch show.
The dancing
Authentic Irish step-dancing
Stepdancers perform routines to the same live music the band is playing — quick, precise footwork in the same room you're sitting in, not on a distant stage.
Dinner & the craic
Dinner, drinks & the room settles in
If you've chosen the dinner option, a 3-course meal celebrating traditional Irish fare is served around the performance; either way, drinks are available to buy and many guests stay on after the show for a drink and the craic.
The evening's running order
Tonight's set list
- 6:30pm Doors open Take your seat at the communal tables; dinner service begins for the dinner-and-show option
- ~7:30pm Session tunes The live band opens on fiddle, bodhrán and uilleann pipes
- 8:00pm Show starts The full session and step-dancing show gets underway
- During the show Step-dance sets Stepdancers perform routines live to the band
- ~9:30–10:00pm Show wraps, stay for a drink Many guests stay on after for drinks and the craic
Timings are the venue's usual pattern — the live running order on the night is at the musicians' call.
The Merry Ploughboy Pub
The Merry Ploughboy Pub
A working pub on the edge of the Dublin Mountains, owned and run by the musicians who play there.
Where it is
The Merry Ploughboy is in Rockbrook, on the southern edge of Dublin near the Dublin Mountains — a short trip out from the city centre, and a genuinely local pub setting rather than a city-centre tourist strip.
Owned by the musicians
The pub is owned and run by traditional musicians, which is part of why the evening feels like a real session rather than a show built for coach parties — the people playing have a stake in the room.
Communal seating
Tables are shared and communal, which keeps the atmosphere sociable — you're seated among other guests rather than in rows facing a stage, and the band plays close to the room.
Accessible
The venue is wheelchair accessible, which isn't a given at every Dublin trad-music venue — worth flagging if accessibility has been a factor in choosing an evening show before.
Irish trad music & dance, in pictures
Irish trad music & dance, in pictures
The instruments and the step-dancing that carry a night like this — fiddle, bodhrán, uilleann pipes and fast footwork.
Show options & what's included
Show options & what's included
| Option | What it includes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Show only | Ticket to the live session & step-dancing show | Drinks available to purchase; the lower-cost option |
| Dinner & show | Ticket, plus a 3-course traditional Irish dinner | The fuller evening — dinner served around the performance |
Ways to book the evening
Find a date for your Dublin trad-music night
Every option below is bookable through GetYourGuide, with live availability and the final price shown in your own currency before you pay.
Planning your evening
Planning your evening
Choose show-only or dinner
Decide whether you want the 3-course dinner alongside the show or just the performance — both include the same live session and step-dancing, so it comes down to whether you want to eat there too.
Arrive with doors, not the show
Doors open at 6:30pm and the show itself starts at 8pm, so arriving with doors gives you time to settle at your table, especially if you've booked dinner.
It's a shared-table room
Seating is communal, which is part of the atmosphere — go in expecting a sociable pub evening rather than private theatre-style seating.
Booking flexibility
The listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before and reserve-now-pay-later, so you can lock in a date without paying today and adjust later if your Dublin plans change.
Planning a trad-music night in Dublin
Planning a trad-music night in Dublin
GEO/FAQ
Irish Night at the Merry Ploughboy questions
What is Irish Night at the Merry Ploughboy Pub?
It's a live traditional Irish music session and step-dancing show at the Merry Ploughboy Pub in Rockbrook, Dublin — a pub owned and run by traditional musicians. A live band plays fast-paced traditional songs and tunes on fiddle, bodhrán and uilleann pipes among other instruments, with stepdancers performing to the live music, and plenty of performer-audience interaction.
What's the difference between show-only and dinner-and-show?
Show-only gets you a ticket to the live session and step-dancing performance, with drinks available to buy. Dinner-and-show adds a 3-course meal celebrating traditional Irish fare, served around the performance at the communal tables. Both options include the same show.
What time does it start, and how long does it run?
Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 8pm. The evening runs for about 3.5 hours in total, and many guests stay on afterwards for a drink.
Is the Merry Ploughboy Pub wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the venue is wheelchair accessible.
What instruments will I hear?
The live band is led by fiddle, bodhrán (an Irish frame drum) and uilleann pipes — all genuinely traditional Irish instruments — playing fast-paced traditional Irish songs and tunes that the stepdancers perform to.
Can I cancel or change my booking?
Yes — the listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the show, and reserve-now-pay-later on many dates, so you can book ahead and still adjust your plans.
Is this the same as a Temple Bar pub session?
No — the Merry Ploughboy Pub is in Rockbrook on the southern edge of Dublin near the Dublin Mountains, a genuinely local venue rather than a Temple Bar pub crawl. It's a purpose-run evening show with a live band and stepdancers, distinct from an informal city-centre pub session.
Still deciding between show-only and dinner, or which night?
Leave your email and roughly when you're travelling — we'll send a short rundown of how the show and dinner options compare and how the evening runs.