Trad Session at The Cobblestone

The Cobblestone does trad the right way. The session on Sunday 19 April 2026 kicks off at 14:00, and there is no booking, no cover charge and no fuss. You just walk in, find a spot and let the music do the rest.

What to Expect

The Cobblestone is a Smithfield institution with a particular reputation for the quality of its trad. The musicians who play here know the repertoire inside out, from reels and jigs to slow airs and polkas, and there is often a loose, collaborative energy as different players join in through the evening. It is a listening pub as much as a playing one. Conversation drops naturally when something catches the room, and that is the mark of a session that has its priorities right.

The pub itself is unpretentious without trying to be. Dark wood, good lighting at the bar and the kind of crowd that comes because it wants to be there, not because it is on a stag route. Smithfield is a short walk from Stoneybatter and a few minutes from the quays, and the Cobblestone sits at the corner of King Street North like it has no intention of going anywhere.

Good to Know

Sessions run most evenings but the time varies by day. On Sundays it starts at 14:00. Arrive a bit early if you want a seat near the music. Entry is free. King Street North has good bus links and there is a Luas stop nearby at Smithfield.