Entertainment

17th Oct 2018

All 32 Irish Counties Ranked By The Quality Of Their Nightlife

James Fenton

Ireland’s a great little country for traveling around in and if you’re adventurous enough you wouldn’t know what county you’ll be waking up in from one week to the next.

But which county is top of the pile when it comes to nightlife and which ones have to rely on other aspects to attract visitors?

We’ve taking the liberty of ranking all the counties by the quality of their nightlife. Disagree? Let us have it!

32. Longford

Meh.

31. Louth

Drogheda pubs tend to be full of 16-year-olds or 60-year-olds while the others venture down to Dublin.

30. Meath

Not much here but it does boast the Slane Concerts which are regularly the best night of the year.

29. Cavan

If you’re staying in the Slieve Russell you’re best off staying where you are.

28. Carlow

Decent student population means there’ll always be some craic to be found.

27. Fermanagh

William Blake’s in Enniskillen seems to be the go-to spot.

26. Monaghan

Head into The Shambles for some live music.

25. Offaly

Tullamore is decent for a night out but other than that there’s not much to write home about.

24. Armagh

Red Ned’s can be decent if the night takes you.

23. Roscommon

Loses out to the brighter lights of Connacht’s other counties.

22. Tyrone

Strabane’s your man so be sure to check out Ruby’s.

21. Kildare

Naas has its fair share of decent spots and Judge Roy Beans in Newbridge can be good craic.

Todays cocktail special the Surfboard come on down and try one before its gone ???? 😀 #drinks #cocktail pic.twitter.com/CnFfh5PKnG

— Judge Roy Beans (@JUDGEROYBEANS) November 14, 2016

20. Tipperary

Try out Hayes’ Hotel or the County Bar in Thurles.

19. Waterford

Nightclub scene in Waterford has plummeted since the heydey of Ruby’s (now the Foundry). Best spot for a few drinks is Geoffs, but it’s always the same heads.

BUT the exception is The Reg on Stephens’ Night – unreal night

Thanks a mil to @TheRegWaterford for a brill night last night. Top bar in Waterford by a long shot. My new fav spot in Ireland. Now zzzzz pic.twitter.com/mSHhwE34CC

— Keith Barry (@KeithpBarry) March 5, 2017

18. Westmeath

Athlone and Mullingar both have their fair share of decent spots but as this video shows, wandering the streets is where you’ll find the most craic.

17. Wicklow

Bray is jammers during the summer but the bright lights of Dublin lurking up the N11 tend to lure people away.

The Harbour Bar by the sea is one of Ireland’s must-visit pubs and was voted the best pub in the world no less back in 2010.

16. Clare

Ennis is a haven for craic merchants and its residents were recently voted the friendliest in Ireland! Head into Brogan’s Bar for a dance and a chat with the locals.

15. Wexford

Plenty of craic to be had on the banks of the Slaney as well as surrounding towns.

14. Derry

Peadar O’Donnell’s does be hopping on the weekends.

13. Sligo

A grand-sized town for a great night out. The brilliantly-named Shoot The Crows on Castle Street is a go-to.

#Shoot the Crows in Sligo in full flight Merry Christmas pic.twitter.com/pTwjWQTgOH

— michael storey (@mgstorey) December 21, 2016

12. Mayo

In a large part down to Westport. The town is famously a great place to go out and hens and stags from all over Ireland go there. Take your pick from The Castle and Henehan’s.

11. Laois

Portlaoise is booming. Manhattan Mixer keeps moving locations and the crowds go with it.

10. Kerry

Killarney and Dingle are great for the group nights out while the vast array of vintage, cosy pubs dotted around The Kingdom are an attraction in themselves.

8= Down

With the bustling metropolis of Belfast straddling the both Down and Antrim we couldn’t separate the two.

8= Antrim

Read above.

7. Donegal

The bright lights of Donegal Town and Letterkenny will never let you down.

6. Limerick

Never a dull moment in the Treaty City. Copper Rooms to start, then House, end up in Nancys and then Flannerys for last man standing.

5. Dublin

Unsurprisingly, the capital plays host to a lot of action after dark while most international bands will play the Dublin venues ahead of anywhere else in the country.

Minus points for being just a bit too big to navigate after one sherry too many. Taxis don’t come cheap you know.

4. Cork

The People’s Capital has plenty to offer. Reardens, Crane lane and The Bowery followed by garlic cheese chips in Hillbillies.

What’s fantastic weekend thank you to all you guys!! Tonight @PAPAZITAS take to the stage tonight from 9pm – @SecretGardenCrk open from 11pm pic.twitter.com/uTHMNYqJg5

— Reardens (@Reardenscork) October 30, 2017

3. Leitrim

Mainly thanks to Carrick-On-Shannon. The town is full of craic and offers everything from traditional Irish music sessions to late night drinking and dancing.

Record crowd for us at our dance at Landmark Live, The Landmark Hotel, Carrick On Shannon! What an atmosphere! #happyman pic.twitter.com/zeGdVA6Kna

— Derek Ryan (@derekryanmusic) November 5, 2017

2. Kilkenny

There’s a reason why it’s so popular with hens and stags. The Smithwicks tour smack bang in the middle of the city is unmissable then take your pick form any number over of lively pubs before inevitably ending up in Langton’s.

1. Galway

You’ll nearly find as much craic walking the streets on a Saturday night as you would in any of Galway’s plethora of great pubs.

The bustling streets are awash with buskers and tourists while the proximity of all the best pubs allows you to duck in and out without having to trek too far.

The Roisin Dubh, The Electric Garden, Neachtains, The Quays, An Pucan, there are just so many to choose from. Also the fact they have a a Coyote Ugly-themed bar seals the deal.