The Best Bar in Ennis, County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands

Background Illustration for Nightlife

Ennis is one of the West's traditional-music hot spots. You're likely to hear sessions at many pubs, but keep in mind that sessions don't necessarily take place every night and that the scene is constantly changing.

Knappogue Castle Medieval Banquet

Knappogue Castle's banquet is a feast of quaint pageantry with an inoffensive menu that still has a broad appeal. However, the setting on hilly pastures in a medieval limestone tower house in County Clare is sublime. Entertainers strum harps and sing old favorite Irish melodies and generally earn the €63 price tag for a night of poetry, sentimentality and innocent fun. There's an elegant walled garden by the west side of the building and the castle has an intriguing backstory ever since it was constructed in the 15th century by the McNamara clan---and it's available to rent on Airbnb.