A first-timer's guide
Irish Night at the Merry Ploughboy Pub: what to expect and how to plan your evening
The session, the step-dancing, the dinner option, and how to plan an evening at Dublin's musicians-owned trad-music pub.
See dates on GetYourGuide ↗Choosing your evening
| Show only | Dinner & show | |
|---|---|---|
| Includes | Live session & step-dancing show | Show, plus a 3-course Irish dinner |
| Best for | A shorter, lower-cost evening | A fuller night out with a meal |
| Duration | About 3.5 hours (doors 6:30pm) | About 3.5 hours (doors 6:30pm) |
| Drinks | Available to purchase | Available to purchase |
| Flexibility | Free cancellation on GetYourGuide | Free cancellation on GetYourGuide |
Why this evening is different from a city-centre pub crawl
The Merry Ploughboy is owned and run by the musicians who play there, out in Rockbrook near the Dublin Mountains rather than in the Temple Bar strip. That ownership is what gives the night a session feel — fiddle, bodhrán and uilleann pipes played live, with real performer-audience interaction — instead of a scripted show for coach groups.
What actually happens on the night
Doors open at 6:30pm; dinner service (if you've booked it) runs around the performance at communal tables; the full session and step-dancing show starts at 8pm and runs for about 3.5 hours in total. Many guests stay on for a drink once the show wraps.
Choosing show-only or dinner
Both options include the same live show. Dinner-and-show adds a 3-course meal celebrating traditional Irish fare; show-only is the lower-cost way to see the same performance, with drinks available to buy either way.
Practicalities
The venue is wheelchair accessible. Seating is at communal tables, so go in expecting a sociable, shared-table pub atmosphere. The listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before and reserve-now-pay-later on many dates.
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.