Dublin Irish Dance Party: Learn Steps & Live Music

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/14

Duration2h

GroupUp to 60

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

You Walk Into Merchants Arch and the Music Starts Immediately

You arrive at Merchants Arch Bar in Temple Bar, get seated at a reserved table, and spend two hours watching live Irish dance performances while a singer explains the music and history. Midway through, the instructors teach you three group dances—no experience needed. Food, drinks, and live entertainment are all included; the fixed 3–5pm time slot means you can plan the rest of your Dublin day around it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Attend Irish Dance Party event

Arrive at Merchants Arch Bar
Be seated at reserved table
Enjoy pint of Guinness
Watch four dance performances
Listen to Irish singer and commentary
Learn three group Irish dances
Order food and drinks from full menu

The Experience

The Irish Dance Party happens every day from 3 to 5pm upstairs at Merchants Arch Bar on Wellington Quay in Temple Bar, and you're seated at your own table the moment you arrive. A live Irish singer and band are already playing when you sit down, and there's a pint of Guinness waiting—or whatever you want from the full bar. The room fills fast, but your table is reserved, so you can settle in without the usual scramble for a spot in a crowded Dublin pub.

Then the instructors take the floor. They're award-winning Irish dancers, and they run through four choreographed performances across the two hours—the kind of footwork that makes you understand why people travel to Dublin specifically to see this. Between sets, you eat from a proper Irish menu while the singer explains the history of the songs and the dances, cracking jokes and keeping the energy up without ever feeling forced. It's not a lecture; it's more like sitting with someone who knows the music and wants you to get why it matters.

Around halfway through, they teach the room three group dances. The first one runs about 20 minutes, the next is shorter, and by then you've picked up enough that you're not completely lost. The instructors are patient—they've done this hundreds of times with tourists and locals who've never danced a step in their lives. You're not performing for anyone; you're just moving with the people around you, and the live band is playing the whole time, so the rhythm carries you through.

The whole thing is built so you don't have to think about logistics. Transport to Temple Bar is straightforward by bus or taxi, and the bar itself is one of Dublin's landmarks, so you're not hunting for some hidden venue. Comfortable clothes and shoes that let you move are all you need. If you're bringing kids between 12 and 17, they can join in—younger children sit with an adult, which works fine because there's plenty to watch and the atmosphere keeps them engaged.

What’s included

Your two hours include a reserved table at the bar, live Irish dance performances by award-winning dancers, three group dance lessons taught by the instructors, live Irish music and singing with historical commentary, and access to the full bar and food menu (food and drinks ordered separately at pub prices).

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by The Irish Dance Party

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a structured introduction to Irish dance and music without arranging a separate dinner reservation—the fixed 3–5pm slot and reserved seating mean you're part of a live show, not hunting for a table in a crowded pub.