Afternoon Dublin Mountain Pub Tour: 3 local pubs with live music

Three pubs, mountain views, and live Irish music without the city crowds

An afternoon pub tour in the Dublin Mountains visits three local pubs with live traditional Irish music, local craft beers and food, departing from Dublin city with a guide and small group of max 15 people. The route takes you from the foothills to Johnnie Fox's Pub — a converted farmhouse known for its decor and music — and finishes at a pub overlooking Dublin Bay. Pickup from Dublin city is included; the tour runs 5 hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Afternoon Dublin Mountains pub tour

• Collect from Dublin city
• Travel to Dublin Mountains area
• Visit first local pub and enjoy drinks
• Stop at Johnnie Fox's Pub for lunch and live music
• Visit final pub with views of Dublin Bay

The Experience

Five hours, three pubs, and you're collected from Dublin city to start. The drive itself moves through the Dublin Mountains scenery, so the landscape shifts as you travel between stops instead of staying fixed in one spot. A small group of max 15 keeps the pace manageable and the conversation actual — you're not threading through a crowd of fifty.

The first stop sits at the foothills, a cosy local pub where the group settles in with craft beers or traditional Irish beverages and gets to know the other pub tourers. Johnnie Fox's Pub is the centerpiece: originally a farmhouse, it's known for its distinctive traditional decor and live traditional Irish music. You can order lunch here while the music plays, choosing from local beers and food the pub offers. The third stop overlooks Dublin Bay and the surrounding area — a friendly local pub with great Guinness, warm fires, and views that stretch across the water on a clear day.

A fully guided tour means someone who knows the pubs, the music and the area leads the group through the afternoon. Live traditional Irish music is part of the experience at more than one stop, not a one-off moment. The air-conditioned vehicle handles the driving between pubs, so the focus stays on the stops themselves.

What’s included

• Pickup from Dublin city.
• visits to three local pubs in the Dublin Mountains.
• live traditional Irish music.
• local craft beers and traditional Irish beverages.
• fully guided tour with a guide who speaks English.
• air-conditioned vehicle between stops.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Rural Pub Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a guided afternoon hitting three rural pubs in the Dublin Mountains with live traditional music—the guide handles routing and pacing while you focus on the locals and the music.

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Top questions

What's Johnnie Fox's Pub actually like?

Johnnie Fox's Pub is a converted farmhouse in the Dublin Mountains known for its distinctive traditional decor and live traditional Irish music. It's where you'll have the chance to order lunch and spend time with the group while the music plays.

How many people go on this tour?

The group stays at a maximum of 15 people, which keeps it small enough that you can actually talk to the other pub tourers and move through each stop without feeling crowded.

Is pickup from my hotel included?

Pickup is included from Dublin city. You'll be collected and driven to the Dublin Mountains, then between each of the three pubs in an air-conditioned vehicle.

What beers and food are available?

Each pub has local craft beers and traditional Irish beverages on offer. Food can be purchased at the pubs if you want it; the tour itself does not include meals, though Johnnie Fox's Pub is a good spot to order lunch while you're there.

Is there live music at every stop?

Live traditional Irish music is a feature of the tour, with opportunities to enjoy it at more than one of the three pubs you visit.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs 5 hours total, including pickup from Dublin city, the drive to the Dublin Mountains, and time at each of the three pubs.