Music Inspired Irish Road Trip

In 2019, some amazing music is coming to Ireland from Peter Bjorn and John in March to the Foo Fighters in August. But, you don’t have to wait to discover fantastic music, Ireland is home to some historical musical landmarks, and locations which are used as part of music videos.

One of the best places to discover these music destinations is this fantastic eBook from cheap car insurance providers Chill Insurance. The eBook identifies the most popular music-inspired locations, as voted for by the Irish public, to help you arrange an unforgettable trip. This got us thinking about our perfect music road trip, and here it is:

Start: Ballyshannon

If you have never been to Ballyshannon then this is a lovely town in County Donegal, which was once home to Rory Gallagher, a famous blues and rock singer-songwriter. Now there is a statue of the musician on Main Street, which is a central location, making it easier to explore the rest of the town.

Once you have spent some time here, it’s time to head to Dublin, where there are many places to feel inspired by musicians of the past, present and future.

Take the M3 to Dublin

Dublin has been the chosen location for many artists music videos, including U2’s Sweetest Thing, and Spice Girl’s Stop. Many videos feature residential streets but if you don’t fancy intruding on families then you should head to Grafton Street. This is where the song ‘Falling Slowly’, from the musical Once was filmed, the song featured a busker meeting his love interest.

If you want to feel closer to the music, then a trip to Windmill Lane Recording Studios is on the cards. This is where the likes of U2, Sinaed O’Connor, and The Script have recorded. Originally, the studio was located in the south inner city but now it can be found on the south side of the River Liffey.

There are also plenty of statues to visit in the city, for the perfect photo opportunity try the Phil Lynott statue. Phil Lynott was best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in Thin Lizzy. Although, he passed in 1986, he is still an iconic name within the music industry and in 2005 a statue of the musician was erected in his memory. This statue can be found on Harry Street just off Grafton.

Other things to do in Dublin include visiting The Little Museum of Dublin where you will discover the cities music history, or visit the Irish Rock ‘n Roll Museum Experience on Curved Street.

Once you have explored Dublin’s musical past it’s time to head to Cork, but with a short stop in Abbeyleix.

Stopover in Abbeyleix

Located off the M7/M8 Dublin/Cork/Limerick motorway is a small town called Abbeyleix. This is a quaint town great for a stop as it is filled with heritage, and has inspired its own song. On your stopover, it’s the perfect opportunity to stretch your legs and feel the community spirit – who knows maybe you will feel inspired too.

On to Cork

You guessed it, our musical tour of Cork starts at the Opera House with a 160-year history there’s a lot to explore. Music isn’t the only thing the Cork Opera House is known for, as a theatre it has played host to many artistic forms, from comedy to acting. The venue holds 1,000 people and is one of Ireland’s most popular places to witness live music.

Cork is also a popular place for music videos with the Inniscarra Dam featuring in Hozier’s Take Me To Church, and Lough Ine House being the venue of choice for Caribou’s Our Love. A trip to both of these sites is possible and worth a trip, in fact Inniscara Dam came in third as a must visit music video location.

So there it is a varied music-inspired road trip, if you have been on a tour of Ireland and feel as though we have missed anywhere then please comment, as we’d love to discover more places to add to our musical tour.

Exit mobile version