Live Band Sundays at Ryan's Bar and Matt the Millers

Sunday nights keep a decent chunk of Kilkenny city’s live music scene going, with two long-running venues both programming bands into the evening. Ryan’s Bar on Friary Street, a traditional Irish bar with over 150 years of history and a beer garden out the back, puts a band on from 8pm every Sunday, playing anything from rock and blues to funk and trad depending on who’s booked. A short walk away, Matt the Millers on John Street runs traditional Irish music from 6pm Sunday through Thursday, so a Sunday out in the city centre can move between the two without much of a gap.

What to expect

At Ryan’s, expect a proper live band rather than a solo act or backing track, in a bar that leans into its history and its outdoor seating rather than a polished club setting. Matt the Millers is the bigger operation of the two, a four-floor bar built around live music and DJs, and its Sunday slot is part of a nightly trad and contemporary programme that runs most of the week rather than a one-off. Neither venue publishes a fixed lineup far in advance, so the acts on any given Sunday are usually confirmed closer to the date on the venues’ own social media.

Getting there

Ryan’s Bar is at 3 Friary Street, and Matt the Millers is at 1 John Street, both within a few minutes’ walk of each other in Kilkenny city centre and close to the train and bus stations. There is no dedicated car park at either; the city’s pay-and-display car parks are the nearest option.

While you’re in Kilkenny

Both venues sit in the heart of the city’s pub and restaurant strip, so a Sunday night out pairs easily with dinner beforehand or a stroll past the castle. There is more to see in Kilkenny and across Co. Kilkenny.

Good to know

• Recurring: every Sunday night
• Ryan’s Bar, 3 Friary Street: live band from 8pm, open until 11pm on Sundays
• Matt the Millers, 1 John Street: traditional Irish music from 6pm, part of its Sunday-Thursday programme
• No cover charge advertised at either venue