Open Mic Night at The Source Arts Centre

If you play, sing, or just love watching live music in a room where the audience is genuinely on your side, the monthly open mic at The Source Arts Centre is a solid reason to be in Thurles on a Thursday evening. It suits performers at every level - someone playing their songs to a crowd for the first time, a guitarist road-testing new material, or a singer who simply wants to share something - and it suits people who just want a good night out with live music.

What to expect

A sign-up sheet goes up on the night; performers get a slot, play a few songs or pieces, and hand the stage on. Musicians, singers, and spoken word performers all share the space, and the crowd is a mix of fellow performers and supporters - a warm room rather than a tough one.

The Source Arts Centre is a proper venue: a 250-seat theatre with a bar that opens before evening events. For an open mic the setting is a step above a pub backroom. Genres are open - folk, trad, rock, pop, and acoustic songwriters all turn up depending on who signs in. All skill levels are welcome, and you can come without an instrument if you just want to listen.

Getting there

Thurles station is on the Dublin Heuston to Cork mainline - around 90 minutes from Dublin, a similar run from Cork - and the town centre is a short walk from the platform. By road, the M8 motorway runs nearby. Parking is free around the venue: The Source lists four car parks within a three-minute walk, including Liberty Square and the former Munster Hotel car park on Cathedral Street. The arts centre on Greenmount Street is easy to find once you are in town.

While you’re in Thurles

Thurles is a GAA town in the truest sense - the association was founded here in 1884 - and the town carries that history well. Holycross Abbey, a Cistercian monastery on the River Suir a few miles south, is worth an hour in daylight. There is more to see in Thurles and across Co. Tipperary.

Good to know

• Date: Thursday 2 July 2026, sign-up from 8:00pm
• Price: Free (or nominal entry on the night)
• Sign-up sheet on the door - arrive early if you want a slot
• All genres and skill levels welcome; bring an instrument or just listen
• Bar open from one hour before the event
• Wheelchair accessible; ring 0504 90204 in advance if you have access needs
• Check current listings at thesourceartscentre.ie