← All events
music · Saturday 25 July 2026 · 19:30 
The Kilkennys
At The Spirit Store · Georges Quay, Dundalk, Co. Louth, A91 NR79
At The Spirit Store · Georges Quay, Dundalk, Co. Louth, A91 NR79
If you want a night that ends with strangers linking arms and belting out The Wild Rover, The Kilkennys at The Spirit Store is the one to put in the diary. This Kilkenny four-piece have built a serious following on the live circuit across Ireland, the UK, the US and Europe, and their brand of high-energy Irish folk - big singalong choruses, tight arrangements, and a genuine rapport with a crowd - fills small venues fast. At 200-capacity, The Spirit Store is exactly the right room for them: close enough to feel every beat, loud enough that you forget yourself entirely.
The Kilkennys deal in the songs people already know and love - Galway Girl, The Wild Rover, and the kind of trad-inflected folk that goes from gentle to electric inside a verse. Live, they are known for turning a room quickly: the pace builds, the banter is easy, and by the second set there is rarely anyone standing still. The Spirit Store itself is a multi-award-winning venue on Georges Quay that has been one of Dundalk’s best-loved music spaces for years. The main room holds around 200; it is standing for shows like this, which means the energy from the stage reaches everyone. Doors typically open well before the 7:30 pm start, so arriving early is worth it both for position and for a drink at the bar.
Dundalk is on the main Dublin to Belfast rail corridor and Enterprise services stop here regularly - the journey from Dublin Connolly takes around an hour. By road, the M1 motorway runs directly to the town; exit at Junction 16 for the town centre and follow signs for the quays. Georges Quay is right on the waterfront. Street parking is available nearby in the evenings, and there are public car parks a short walk from the venue. The Spirit Store does not have its own car park, so building in a few extra minutes is sensible on a busy Saturday night.
Dundalk is a proper working town with a good pub scene and a port history that is still visible in the quayside buildings around the venue. A show at The Spirit Store is a natural anchor for an overnight trip. There is more to see in Dundalk and across Co. Louth.
Heading to The Spirit Store in Dundalk? Louth has plenty more to see. Read the Dundalk area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.