Tribute 2 Festival

Six bands, eleven and a quarter hours of live music, and a Saturday in July to fill - Tribute 2 Festival at McKenna’s Bar is aimed squarely at anyone who grew up on AC/DC, Metallica, or the Ramones and wants a full day of it without the price tag of a major festival. The line-up mixes Ireland’s best tribute acts with an original punk band and a genuinely unusual folk-reggae hybrid, so even people who turn up for the metal will find something unexpected by late afternoon.

What to expect

Doors open at 11:30am and music runs from 12:30pm until 11:45pm, giving six acts room to breathe across the day. The bill covers a lot of ground:

• EZ/DC bring Ireland’s premier AC/DC tribute - expect the full high-voltage set
• Master of Pulpits are billed as Ireland’s No. 1 Metallica tribute
• The ShaMones handle the Ramones end of things, also Ireland’s premier act in that slot
• Special Brew deliver a ska tribute set
• The Gakk play original punk music
• Sean Roots & The RockSteady Folk close things out with a blend of Irish folk and Jamaican reggae that sounds unlikely but tends to work on a crowd already warmed up by everything that came before

McKenna’s Bar on Dublin Street has been a live music venue in Monaghan town since 1936. The venue runs two distinct spaces - a traditional bar downstairs and an upstairs room used for performances - and has an outdoor area with heated canopies, which suits a long summer day like this. The organisers describe it as “an epic day filled with good vibes, live tunes, and great company,” which is about right for the format.

Tickets are available through Eventbrite. Refunds are available up to seven days before the event.

Getting there

Monaghan town is roughly 130km north-west of Dublin, about 90 minutes by road on the N2/N12 via Castleblayney. From Belfast it is around 80km south, about an hour on the A1/N1. Bus Éireann runs services to Monaghan from Dublin (route 30X) and from surrounding towns. The town is compact and McKenna’s is on Dublin Street, the main approach road from the south, so it is straightforward to find on foot from the bus station or any town-centre car park.

Parking is available in several surface car parks within a short walk of Dublin Street. Given the event runs until nearly midnight, a designated driver or pre-booked taxi is worth sorting in advance.

While you’re in Monaghan

Monaghan town is a market town with a good few pubs, a cathedral, and the Monaghan County Museum - one of the better regional museums in Ulster. If you are coming from a distance, an overnight stay makes the late finish much easier to manage. There is more to see in Monaghan and across Co. Monaghan.

Good to know

• Date: Saturday 18 July 2026
• Doors: 11:30am; music from 12:30pm to 11:45pm
• Venue: McKenna’s Bar & Venue, 62 Dublin Street, Monaghan, H18 HD92
• Tickets: Available on Eventbrite
• Refunds: Up to 7 days before the event
• Organiser: Tribute 2 Festival Promotions