Crane Bar

This pub is exactly what you picture when you think of Ireland. Our friends who have been living in Galway the past few years recommended it and it was my most favorite pub from the trip.
We were lucky enough to be there on St. Patrick’s Day and to see how the locals celebrate it. The pub, which children can enter, is more of a «homey» feel. Musicians play, sitting on small stools, while people drink and laugh around the fireplaces which are everywhere in Ireland.
I loved the atmosphere here & there are bars both up and down stairs. We sat upstairs to listen to the music and I could have stayed for hours. If you are ever visiting, stop by here for sure.
We ordered Bulmers Cider & Guinness, both so great!

This is definitely a locals kind of bar. The group that plays traditional music here was amazing. The place had kind of an enchanting feel for a pub. Beware– no credit cards accepted!

A bit off the beaten path of Tig Coili and Taafes, Crane Bar offers a chance at finding a stool to sit on next to a table where you can rest your Guinness while enjoying some free live music. Yes, every night of the week they have live music (like most places in Galway, which is really the charm of this city over places like Dublin), usually around 9:30 pm onwards until when the bar shuts down around midnight. The music varies each night depending upon who is playing, but it’s always good and often played by regulars – including some guy who travels weekly just to go play there from a land far far away. (If I knew Ireland better, I’d tell you the city, but it did not stick in my head, and the way the Irish pronounce things always leaves me baffled. I think I’ve pronounced almost everything wrong here!) Anyway, the music is awesome, and yet it’s possible to have a conversation – either by venturing to the other floor where the musicians aren’t playing or simply by talking closely with people around you (as the music is loud enough such that it really isn’t «rude» to the musicians). Also, like with the other places in Galway, the Guinness is under € 5 (some places, it’s € 3, but those places are a bit of a walk) and you get a full, overflowing pint (yes, let it settle and then be filled to the brim and then suck up that foam!). And, the Guinness tastes different than in the US (better). So, enjoy!
Bottom line: If I ever return to Galway, it will likely be purely for this bar and its music.

One of the best bars in Galway. You will leave here feeling like a local.
The trad music here is mesmerizing!

Came here after being told there was «traditional Irish music» and turned out to be my least favorite of the 9 or so pubs we ventured into over the course of three days. The music was not what I expected. Went up stairs and reminded me of a hipster café with folks crammed into corners. The patrons weren’t very lively as they were mostly all locals over the age of 55 with about 90% of them being male. Any poor woman who walked through the pub was immediately gazed upon like a mythical unicorn by all the elderly pervs. All in all boring place and not nearly as friendly as the many other pubs close by. Female bartender in her 20’s needs to go. Angrier than me if you can believe that… ha ha!

I didn’t go to any other pubs because I was so enchanted with this place the first time I went. Great music and atmosphere. Very relaxed and friendly.

This is the spot to take in good trad music in Galway. Unpretentious and as un-​touristy as Galway can provide. Session on a Monday started around 10ish

I am SO glad that I made it out to this place. It’s definitely a «dive» but they pour a nice pint of Guinness. Though, the Traditional («Trad») music is what lured me here. As you may or may not already know, Trad music is typically played in a «session» as it is not a performance. Meaning, there is no stage. Musicians just take up space in a nearby booth/​bench and random people join the jam session as the night progresses. It’s pretty spectacular and definitely a place I recommend in checking out.

Favorite Night pub!!! Locals drop in to jam on a nightly basis. Heard about this place from another USA couple we talked with at Sonny’s. They said that this pub is a must NOT miss pub. So, not to seem rude. we did our drop in! We dropped in for a pint and stayed for the night! Wanted to go again, but the next day was off to Dublin. I will be back here and that’s for sure! That night I was lucky enough to get there about 11 musician’s dropped in for local fun, the upstairs was packed and I loved it!

This is the best pub we visited in Ireland. It’s a little off the main path and over the river so you won’t run into too many tourists. We never would have found this place without the help of a musician we met at another pub nearby. This is a place where traditional irish music is alive and well. The place was packed with people there for good tunes and storytelling. We met a lot of locals and everyone was very friendly. The night we went we were the ONLY non locals and had a truly magical experience. When an older gentleman got up to sing the entire bar got quiet. He played guitar and sang «And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda» and many people had a tear in their eye. His music was so beautiful and sad. This man with twinkling eyes was one of the best storytellers I have ever seen. (That’s saying a lot coming from a theatre person!)
He then did a reciation of a poem about acid rain and cows and clouds. He walked all throughout the bar, even opened up a door and yelled a few lines out. He was engaging and entertaining.
THIS is the place to go in Galway for a truly remarkable evening. (We were there on a Thursday night) This is the place to sip a pint and listen to the remarkable stories around you. Please don’t go if you are looking for a rowdy time, this is not the place. There was also another performance going on upstairs, we were in the downstairs area.

It seems to me that the Crane is a great place where there is music — and there is *great* music, both trad and well-​know folkies and blues. But it reverts to much more of a local bar on weeknights — the sort of place where everyone looks up when you come in, as if you’ve interrupted something.
Upstairs and downstairs are pretty small; when there’s music on expect to be packed in. Which adds to the ambiance.

I’m a little late in writing this, having spent a month in Galway back in March. The Crane was my go-​to place many evenings for some great trad music and a great pint of Guinness. Friendly, music-​loving staff, comfortable space, and a music-​loving clientele. Brought my bodhran and my voice several nights and joined in with the music-​making, and felt very welcome doing both.

Boy, do they pack ‘em in here! We wandered all over looking for trad (traditional Irish music) and finally we found it here. Though we had to squeeze in and sweat through the performance (it was hot as an oven!). A couple of the players are paid, the rest join in to jam. The music was wonderful. Wish there had been a little more room to get comfortable and really soak it all in!

Great Trad, good people, decent priced. Went over Christmas when school wasn’t in session — so I don’t know if it’s full of college kids.
There were probably 8 guys playing traditional music, and it was really fun. There’s also an upstairs bar that features music. The night we were there, a solo female singer/​songwriter was playing. the sound was good, intimate and fun.
The bartenders seem like good people, and the regulars were friendly drunks (in a way, only Irish can be).
when I go back, I’ll definitely go here again.

So irish! If you want to have an irish traditional pub experience, go there on saturday night :) Music is great and you can enjoy it around a pint of Bulmers or Guiness…

Nice local bar. We missed the music though so can’t fully rate.

You’ll hear some brilliant trad in here. It’s squarely oldschool; a nice dark bet up pub, the type of place that unites brilliant musicians and chronic alcoholics.
The serious session is Sunday afternoon.
Chunes and quality Guinness, what more do you want?

Your basic old style Irish pub, filled with nice people, traditional Irish music (think concertina, banjo, violin, flute), and inexpensive prices on good beer. That’s the Crane.

I have to agree with Jessie down below. This place is great for Traditional music and a laid back scene where you want to just throw back some pints and listen to some good tunes. We came here just about every night we were in Galway– My brother brought his guitar and jumped right in on the music. Everyone was so friendly and it was cool to see a mix of young and old making music. One night, a local came in — His name was Stephen I believe– he had the most amazing voice.
There is an upstairs and a downstairs– I only spent time upstairs but can comment that both floors are pretty tiny so you’re not always guaranteed a spot

Definitely the best spot in Galway. Very personal, fabulous music, and good beer! My favorite night ever was when almost 5 separate groups of people, young and old, joined together to play some trad. Each let the other do a solo or two, even some sean nos was done. It was amazing seeing all the generations connecting over music. Plus, the music didn’t suck! This is truly one of the best bars in the world, in my opinion!