Where Music, Community and Authentic Irish Hospitality Live On

Painting of old man outside traditional irish pub

Where the fire never went out.

At The Thatch, history isn’t preserved behind glass — it’s lived, breathed and shared every single night. This pre-famine pub has stood for generations as a meeting place for the community, a refuge for travellers, and a home for musicians who come to play, listen and belong in a traditional Irish pub.

Heart of the Story

While many of Ireland’s ‘old man’s bars’ have disappeared, The Thatch remains very much alive. Our thatched roof, low ceilings and old world bar still hold the stories of locals, boaters, anglers and motorhome travellers who’ve called in for “just one” and stayed for the night. It’s the kind of pub people mean when they talk about “the real Ireland” — simple, genuine, and full of heart. Bars like The Thatch are the beating heart or rural Ireland. Lets keep the heart beating.

Old photo of man doing Hay
Painting of old man in bar
Old poster of Ballyshannon Music Festival

A Home for Music

Music is part of the fabric here. Traditional Irish sessions light up the bar, with visiting musicians from around the country joining locals to share tunes, songs, stories, poetry and spoken word. Some nights are lively, some nights are gentle, but every session feels like you’ve stepped into something authentic and unscripted.

A Gathering Place

For locals, The Thatch has always been somewhere to catch up, celebrate milestones, meet friends, and share the ordinary moments that make up a life. For tourists, it’s a surprising find — a warm pub in the countryside where they’re welcomed like regulars.

Our Invitation

Whether you’re from down the road or passing through Carrick-on-Shannon, you’re welcome to sit in, slow down and be part of a place that still values community, conversation and a good tune played well.

Photo of men playing traditional Irish music in an irish pub
Photo of a man playing an accordian in a pub
A photo of two people playing musical instruments, a woman with a violin and a man with a flute, in a cozy indoor setting with drinks on a table.
Collection of photos framed on a wall