2 Best Performing Arts Venues in County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands, Ireland

The sleepy town of Miltown Malbay has woken up every July since 1973 to the sound of harps, tin whistles, and uilleann pipes. The weeklong Willie Clancy Summer School, named after the legendary piper, is the largest of its kind in Ireland, with 135 daily workshops and a full program of recitals, concerts, and dances open to the public. 

During the first weekend in May, the scenic harbor village of Kinvara hosts the hugely popular three-day traditional music festival, Fleadh na gCuach (the Cuckoo Fleadh), attracting musicians from far and wide.