28 Patrick Street, Listowel, Co. Kerry

Tel: (068) 21259 

mikethepies.com

Don’t be misled by the unassuming, though hardly subtle, green, white and gold façade of this homely small town pub; Mike the Pies has put out the welcome mat to some of Ireland’s most well known artists. Recent acts to have graced the stage and enjoyed the lively atmosphere include Ryan Sheridan, David Kitt and Hudson Taylor. With an ability to draw headliners of that calibre, it’s no surprise that Mike The Pies won the IMRO National Live Venue of the Year 2017 Award. The bar has been in the O’Connor family for over a century, but it was only in the past three years that the owners decided to focus their attention on live music, with a Frank & Walters gig getting the ball rolling. In summer 2016, RTE’s Joe Stack posed with a sign that read ‘I’d Rather Be In Mike The Pies’ while reporting from the Olympics, which started a trend amongst the venue’s customers – who now regularly send pictures from around the world bearing the same legend.