Parador Lodge

The session usually kicks off about 9.30 and ends at 1 am. The session has been going for many years, the 2 mainstays being Tom Clarke on pipes and Andy Dixon on fiddle. Numbers vary from week to week and after a lean spell running up to Xmas, numbers have really picked up. Expect a wide variety of tunes, usually played at a comfortable pace.

The Parador Hotel changed hands and no longer supports a session.

And has changed hands again. Now sessions are held on Tuesday nights. Starts at 9pm, regular musicians include, Breandan O Hare (flute), Barry Kerr (pipes), Tom Clarke (pipes), Andy Dickson (fiddle) and Anne Bailey on concertina. Nice relaxed tunes, but not particularily suited for beginners although all are made welcome. Very wide variety of tunes so bring your mini-disc!!

This session no longer operates.

It’s still active?

I called in and checked with the barman the other night, it is still going strong in the back bar, from 9pm on. I will call in myself and check it out - hopefully a forgiving enough crowd for a beginner such as I!

Range of players from beginners to accomplished
Nice relaxed,friendly session.Usually doesn’t get really going to after 9 but if you’re in earlier after 8 you can get a jam going with the early birds.

I agree with the comments of ‘Belfastred’.

I called in the other night. More than a dozen in attendance. Accordions, whistles, flutes, a banjo & a guitar, but no fiddles. Four bodhran players, which wasn’t an issue, as the music had a good volume to it.

As a fairly inexperienced beginner, I felt very comfortable to join in, and didn’t feel that I was spoiling the party.

A great little group, with some excellent players who don’t push it too hard. Also it was not full on jigs ‘n’ reels all the way. There were a few solo numbers and airs, a bit of variety, which I always like.

Afterwards some were heading to The Errigal, a few steps down the road, where there was a more high octane follow-on session.

Is this session still active? There was talk last time I was in town (August 2016) that it might be moving to a different venue.

Session still active every Tuesday at 8PM. My first session and they were very welcoming and it was a very comfortable session.

It starts at 2030 Tuesdays now - April 2022. I was there for the first time last Tuesday. I’ll be going regularly.

Now kicks off on Tuesdays shortly after 8PM. Friendly session with tunes played at a relatively relaxed pace.

Still going - https://whatsonni.com/event/49573-live-entertainment-at-the-parador-ormeau-road/parador-lodge.