Enjoying Traditional Music Sessions in Orkney Pubs

By Understanding Tides and Weather Before Island Trips
Comments 35
26 Jun 2026

Enjoying Traditional Music Sessions in Orkney Pubs

Orkney is a place where traditional music is something you walk into rather than buy a ticket for. In pubs across the islands, a fiddle case propped against a stool or an accordion resting on a windowsill is often the first hint that a session is about to begin. These are informal, unrehearsed gatherings — a handful of local players swapping tunes while the rest of the room listens, drinks and joins in the chorus of a song. For anyone staying in an Orkney guest house, an evening of this is usually only a short walk away, and it is one of the most honest introductions to island life you will get.

Why Orkney's Pub Sessions Are Worth Planning Around

Orkney has a deep musical tradition that sits closer to everyday life than to the concert stage. Tunes have been passed on by ear for generations, and many local players learned their first reel at a family gathering, a school music group or a winter dance in a community hall. That everyday quality is exactly what makes the pub sessions so appealing.

In summer, when visitors swell the population, sessions can be busy and lively, with a mix of visitors and locals in the audience. In winter, they tend to be smaller, warmer and quieter — sometimes just four or five players around a table, working through tunes for their own enjoyment. Both versions are worth seeking out. The winter ones, in particular, are the reason many Orcadians will tell you that a dark January night is the best time to hear music here.

What You'll Actually Hear

The line-up varies from night to night, but certain instruments turn up again and again.

Fiddle — usually the backbone of the session, carrying the melody and setting the pace.
Accordion — button or piano, adding weight and rhythm to the tune sets.
Guitar — steady chordal backing rather than showy lead playing.
Extras — whistle, flute, mandolin, banjo, bodhrán, double bass, and a pub piano if one is still in tune.

Expect reels, jigs, strathspeys, marches, waltzes and the occasional slow air, often played in sets of two or three tunes without a pause. Some melodies are well known across Scotland and Ireland; others were written locally and may never have been published. You will also hear songs — some in Scots, some in Orcadian dialect, and a fair few about fishing, farming, whaling or leaving home. Nothing is amplified. The sound is whatever the room and the instruments can manage, which is part of the charm.

Session Etiquette: Simple Rules That Go a Long Way

Musicians are almost always pleased to have an attentive audience, but a session is not a concert and it is not a singalong. A little care goes a long way.

Listen properly. Keep conversation low while tunes are playing, and avoid sitting directly alongside the players if you plan to chat.
Buy a drink. You are in a pub, and the session depends on the goodwill of the house. Order food before the music starts if you want to eat.
Do not join in uninvited. If you play, wait to be asked. Turning up with an instrument and expecting a seat in the circle rarely goes down well.
Ask before recording. A quiet photograph is usually fine; holding up a phone for a long video is not.
Offer a round. It is a friendly gesture, not an obligation, and it is very much in keeping with the mood of the night.
Applaud at the end of a set, not between every tune.

Finding a Session and Getting There

Sessions are rarely advertised in glossy listings, so the best approach is to ask. Guest house owners, bar staff and shopkeepers usually know exactly which night each pub hosts music, and they will tell you honestly whether a session is thriving or has quietly faded away. Regular nights tend to start between 8pm and 9pm and can run well past midnight, particularly at weekends.

Kirkwall and Stromness are the easiest bases, with the largest concentration of pubs and the shortest walks home. If you are travelling further out — to Westray, Sanday, Rousay, Hoy or Stronsay — music tends to appear around community events rather than on a fixed weekly schedule, so check with your accommodation before you book ferries. In May, the islands host a well-established folk festival, and many pubs put on extra music around it. Ferries between the isles occasionally fall foul of the weather, so build a little slack into any plan that involves an evening crossing.

Practical Points for a Good Night Out

Most sessions take place in small bars with limited space, so arrive early if you want a seat. Roads outside the main towns are narrow, often single-track, unlit and shared with sheep, and taxis are few — if you are staying somewhere rural, book your return journey in advance or simply stay within walking distance of the pub. A small torch and a waterproof layer are sensible additions to any Orkney evening out, whatever the season.

Finally, treat the music as a gift rather than a performance. Say thank you to the players when the set finishes, ask about a tune you enjoyed, and you will often find yourself drawn into a conversation that lasts longer than the music did. That, more than any itinerary, is what makes an Orkney night out memorable — and it is the reason so many visitors end up planning a return trip before they have even caught the ferry home.

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5 Comments

Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply
- John Abraham says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
  
  I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
  Reply
  - Robert Sonnysays Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
    
    I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
    Reply
Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply

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