Nashville is the ‘go-to destination’ for Irish tourists this summer after direct flights launched

Our showbiz reporter took a trip to Tennessee to check out the buzzing honky-tonk venues awaiting Irish holidaymakers

Known as Music City and the home of country music, Nashville is set to be the go-to destination for Irish holidaymakers this season following last Saturday’s launch of direct flights by Aer Lingus from Dublin to the Tennessean hot spot.

The Sunday World hopped on board the inaugural flight and checked out the Tennessee capital’s buzzing honky-tonk venues along the Broadway entertainment strip.

I joined fans in some of the booze, food and music super-bars owned by iconic entertainers ranging from Garth Brooks and Luke Combs to Jon Bon Jovi and Justin Timberlake.

Garth’s honky-tonk located in the middle of the city’s Lower Broadway is named after one of his biggest hits, Friends In Low Places, and the focus of the sprawling bar over four floors is a massive stage with strategically positioned seating for fans to enjoy the live performances that run all day and into the early hours.

A statue of Garth greets visitors inside the door and elsewhere there’s a giant photo of the singer with his wife, singer and cook Trisha Yearwood, who has curated the food on offer. Garth and Trish’s bar is the biggest on the strip and even houses a Metro Nashville Police substation.

Rapper and singer Jelly Roll’s Goodnight Nashville is filled with photos of the star with his family and famous friends, plus nods to some of his most popular songs like Save Me. An entire floor is dedicated to his wife Bunnie XO, with a massive portrait of her hung over the bar.

Category 10 is Luke Combs’ multi-storey, multi-stage bar named after his breakout hit, Hurricane. It features music at every turn and on the menu are some of Luke’s favourite dishes.

With screaming electric guitars and a multi-tiered stage right by the front door, Jon Bon Jovi’s five-storey bar, JBJ’s Nashville, delivers a dramatic dose of rock ’n’ roll. Visitors can enjoy views of Broadway from two rooftop decks while sipping a Bad Medicine cocktail.

Miranda Lambert made history as the first female country star to open a bar on the strip. The top singer’s Casa Rosa boasts a Tex-Mex menu and sparkling pink décor. Grammy-winning performer, Yellowstone actor and Wrangler brand ambassador Lainey Wilson has reached a new career pinnacle with her own honky-tonk in Nashville.

The main room in Wilson’s bar features a life-size disco ball shaped like a pair of bell bottoms. A gallery wall showcases her fashion-forward style and the Cajun cuisine reflects Wilson’s Louisiana roots. The rooftop stage and dance floor has a 1970s Western theme.

Justin Timberlake’s emporium, Twelve Thirty Club, offers a multifaceted experience with live music, a supper club, private event rooms, a members-only lounge and a rooftop bar.

Adjacent to the Johnny Cash Museum, Johnny Cash’s bar and BBQ joint pays tribute to the Man in Black.

Kid Rock’s bar and restaurant tips the Stetson to the artist’s hard partying and country-meets-rock persona. The five-storey venue boasts four stages, six bars and rooftop views. The steakhouse features a signature 36-ounce tomahawk ribeye.

Jason Aldean’s establishment offers a large rooftop patio, multiple performance stages and, at the centre of it all, a John Deere tractor!

Luke’s 32 Bridge bar is named after Luke Bryan’s childhood home near Route 32 Bridge in Lee County, Georgia. This six-level complex has four stages and two rooftop patios with live music on three floors.

Blake Shelton’s venture with Opry owners Ryman Hospitality Properties offers live entertainment with Southern cuisine.

Known for its high-energy atmosphere and live DJ performances, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row is a multi-level venue with regular performances from live DJs.

Alan Jackson’s bar, AJ’s Good Time Bar, is steeped in Nashville country music history and located at one of Lower Broadway’s oldest buildings — a one-time Civil War hospital.

Morgan Wallen’s This Bar is a homage to all things Tennessee and the fans who have embraced him and his music. It has several levels filled with different bands, bars and food options.

The celebrity bars are a magnet for visitors, but my favourite was Robert’s Western World, an old school Nashville honky-tonk where you’ll enjoy traditional country music, reasonably priced drinks and their signature fried bologna sandwiches.