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| | Entertainment Venues | |
| | | Murphy’s Laughter Lounge | | | Address: Eden Quay , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 1 800 266 339 from within Ireland/00 353 1 878 3003 from outside Ireland |
| | Opening Hours: Shows 9.30pm Thur-Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | Since its opening in December 1997, the Murphy’s Laughter Lounge has established itself as a great comedy venue: not just in Dublin, but also internationally. Each line-up of four comics plays for three nights, from Thursday to Saturday, so there’s plenty of opportunity to catch the high-quality acts offered at the club. The acts are split 50-50 between home-grown talent and international guests, mainly from Britain, and usually feature at least one big name. It’s more intimate than its capacity of 400 would indicate, and the atmosphere is usually jovial and friendly. Tickets are also available from Ticketmaster at HMV (65 Grafton Street; 456 9569) and the Dublin Tourism Centre. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | The Comedy Cellar at the International Bar | | | Address: 23 Wicklow Street, Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 677 9250 |
| | Opening Hours: Shows 9pm Wed, Thur. |
| | Time Out Review: | | Wednesday’s Comedy Cellar and Thursday’s Murphy’s International Comedy Club offer a rather more generic – but just as funny – selection of stand-ups, most of them Irish. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Temple Theatre | | | Address: St George’s, Temple Street, Dublin, Dublin 1. | | Tel: 874 5425 |
| | Opening Hours: 9pm-2am Fri-Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | Despite its location away from the hub of the city centre, the Temple Theatre manages to attract large crowds by simply giving them what they want. The frequent visits from guest DJs are geared towards the house generation, and its Starsky & Hutch ’70s night, complete with the inimitable Antonio Fargas himself, makes the best use of this wonderful space. It’s worth a visit just to enjoy the energy of its main dance area and the smoochy ambience of its downstairs chambers. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Olympia Theatre | | | Address: 74 Dame Street , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 677 7744/677 7124 |
| | Opening Hours: Music evening shows 7pm; midnight shows 11pm. |
| | Time Out Review: | | Late-night gigs began at the Olympia in 1987, and since then everyone from The Orb to Hole has played here. The venue now hosts early-evening gigs, generally for more established acts, but after midnight anything goes. It’s a beautiful theatre in the style of an old-fashioned dance hall: for some concerts, the seats downstairs are removed for dancers. This can be handy when the ’70s highlight of the week, Brutus Gold’s Love Train, steamrolls into Dublin on a Saturday night. The sound system is state-of-the-art, the views from all around are pretty good and there are bars on all three floors, with a late licence for gigs. This is one of the city’s best venues: even the bouncers are mellow. |
| | Transport links: DART Tara Street/all cross-city buses. |
| | Mother Redcap’s Tavern | | | Address: 40-48 Back Lane , Dublin, Dublin 8. | | Tel: 453 8306 |
| | Opening Hours: 10.30am-11pm Mon-Thur; 10.30am-12.30am Fri, Sat; 12.30pm-11pm Sun. Music 10pm Fri, Sat; 12.30pm Sun. |
| | Time Out Review: | | A lively, modern pub in the Christchurch area. Friday and Saturday evenings offer mainly covers acts so you can scream out the words of your favourite Beatles tracks. If you don’t have any, head back on weeknights and Sundays for unplugged trad and folk sessions. |
| | Transport links: Bus 50, 78A. |
| | O’Shea’s Merchant | | | Address: 12 Bridge Street Lower , Dublin, Dublin 8. | | Tel: 679 3797 |
| | Opening Hours: 10.30am-12.30am daily. Music 9pm daily. |
| | Time Out Review: | | A large pub and restaurant featuring live trad music and set-dancing every night. |
| | Transport links: Bus 50, 78A. |
| | Civic Theatre | | | Address: Tallaght Town Centre , Dublin, Dublin 24. | | Tel: 462 7477 |
| | Opening Hours: Box office 10am-6pm Mon-Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | This new 350-seater was built with EU structural funds, and though it’s a little off the theatrical beaten track, the bright, lavish, state-of-the art space – which also includes a studio space plus a restaurant and bar – should attract sizeable audiences if the proposed line-up is anything to go by. The Civic offers a mix of works by established and new playwrights, as well as selections by important companies based outside Dublin who rarely get much of a run here before departing for England or America. |
| | Transport links: Bus 49, 49A, 50, 54A, 56A, 65, 65B, 77, 77A. |
| | Crypt Arts Centre | | | Address: Dublin Castle, Dame Street , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 671 3387 |
| | Opening Hours: Box office 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 1pm-5pm Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | The Crypt is worth a visit for its location alone: in Dublin Castle, the former centre of the British colonial administration. The theatre is in the old church crypt, and has all the atmosphere one would expect from such a historical spot. It’s used by many of Dublin’s younger companies, and is well-liked for its intimate size and elegant appearance. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Gaiety | | | Address: South King Street , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 677 1717 |
| | Opening Hours: Box office 11am-7pm Mon-Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | The Gaiety’s ornate auditorium and foyer mean it’s worth visiting simply to take in the ambience. Unfortunately, underneath the lavish decoration lurks a grotty hole, and the building needs a serious amount of money spend on it. But in the meantime, the theatre continues to host all manner of entertainment, from classic Irish plays and West End shows to concerts and variety acts, plus pantomime and opera. Eclecticism is the watchword here. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Project Arts Centre | | | Address: 39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 1850 260 027 box office/679 6622 administration |
| | Opening Hours: Box office 10am-5pm Mon-Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | The Project, a centre for dance, drama, poetry readings and all other performing arts, began life more than 30 years ago as a visual arts project in the foyer of the Gate. As it’s a regular venue for Dublin’s most energetic, exuberant and likeable young companies, you’re assured of a quality show. As this guide went to press, the original building on this site was being torn down and rebuilt by Shay Cleary, the architect of Temple Bar’s Arthouse. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Website: www.project.ie |
| | Nightlife | |
| | | Velvet | | | Address: Harcourt Hotel, Harcourt Street, Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 478 3677 |
| | Opening Hours: 11pm-2.30am Tue-Sun. |
| | Time Out Review: | | Breaking the hotel disco mould, Velvet is already making a name for itself among Dublin’s cluberati. Jelly on Wednesdays bring you top dance tunes from Dublin’s best DJs, and the popular Gorgeous on Saturday nights unashamedly courts the more glamorous clubbers. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Gaiety Theatre | | | Address: South King Street, Dublin, Dublin 2 . | | Tel: 677 1717 |
| | Opening Hours: 11.30pm-2.30am Thur-Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | The weekend events at the Gaiety manage to combine a bit of everything: live jazz, soul and salsa in the large bar area, dance-oriented tracks played by the DJs upstairs, and retro ’60s and ’70s tunes in the basement. The door policy is very relaxed and, as the crowd is as eclectic as the entertainment, you can dress up or down as you please without having to worry about feeling out of place. Thursday’s fine Planet Reggae offers a mix of ragga and dub. Be warned, though: drinks are expensive at almost £4 for a spirit and mixer and £3 for a pint. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | The Kitchen | | | Address: East Essex Street , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 677 6635 |
| | Opening Hours: 11.30pm-2.30am daily. |
| | Time Out Review: | | The basement of the Clarence Hotel, U2’s joint which opened in 1994, is still one of the most popular clubs in Dublin, with a faithful clientele attending their favourite weekly events. The door policy is fairly relaxed, though larger groups are usually restricted. Whatever the theme, The Kitchen does it well: from its hammed up Disko night on Mondays to Saturday’s Fever, when big house tunes attract a more glamorous crowd. The maze-like space creates an intimate atmosphere without being claustrophobic, and due to its superstar ownership, you never know who might be hiding around a corner. |
| | Transport links: Bus 12, 16, 16A, 65. |
| | Lillie’s Bordello | | | Address: Adam Court, Grafton Street , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 679 9204 |
| | Opening Hours: 11pm-2.30am daily. |
| | Time Out Review: | | If you want a stress-free night in Dublin, give Lillie’s a wide berth. You have to be ‘somebody’ to get in, and once inside, there remain many reserved areas to negotiate. Ironically, the crowd seem to be mostly hairdressers who think they’re VIPs, when they’re actually more like the cast of VIP, Pamela Anderson’s post-Baywatch project. Himbos meet bimbos with disastrous results, and if there are any celebs there, they’re safely tucked away in one of the reserved suites being bored to death by Dublin’s self-appointed ‘elite’. The staff are curiously precious, and though the music can be good, everyone’s far too worried about striking a pose to really let their hair down. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Mono | | | Address: 26 Wexford Street, Dublin, Dublin 2 . | | Tel: 475 8555 |
| | Opening Hours: Upstairs 10pm-2.30am Wed-Sat; downstairs 5pm-2am daily. |
| | Time Out Review: | | An upbeat, spacious venue with one of the best selections of live music and clubbing events. Each floor hosts a separate gig, so you won’t be able to mix and match. Regular nights include Skywalker on a Monday, where you can enjoy indie favourites for a snip, and Saturday’s eclectic Rock ’n’ Roll Rescue Squad, which mixes punk and rock classics with up-to-the-minute dance tunes. A lively atmosphere and a fun lovin’ crowd are guaranteed. |
| | Transport links: Bus 51, 61, 62, 83. |
| | Red Box | | | Address: Harcourt Street, Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 478 0225 |
| | Opening Hours: 10pm-2.30am Thur-Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | Red Box boasts the biggest dancefloor in the city centre, so you can freak out to your heart’s content. The design means that an explosive atmosphere is guaranteed, especially on nights when big-name guests such as Sasha visit: keep an eye out for special events. Powderbubble is the monthly gay and lesbian extravaganza, while Lovetrain on a Friday night is a hot disco revival nights, its stage dancers enhancing that groovy vibe. Bring your dancing shoes. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Renards | | | Address: 23-25 Frederick Street South , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 677 5876 |
| | Opening Hours: 11pm-3am daily. |
| | Time Out Review: | | A good spot to mix a bit of glam with some happy house. The door policy can be unnecessarily strict, so go in small-ish groups and dress up. Thursday’s Groove Tube mixes soul, funk and dancefloor jazz with some Cuban beats, and is well suited to the intimate atmosphere of this compact club. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Ri Ra | | | Address: Dame Court, Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 677 4835 |
| | Opening Hours: 11.30pm-2.30am daily. |
| | Time Out Review: | | Reliable but never dull, Ri Ra remains perhaps the city’s best club, mainly because of its uniquely Dublin vibe. Regulars can chat and mingle in the upstairs Globe bar as they listen to the funky tunes spun by the resident DJs, while visitors are welcomed by the friendly staff. The door policy is fair but efficient – check for the widely available flyers – and drinks aren’t too pricey. Strictly Handbag, on a Monday, remains the best of the city’s ’80s revival nights and attracts an enthusiastic crowd who come clad in their fave style from the last decade. For those of you with a more serious interest in dance, Rumble on a Friday night and Swirl on a Saturday combine garage, US house, drum ’n’ bass and deep techno. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Temple Bar Music Centre | | | Address: Curved Street, Temple Bar , Dublin, Dublin 2. | | Tel: 670 9202 |
| | Opening Hours: 9pm-2.30am daily. |
| | Time Out Review: | | A prime location – in the heart of Temple Bar – and a roster featuring some of the city’s most imaginative gigs make this one of Dublin’s best new venues. Tribute bands – such as the imaginatively named Joy Division Tribute Band and Flash, a tribute to Queen – and revival nights draw a relaxed crowd, though indie, soul and dance lovers are also well catered for. The ubiquitous monthly flyers give a full rundown of events. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
| | Temple Theatre | | | Address: St George’s, Temple Street , Dublin, Dublin 1. | | Tel: 874 5425 |
| | Opening Hours: 9pm-2am Fri-Sat. |
| | Time Out Review: | | Despite its location away from the hub of the city centre, the Temple Theatre manages to attract large crowds by simply giving them what they want. The frequent visits from guest DJs are geared towards the house generation, and its Starsky & Hutch ’70s night, complete with the inimitable Antonio Fargas himself, makes the best use of this wonderful space. It’s worth a visit just to enjoy the energy of its main dance area and the smoochy ambience of its downstairs chambers. |
| | Transport links: All cross-city buses. |
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