Nights I Remember

Aoife Byrne

@aoifebyrne_dub

8Items

By day I’m counting tablets; by night I’m counting guitar amps. These are the spots I actually end up in when the prescription is ‘loud, live and maybe a gin after’. It’s a mix of sweaty indie rooms, trad sessions, and seated gigs where you can pretend you’re civilised. All grand in their own way, all deadly with the right crowd.

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Nights I Remember — 8 items
Name	Neighborhood	Type	Typical music	Best time to go	Cover / tickets	My take	Drink to order	Address	City
1Whelan’s	Portobello / Wexford Street	Pub and live venue	Indie, rock, singer‑songwriters	Late evening, especially mid‑week for smaller gigs	Usually ticketed gigs; occasional free shows in the front bar	If I ever lose my hearing, it’ll be Whelan’s fault and I won’t complain once.	Gin and tonic, then a pint if the band is loud	25 Wexford Street, Dublin 2	Dublin
2The Cobblestone	Smithfield / Stoneybatter side	Trad pub with back‑room venue	Irish traditional sessions, folk	Early evening for a seat, later if you like a crush with your reels	Front‑bar sessions free; back‑room gigs usually ticketed	The only waiting room I don’t mind is the one between tunes in here.	A pint of stout—anything else feels wrong	77 King Street North, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 TP22	Dublin
3The Workman’s Club	Quays / Temple Bar edge	Multi‑room bar and venue	Indie, alt, club nights, the odd nostalgia banger	Late Friday or Saturday when every floor has different chaos	Ticketed gigs; some club nights with modest door charge	Feels like three separate nights out stacked on top of each other—grand if you’re indecisive.	Gin and slimline, then water if you find the rooftop	10 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2, D02 VX36	Dublin
4The Grand Social	Northside quays / Liffey Street	Pub with upstairs venue and terrace	Indie, electronic, alt, tribute nights	Weekend nights when the terrace is buzzing	Mostly ticketed gigs; some club nights with small entry	Handy spot where you can see a band, then stare at the Ha’penny Bridge wondering where your last bus went.	Whatever gin special they’re doing, it’s usually grand	35 Liffey Street Lower, North City, Dublin 1, D01 C3N0	Dublin
5The Button Factory	Temple Bar	Dedicated live music venue	Touring bands, electronic, hip‑hop, club nights	Doors time for a good spot near the front	Ticketed gigs and club nights	Temple Bar prices, yes, but once the lights go down you could be anywhere—deadly sound when it’s full.	A quick G&T—this is about the stage, not the cocktails	2 Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 RD26	Dublin
6The Sugar Club	Leeson Street / Saint Kevin’s	Seated club venue and bar	Soul, funk, jazz, album playbacks, eclectic bits	Evening shows where you can actually sit and sip	Ticketed events; prices vary with the act	Perfect for the nights you want ‘grown‑up’ vibes but still end up dancing in your chair.	Something gin‑based—cocktails are half the fun here	8 Leeson Street Lower, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2, D02 ET97	Dublin
7Vicar Street	The Liberties / Thomas Street	Mid‑size concert and comedy venue	Big Irish acts, touring bands, plus a lot of comedy	Weekend nights; arrive a bit early for the bar chat	All shows ticketed; book ahead for popular acts	Feels just the right size—big enough for a buzz, small enough you can still see the whites of the drummer’s eyes.	Pint at the bar before you shuffle to your seat	58 Thomas Street, Dublin 8, D08 TC6D	Dublin
8National Concert Hall	Earlsfort Terrace / city centre	Concert hall and cultural institution	Classical, orchestral, contemporary, film scores, jazz	Evening performances; Sunday matinees if you’re feeling wholesome	Ticketed; ranges from affordable recitals to big‑night prices	On nights I pretend to be sophisticated, this is where I go—then I’m back in Whelan’s the next evening to balance it out.	Pre‑concert G&T or a very sensible glass of wine	Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 N527	Dublin