LGBTQ+ guide to Dublin

Dublin’s oldest and biggest gay bar is The George, which has been serving the city’s LGBTQ+ community for over thirty years. Open seven nights a week with free entry Monday through Thursday, its biggest draw is Sunday’s Bingo with Shirley Temple Bar. Dublin’s longest running drag show draws a typically mixed crowd, as do most nights here such is the popularity of the venue.

Media captionLet your hair down with Dublin's best drag queens at The George.

North of the Liffey, LGBTQ+ activist and performer Panti Bliss (or 'The Queen of Ireland', to give her full title) presides over PantiBar on Capel Street. There’s more of a pub vibe here than at The George, but that doesn’t mean that things can’t get a little wild in here too, particularly at weekends. With plush interiors and a setlist playing everything from disco to indie, you might even catch a show by the legend herself if you’re lucky enough.

Media captionLight up the night at PantiBar.

For something a little more sedate, there’s Street 66 on Parliament St, which has really comfy oversized armchairs. The focus at this roots-influenced bar is on craft beer and spirits, including many of the independent gins now being distilled in Dublin.

Outside of the city’s late-night bars, most LGBTQ+ club nights in Dublin occur weekly or monthly, with dates and tickets usually advertised on social media.

Since launching in 2010, Mother has grown to become the most successful and popular date on the city’s queer nightlife calendar, garnering almost legendary status among lovers of electronic, synth and disco.

If you’re visiting Dublin during Pride, make sure not to miss the annual Mother Pride Block Party held on the historic grounds of the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks.

Media captionNot to be missed, the legendary Mother Block Party takes place in the National Museum of Ireland.

Media credit@babsdaly

Dublin’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride Festival has grown so big in recent years that it rivals St Patrick’s Festival as a city-wide party. June is Pride Month, but most of the festival takes place over five days and includes family-friendly celebrations, community zones, a huge parade and lots of music and food.

Ireland’s first LGBTQ+ film festival, GAZE celebrates the best in Irish and international queer cinema each summer with screenings, Q&As and workshops. TITE (Trans Image/Trans Experience) also brings trans and non-binary cinema to the Light House Cinema in the spring. 

Also worth checking out is the International Gay Theatre Festival, which usually takes place in May and features LGBTQ+ themed productions staged in theatres and smaller venues across the city.

Media captionThe city turns rainbow during Dublin Pride.

Media credit@sweetieangel__

A handful of LGBTQ+ groups run outdoor activities that take full advantage of Dublin’s lovely landscapes. The Out and About hiking group meets every Wednesday and Sunday for hikes around Dublin and the Wicklow Mountains. Hikes are usually split between faster and slower paced options to cater to all fitness levels; all walks finish with a drink in a local pub.

Out2Tennis, meanwhile, is Ireland’s gay tennis network, organising events and tournaments around the city. Although there are some pretty good players involved, the overall aim is to encourage members of the LGBTQ+ community to come together and play, regardless of their level.

Media captionPractice your serve with Out2Tennis, Ireland's gay tennis network.

Media credit@out2tennis

Embedded in Irish history are the stories of beloved LGBTQ+ figures who were among the first to fight the good fight. Visit the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks and follow the Rainbow Trail through Irish LGBTQ+ history. Admire artefacts linked to modern LGBTQ+ activists, like the dress Dr Panti Bliss wore during her moving 2014 "Noble Call" speech in the Abbey Theatre detailing her experience of homophobia. Or go back in time to the 1916 Rising and examine the iodine bottles of Kathleen Lynn, a suffragette and nationalist who served as Chief Medical Officer for the Irish Citizen Army during the rebellion.

At the National Gallery of Ireland, you can take an hour-long self-guided tour with the gallery's online guide, which weaves through work by LGBTQIA+ artists and considers the community's history in fine art. The National Library of Ireland also has the permanent online exhibition Living with Pride, which features over 2,000 photographs by architect and activist Christopher Robson, many recording Dublin Pride marches.

Media captionStop by the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks for a deep dive into LGBTQ+ history.

Community and events space Outhouse has all the information on LGBTQ+ Dublin you’ll need, as well as a good café and gallery.

The GCN is Ireland’s longest running free LGBTQ+ magazine and provides up to date listings, general information on Dublin’s LGBTQ+ scene & culture: it’s also available for free in various venues throughout the city.

A podcast about dismantling the stigma surrounding a HIV positive diagnosis may not sound like a barrel of laughs, but the Posvibe podcast delivers moving yet wickedly funny discussions with friends and allies that also offers a glimpse into the warmth and wit of the Irish. It’s co-presented by Veda Lady, one of the Dublin’s original and best drag queens.

The most comprehensive collection of material relating to LGBTQ+ history and literature in the country can be found at the National Library of Ireland.

Whatever time of year you visit, there's always something going on in Dublin, so check out more of the best events happening in the city this month.