Dublin is one of the most happening places in the world. Most nights the city's pubs and clubs overflow with young cell phone-toting Dubliners and Europeans who descend on the capital for weekend getaways. The city's 900-plus pubs are its main source of entertainment; many public houses in the city center have live music -- from rock to jazz to traditional Irish.
Theater has always been taken seriously in the city that was home to O'Casey, Synge, Yeats, and Beckett. Today Dublin has eight major theaters that reproduce the Irish "classics," and newer fare from the likes of Martin Macdonagh and Conon Macpherson. At long last, the Gaiety Theatre has given long-overlooked opera a home in Dublin.
Check the following newspapers for informative listings: the Irish Times publishes a daily guide to what's happening in Dublin and in the rest of the country, and has complete film and theater schedules. The Evening Herald lists theaters, cinemas, and pubs with live entertainment. In Dublin and the Big Issue are weekly guides to all film, theater, and musical events around the city. You'll find the Event Guide, a weekly free paper that lists music, cinema, theater, art shows, and dance clubs, in pubs and cafés around the city. In peak season, consult the free Bord Fáilte leaflet "Events of the Week."
Dubliners have always enjoyed a night out, but in the last decade or so they have turned the pleasure into a work of art. The city has undergone a major nightlife revolution and now, for better or worse, bears more than a passing resemblance to Europe's nightclub hotspot, London. Internationally known dance clubs, where style and swagger rule, have replaced the old-fashioned discos, once the only alternative for late-night entertainment. The streets of the city center, once hushed after the pubs had closed, are the scene of what appears to be a never-ending party -- you're as likely to find crowds at 2 AM on a Wednesday as you are at the same time on a Saturday.
In another trend, some of Dublin's old classic pubs -- arguably some of the finest watering holes in the world -- have been "reinvented" as popular spots, with modern interiors and designer drinks to attract a younger, upwardly mobile crowd. Beware Dublin Tourism's "Official Dublin Pub Guide 2002," which has a tendency to recommenced many of these bland spots. Despite the changes, however, the traditional pub has steadfastly clung to its role as the primary center of Dublin's social life. The city has nearly 1,000 pubs ("licensed tabernacles," writer Flann O'Brien calls them). And while the vision of elderly men enjoying a chin wag over a creamy pint of stout has become something of a rarity, there are still plenty of places where you can enjoy a quiet drink and a chat. Last drinks are called as late as 12:30 AM Monday to Saturday and 11 PM on Sunday; some city-center pubs even have extended opening hours from Thursday through Saturday and don't serve last drinks until 1:45 AM.
A word of warning: although most pubs and clubs are extremely safe, the lads can get lively -- public drunkenness is very much a part of Dublin's nightlife. In an effort to keep potential trouble at bay, bouncers and security men maintain a visible presence in all clubs and many pubs around the city. At the end of the night, the city center is full of young people trying to get home, which makes for extremely long lines at taxi stands and late-night bus stops, especially on weekends. The combination of drunkenness and impatience can sometimes lead to trouble, so act cautiously. If you need late-night transportation, try to arrange it with your hotel before you go out.
