Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [104]
Tripod (Map; 478 0025; www.pod.ie; 35 Harcourt St; admission €5-20; Mon-Sat) Launched in late 2006 on the site of former club PoD in the atmospheric old Harcourt Street station, Tripod now integrates three venues (geddit?): a state-of-the-art, 1300-capacity live rock and pop venue, a smaller dance club and the intimate live venue Crawdaddy.
Twisted Pepper (Map; 873 4800; www.bodytonicmusic.com; 54 Middle Abbey St; 8am-midnight Mon-Wed, 10-2.30am Thu-Sat) Dublin’s coolest new venue comes in four parts: the basement is where you can hear some of the best DJs in town, the stage is for live acts, the mezzanine is a secluded bar area above the stage and the cafe serves Irish breakfast all day. All run by the Bodytonic crew, one of the most exciting music and production crowds in town. What more could you want?
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GAY & LESBIAN DUBLIN
Dublin’s not a bad place to be gay. Most people in the city centre wouldn’t bat an eyelid at cross-dressing or public displays of affection between same-sex couples, but discretion is advised in the suburbs.
Information
Gay & Lesbian Garda Liaison Officer ( 666 9000) If you encounter any sort of trouble or harassment on the streets, don’t hesitate to call. (For sexual assaults, contact the Sexual Assault Unit, below.)
Gay Community News (www.gcn.ie) A useful nationwide news- and issues-based monthly paper. The glossy Q-Life and Free! are entertainment guides that can be found in Temple Bar businesses and the Irish Film Institute (opposite).
Gay Switchboard Dublin ( 872 1055; www.gayswitchboard.ie) A friendly and useful voluntary service that provides information ranging from where to find accommodation to legal issues.
Outhouse (Map; 873 4932; www.outhouse.ie; 105 Capel St) Top gay, lesbian and bisexual resource centre. Great stop-off point to see what’s on, check notice boards and meet people. It publishes the free Ireland’s Pink Pages, a directory of gay-centric services, which is also accessible on the website. They’re also good to call in case of trouble.
Sexual Assault Unit (Map; 666 6000) Call or visit the Garda Station on Pearse St.
Festivals & Events
Mardi Gras (www.dublinpride.org) Not the traditional feast that precedes the Catholic Lent but a week-long festival of theatre, performance, music, readings and – inevitably – a high-energy, colourful parade through the city centre for the city’s queers, dykes, bis and fetishists. Usually held the last week in June.
International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival ( 677 8511; www.gaytheatre.ie) Despite the unwieldy title, the only event of its kind anywhere in the world, with more than 30 gay- and lesbian-themed productions over two weeks in May.
Lesbian & Gay Film Festival ( 670 6377; www.irishculture.net/filmfestival) An international film and documentary festival held at the Irish Film Institute in August.
Drinking
Dragon (Map; 478 1590; 64-65 South Great George’s St) The latest addition to Dublin’s scene, this big disco-bar with colourful Asian decor, comfy booths and small dance floor attracts young pre-George revellers.
George (Map; 478 2983; 89 South Great George’s St) You can’t miss the bright-purple George, Temple Bar’s only overtly gay bar, which has a reputation for becoming ever more wild and wacky as the night progresses. At 6.30pm on Sunday it is packed for an enormously popular bingo night, while Thursday night is the Missing Link game show hosted by Annie Balls.
Front Lounge (Map; 670 4112; 33 Parliament St) A lavish lounge attracting a mixed upmarket clientele. Drag queen Panti runs the cabaret and karaoke night, Casting Couch, on Tuesday.
Panti Bar (Map; 874 0710; www.pantibar.com; 7-8 Capel St) The northside’s most outrageous gay bar is almost always packed – they come for the floor shows both on and off the stage. It’s open late Friday and Saturday.
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Village (Map; 475 8555; 26 Wexford St; www.thevillagevenue.com; admission €5-11; Thu-Sat) When the