Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [525]
South Belfast
Eglantine (Map; 9038 1994; 32 Malone Rd) The ‘Eg’ is a local institution, and widely reckoned to be the best of Belfast’s student pubs. It serves good beer and good food, and there are DJs spinning most nights. Wicked Wednesday pulls in the crowds with an electric rodeo bull, bouncy boxing, sumo-wrestler suits and other fun; Tuesday is the big music and entertainment quiz night. Expect to see a few stag and hen parties stagger through at weekends.
Botanic Inn (Map; 9050 9740; 23-27 Malone Rd) The ‘Bot’ is the second pillar of Malone Rd’s unholy trinity of student pubs, along with the ‘Eg’ and the ‘Welly Park’ (Wellington Park). The latter has sadly been renovated into airport-departure-lounge anonymity, but the Bot is still a wild place, with dancing in the upstairs Top of the Bot club Wednesday to Saturday (people queue down the street to get in), live acoustic music in the Back Bar on Monday and Wednesday, and big-screen sport when there’s a match on.
Globe (Map; 9050 9848; 36 University Rd) This popular student pub seems to be the karaoke capital of Belfast, with sing-it-yourself sessions six nights a week; the pseudo-1970s decor goes well with the wild retro sessions on Monday nights. On Saturday afternoons sport is the order of the day with football or rugby blaring on half a dozen giant screens.
Molly’s Yard (Map; 9032 2600; 1 College Green Mews; closed Sun) This atmospheric restaurant-bar (see also Click here) is home to Northern Ireland’s first microbrewery, producing three varieties of real ale – Belfast Blonde (a continental-style lager), Molly’s Chocolate Stout and Headless Dog, a dark amber ale with a refreshingly hoppy and slightly flowery flavour.
Return to beginning of chapter
ENTERTAINMENT
The Belfast Welcome Centre issues Whatabout?, a free monthly guide to Belfast events, with pub, club and restaurant listings. The Thursday issue of the Belfast Telegraph has an Entertainment section with club, gig and cinema listings, as does the Scene section in Friday’s Irish News.
The Big List (www.thebiglist.co.uk) is a weekly freesheet, published on Wednesday, that covers pubs, clubs and music events all over Northern Ireland, although the emphasis is heavily on Belfast. The Belfast Beat (www.admanpublishing.com) is a free monthly guide listing what’s on where on Friday and Saturday. ArtsListings (www.culturenorthernireland.org) is another free monthly that covers the arts scene throughout the whole of Northern Ireland.
Clubbing
Club hours are generally 9pm to 3am, with no admittance after 1am; bouncers can be really picky about who they let in, especially if you’re under 21.
QUB Student Union (Map; 0870 241 0126; www.qubsu-ents.com; Mandela Hall, Queen’s Students Union, University Rd) The student union has various bars and music venues hosting club nights, live bands and stand-up comedy. The monthly Shine (www.shine.net, admission £10, first Saturday of the month) is one of the city’s best club nights with resident and guest DJs pumping out harder and heavier dance music than most of Belfast’s other clubs.
Stiff Kitten (Map; 9023 8700; www.thestiffkitten.com; Bankmore Sq, Dublin Rd; admission £10; 11am-1am Mon-Wed, to 2am Thu, to 2.30am Fri, to 3am Sat, to midnight Sun) If the student union is too grungy a venue for your tastes, head for the Stiff Kitten, a stylish bar and club under the same management as Shine. Same serious attitude to the music, but it’s distinctly glitzier, appealing to an over-25 crowd.
Rain (Map; 9032 7308; www.rainnightclub.co.uk; 10-14 Tomb St; admission £5/10 Sun-Fri/Sat; 9pm-3am) Set in a converted red-brick warehouse, the former Milk has had a stylish makeover and is now operating as a mainstream nightclub with DJs pumping out commercial music for a mixed, over-21s crowd.
La Lea (Map; 9023 0200; www.lalea.com; 43 Franklin St; admission £5; from 9pm Wed-Sat) Billed as Belfast’s most prestigious nightclub,