Any Irish dancing around Dublin city would a visit?

irishbran77

It's great to see so many pubs and venues having trad music sessions but are there many locations that have live dancing sets for visitors in Dublin city? A friend from abroad would love to see some dancing but for the life of me I can't seem to find any events for her.

Any help will be appreciated!

neil_hosey

Theres a place on the north keys between ormond key and bachelors walk that do shows. Apparrently its supposed to be pretty good. Ive never gone myself though. Its the hotel that used to have the tigers outside...

Rithim

Dan the piper in conjunction with the Oliver st John Gogartys pub in temple bar ran a Trad session during the day where Traditional Irish music was played and Irish dancing was performed at various intervals.The idea was that people would come in and listen to the music and craic and learn how to do a few of the dances(with professional dancers).

It worked really well,but was hard to get a crowd in.Give the pub a ring they might be doing it again.

neil_hosey

Gogarty's is a sham of a place.. charging over 6.50 for apint of guiness thats brewed a few hundred yards away is disgraceful i dont care what anyone says...

They rip off tourists day in day out. If anyone ever asks me where to go now, i just say not gogartys. Wouldnt want to give that greedy shower another cent tbh.

/rant

Boxman

The place on the quays is the Arlington. They have another place on Lord Edward Street (between Dame street and Christchurch) which is basically the same thing - cheesy dancing shows, danced to backing tracks, with half interested dancers (doing all the contrived hand movements - sorry personal hate..) etc..all done between tunes and songs performed by musicians -some good - some awful - doing their bread and butter gigs - strictly for the tourists.
Now they might be worth a quick look in, cause they are popular enough with the tourists but why not head down to O'Shea's Merchant on Merchant Quay.
There is set dancing there in the bar on Mondays and Wednesdays. Monday has a free class from 8pm until 10pm. Then its normal sets.
Its from 10pm onwards on Wednesday.
There is another set dancing class there on a Tuesday in the restaurant part -prob not on till September though. Think its 6euro for that one.
There's usually a mix of locals, tourists and people in for the music/dancing. Non dancers are usually invited up towards the end of the evening to dance Maggie in the Woods -simple and a bit of craic.
I wouldn't recommend any other night there.
If it's an off night there you can bring her across the road to the Brazen head which usually has a sing song going on (quality varies, but they have a good pint)

O'Shea's other hotel on Gardiner/Talbot street has set dancing on a Thursday in the bar.

The Cobblestone in smithfield has set dancing out the back one of the nights but I can't remember which one - there's also step dancing classes and sean nos classes done there but not in the bar. I dont know if you can watch or just drop in for one single class - give them a buzz.

I would avoid Gogarty's, it's a complete rip off.

Famous45

Fitzsimons bar in Temble Bar is usually a good place to start. Pretty sure they got it there most if not every night of the week.

Boxman

Famous45 wrote: »

Fitzsimons bar in Temble Bar is usually a good place to start. Pretty sure they got it there most if not every night of the week.

Fitzsimons used to but not anymore.

Famous45

Ah okay. Thanks.

Barranca

Aras Chronain in Clondalkin has a great set dancing class on a Friday evening from 8-10, then a session with live music and very casual set dancing. It is great fun, very lively and very suitable for beginners or visitors who would like to experience set dancing for an evening. There is also a class on Tuesdays upstairs in the Glenside Bar in Churchtown, again very casual and often attended by visitors on a once-off basis, but no session afterwards, class from 8 till 10

flanum

I think OP just wanted to see some irish dancing for some visitors...not lessons etc... so im afraid temple bar be the place to be if your a visitor lookin for a quick blast of dancin! (albeit sterilised etc etc..).

Barranca

Good fun to join in. Otherwise Clondalkin from about 9.45 onwards after the class would be a good option, or there are ceilis every Saturday night in Dublin. Check out Setdancing news. No problem about going along to have a drink and watch the dancing.

starfish12

would agree wholeheartly on the not gogartys front, actually joined boards.ie to complain about their manager on arthurs day, have never been spoken to so badly in my life, an absolute disgrace DO NOT GO THERE

lotdpd

the merryplough boy pub on edmonstown road out near rathfarnaham have a great show with dancers in it, dinner music and show, dancers not to bad either might be worth a trip out