Nightlife in Waterford in 80s,90s, early 2000s

Motivator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120028299#Comment_120028299

Ruby’s was messy, but it was a great spot. Hard to believe the queues used to be around the corner and it was a €10 cover charge, €15 on bank holidays. Oxegen was a kip you’re dead right, but what it did do was take all of the scumbags out of Ruby’s and Muldoons. Harvey’s was never a place I liked all that much, but it was another option at least and was a decent alternative on the odd Saturday night.

Compare those days to what we have available now. Factory or whatever it’s called is an awful kip, the layout is awful. Sinnots as well is a desperate place, no life in it at all. That’s basically it. The Reg is only ok and in the spilling rain it’s not really an option for a walk down and the back up again for food. The Kazbar was a great spot but you literally can’t move in there these days but it’s definitely the best option available at the moment.

Whatever about the clubs/late bars from years ago, there were some great pubs in town. Egans, the Old Stand, T&H Doolans and Ulysses. All of which were packed on a Saturday night. There used to be a great atmosphere around the town on a weekend but it’s just not there anymore. People in their 20th and 30s just don’t go to pubs any more. Years ago, you were in the pub for 7 o clock then slowly make a move down towards Ruby’s and it wouldn’t be uncommon to hit 4 or 5 different pubs over the course of a Saturday night before rolling into Ruby’s Lounge for a quick drink before going upstairs. The town just isn’t the same any more. I turned 40 a few months back and the good old days seem to be gone longer than they were around.

gameoverdude

Ruby's. Some memories. Remember getting a mooch off a young one with a microdot on her tongue...kinda.

91wx763

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120025229#Comment_120025229

Thank you for that backhanded compliment 2 years since the last post !!! Where's your reaction to the previous posts to mine telling it how it was/is regarding Geoffs ? You might love it but I think you need take the rose tinters off and just at least be realistic.

Oscar Madison

I'm fairly realistic '91 To say that I'm over qualified in realism would be putting it mildly!

I've had enough of reality! What I need is one of those guys from the Matrix with a pill!

I can't remember if it was a red/blue pill that the guy took! I'm not advocating the use of drugs either!!!

Plenty of pubs in town if Geoff's doesn't suit you. I only went in to the Hub for a pint on Sunday last

& I will go back again for one. Not a premises that I would have frequented either!

Happy Christmas '91.

Hodger

One place I haven,t seen mentioned is The Forum. Was a great night spot for many years enjoyed many great nights there; I used to like DJ Louie nights and the smash hits 90s nights. Also had many great tribute acts throughout the years; on St Stephens night used to be great there they had downstairs lounge open the main upstairs room and the small room open too; could venture around the big venue. Still such a shame it closed during the last recession.

Always liked The Forum too.

friendlyfun

Calvin Harris played at the forum in 2010.

Hodger

The Metroland was another night spot; granted I was never in there was the Metroland was there before I came of age to go to nightclubs. But how good or bad was the Metroland in its day? why did the Metroland close in the end?

Motivator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120035303#Comment_120035303

I hated the forum. Full of Geoff’s heads on pills.

nomoedoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120037756#Comment_120037756

The Prodigy and Carl Cox played in The Metroland that’ll tell you how could it was!,not sure why it closed it.

Asdfgh2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038453#Comment_120038453

One word ‘Drugs’….😡

StringerBell

The Forum was a great spot, Traffik was one of my favourite "things in Waterford" and no matter where you were, or what you were doing when Killing in the name of hit at the end of the night you ended up on the floor jumping around like a lunatic.

The long trek up the hill and down then to what was then Skippers for a feed was a gruelling but rewarding one.

Smell the glove

There was a forum reunion night in electric avenue two nights ago.

Boooourns

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038453#Comment_120038453

Buses from Dublin and Cork would arrive for the dance nights, it was one of the best dance clubs in the country.

Asdfgh2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046042#Comment_120046042

‘Pull the other one’…….one of best dance clubs in the country….are you taking the piss..?

nomoedoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049867#Comment_120049867

The Metroland,Sir Henry’s ,Redbox were all the best clubs in Ireland back in the day.

Boooourns

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049867#Comment_120049867

Do you know anything about the Irish dance scene in the 90s?

Boooourns

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120050036#Comment_120050036

This. The Metroland was a huge draw in the day, place would be hopping at the height of the dance scene.

BBM77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049867#Comment_120049867

It's true. The Metroland was one of the best dance clubs in the country in the 90's. It got rave reviews, pardon the pun, in UK dance music magazines and The Prodigy even played there.

friendlyfun

norrises corner is now a steafast example of waterford culture and nightlife

Junior

I think I started going out in town in 91/92. What gave the place life is the fact you had different vibes happening in different pubs all of the time. So you could have rockers/metal/grunge heads in certain few pubs, you could have a rake of factory workers in another pub, and so on. I know one of my mates was that Prodigy gig in the Metroland, and I was at Carl Cox vs Atlantic Ocean down there. As others have said, there was a bit of innocence about the whole thing, no one was whipping out a camera phone when you fell on your arse, or taking a picture of you stalling the head off some burd. So what happened just happened, it was spontaneity.

You also had a hugely vibrant music scene, Breens was serious for music of a weekend, which came along with a hell of a lot of good irish bands at the time, The Stunning, The Frames, A House, Golden Horde, The Pale, Something Happens, Engine Alley, Whipping Boy, I could go on. If you didn't like a pub, there was plenty to choose from, and if you didn't even have a plan, you knew the lads from Norton drank in one Pub, the lads from Bausch were always in another pub, you'd always find someone out for a bit of craic.

Also you could get a taxi home out the country for 20 Punts, the equivalent taxi now costs me €50 and it's like I need to give up me first born to actually try get a taxi.

I can't stress enough the quality of pub that was around back then, the atmosphere, the selection.

Boooourns

Underworld also played at the Bridge.

greenspurs

Bobby McGees ..... the jukebox... up the little steps out the back... Playing Vitalogy and Nevermind all afternoon...

The Auld Rogue - always a visit in there.

Egans - Can remember watching an Old Firm match in there on one St Patricks day- twas mental.....

Into the shop Treacys on the quay for a flagon -

Peppermint grove - for a bit of karaoke :)

In to The Bridge then - "yere too drunk lads, walk around the block , and we might leave yee in " 🙄 😂 Then inside , waiting for the chicken+mashed spuds and rock hard peas ....

The Roxy - what a spot for music ... well, the rock bands anyway - i remember seeing a hypnotist in there too?!