As with the other Dublin guide, I have turned this page over to somone better qualified to offer a list of the best Dublin has to offer gay and lesbian visitors.

As capital city and largest urban centre on the island, Dublin has always attracted gay men and women looking for both the anonymity, and exposure, that a big city provides. In fact, Dublin has more gay men and women per capita than San Francisco. With one of the highest youth populations in the European Union, coupled with the (now diminishing) "Tiger" economy, the city seems to be ever-expanding both physically and culturally.

There has been a huge change in the make-up of the city's (and Ireland's) population in the last decade. Refugees, foreign workers and students, returning emigrees and tourists have all contributed to a new diversity and vibrancy on the streets. Unfortunately, this change has also exposed the potential hypocrisy, intolerance and even bigotry of the native Irish population. So it's worth bearing this in mind when considering attitudes towards the gay community.

That said, there has been a great amount of change in recent years, notably the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the introduction of equality legislation in 1993, the lowering of the age of consent to match that of heterosexuals and the wider availability of condoms.

The gay "scene"/community seems to be coming of age and expanding beyond the limited confines of pubs and clubs, sometimes even merging with the mainstream. In latte-sipping millennial Dublin it could even be said that a GBF (Gay Best Friend ) is the most coveted of accessories (a drag artist even hosts the weekly Lotto draw on Ireland's national broadcaster RTE).

Leaving the George on a Saturday night, wandering down South William Street or through Temple Bar, it might seem that the entire city is queer (or at least queer-friendly). But don't be too fooled by this feeling: keep in mind Dublin's potential intolerance and bigotry (and name-calling!), and remember that under the veneer of the cosmopolitan tiger society lies the old and often dangerous city that Dublin, and Ireland as a whole, has always been for gay men and women.

But enough of that. With the following listing, I hope to show that the possibilities of gay life in the city extend far beyond pubbing and clubbing. From gay hiking to gay Christian groups to gay naturists, it's all here.

For general links to Dublin's gay community, try Outhouse, or the Gay Community News. Finally, there's Gay Ireland.com for nationwide info and links.

Dublin Gay Accommodation Guide

Dublin Gay Pub & Club Guide

Although there are few specifically gay venues in the city, there are a growing number of gay nights in mainstream pubs and clubs. A hopeful and somewhat enlightened trend is the emergence of a more mixed type of club (see Spirit), where both gay and straight come for a good night out.

Cafés & Restaurants

Societies, support & activities

Media

Saunas

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© 2002 Jonathan Turton
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