Ireland is famous the world over for the quality of its pubs and Dublin has a great nightlife based around this aspect of Irish culture. While this can be a lot of fun, I understand that it’s not for everyone. There are plenty of other things to do in Dublin, not involving alcohol.
Things to do in Dublin at night without alcohol. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the Irish nightlife without drinking. Here are a few of my favourites:
- Comedy Shows
- The Theatre
- Enjoy Some live Music
- Experience Irish Food
- A Ghost Tour
There are so many great ways of spending an evening in the city without having to go drinking. Read on to find out which of these activities best suits you.
Enjoying Dublin Without Drinking
Dublin city is a modern and vibrant European capital, as such it has plenty to offer both visitors and locals alike. While the Irish pub culture is famous around the world, and is well worth experiencing, it isn’t to everyone’s taste. Fortunately, that should not be an issue if you are looking for something to do during the evening. There are plenty of activities all over the city that you can thoroughly enjoy without having a drop of alcohol. Here I will go into a few of my favourites.
Comedy Shows
One of the things that people most notice on their stay here is the Irish sense of humour. It is something that we are proud of and there are countless examples of Irish actors and comedians going all over the world and making a name for themselves. If you want to see some of the best Irish comedians perform there are dozens of venues around the city where you will be able to enjoy them. If you want to see some of the bigger names, like Dara O’Brian, then larger venues like Vicar Street are worth checking out.
For more intimate venues, there are a couple of pubs that I like to go and enjoy some live comedy. I know that I said this was about how to enjoy yourself without alcohol, but pubs in Ireland are often just general social centres for the community and they can be great for seeing intimate live performances like comedy and music.
In Dublin there are a few places that you might want to check out. The International Bar is great for gigs by more established Irish comedians. Tickets are normally around €10 and you will be ale to see acts perform there every night of the week.
If you want to see some up and coming new performers, then there are a couple of other live shows that I think are great. Every Thursday night in the Chelsea Drug Store, the “Riff Raff” comedy show has a free comedy night, where you will be able to see some of the best new performers in the country. You won’t be charged any admission fee and you just pay at the end what you thought the performance was worth.
There will also be a free comedy show every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night in the Stag’s Head pub. It is the same deal as before, where you pay what you thought the performance was worth at the end of the show. Both performances will begin at 9pm, but you should arrive beforehand to ensure you get a seat.
If you want details on how to find these places, click HERE for my map of Dublin.
The Theatre
Ireland has produced some of the greatest literary minds in history. One of our greatest playwrights, Samuel Beckett, once said that all the greatest works of the English language, between the death of Shakespeare and Irish Independence, where created by Irishmen. I don’t think this is true, but I think that it’s a great line, one that was written by an Irish person. If you want to see some live performances of some of the greatest works of literature in their home of Ireland, then there are a few great places for you to check out.
The Olympia Theatre is popular among Dubliners and it often stages more accessible shows.
The Abby Theatre was founded by none other than W.B. Yeats! It has been associated with Irish nationalism and our native cultural revival for about a century.
The New Theatre is in the bohemian end of Templebar and has strong connections to the Irish Labour movement. Though the bookshop at the front of the theatre often has a political focus, the performances are usually excellent and will be harder to find in a bigger venue.
Enjoy Some Live Music
Another famous aspect of Irish culture is its music. Ireland has a deep musical tradition going back centuries. It has survived all sorts of calamities brought about during Irish history and even into the modern day. The music is still alive and well with Irish youth in this globalised and ever-changing world. Getting to see a little traditional music while you are here is something that many travellers have high on their list of things to do, and justifiably so.
For information on where to see live music in Dublin, please consult my guide on the subject.
Experience Irish Food
Traditionally food was always one of the weaker aspects of Irish culture. We have exported Irish bars all over the world and now it can be hard to avoid them, but there are hardly any Irish restaurants to be found. This is no longer the case. People who came to Ireland even as little as 10 years ago, marvel at the drastic improvements that Irish cuisine has seen. While produce grown or reared in Ireland has always been sought after for its high quality, it is only in the last decade that we have really started to full take advantage of what is on offer in Ireland
Today it is possible to find all sorts of world cuisine prepared with fresh, high-quality, Irish ingredients in Dublin. If you want to experience some of the latest craze with Mexican food or enjoy some spicy chicken wings, then there are countless options in the city. There are also many newer places that will offer customers new takes on traditional fare. Traditional meals like boxty or coddle, that Irish people never found too appealing in the past, have been transformed and are becoming popular once again.
For my advice on dining out in Dublin, check out my guide.
A Ghost Tour
Dublin is over a thousand years old, in that time it has seen all sorts of stuff. Most of the tours that you will find will cover the more historical aspects of the city’s past. They will talk about the battles and the celebrations around independence. They might even go into detail on some of the more recent historical events. But if you want to get a taste for some of the nastier and let’s face it, more interesting, side of Dublin’s history, then I must recommend a ghost tour.
There are a few that you can check out. Some of the walking tours will bring you around many of the historical sites at night and talk about murderers like Darkey Kelly or D’Ollager. But for my money the best of these ghost tours in Dublin is the Ghost Bus Tour. It meets near Trinity College at 7.30pm and goes all over the city. You will get out of the bus at different stops and learn about the two people that I mentioned above. There will also be a stop way out at Glasnevin cemetery, where there are more people buried than there are alive in Dublin today, with plenty of stories.
If you want more details on the Ghost Bus tour, then follow the link below to their booking page. If you follow that link, I will receive a commission (at no cost to you), which helps me keep this website up and running.
Related Questions
What can I do in Dublin today? There are plenty of things that you can do in Dublin today. If you want to learn more, you can find my full, free, guide to the city. It covers a two-day itinerary and gives you plenty of options for what to do with your time.
What can I do in Dublin for Free? Dublin is an expensive city, but there are still plenty of things that you can do without spending a single euro. If you want to learn more about this, then check out my guide for things to do in the city for free.
