Of all the memories the beautiful city of Dublin has given me in such a short amount of time, one specific place will stay with me just a little longer. Whelan’s pub holds a special place in my heart for all of the amazing events and memories it has given me throughout my two weeks in Dublin.
Located on Wexford St., a hub for nightlife in Dublin, Whelan’s offers a variety of events that don’t only center around drinking, usually free of charge. The first of these events was stumbled upon by accident. While looking for something to do for the night, Whelan’s was decided upon due to the fact that it would be hosting traditional Irish music played live for the public for free. Hearing this, a group of us quickly got ready and began our journey to Whelan’s. Before I left for Dublin, one of the few things my parents wanted me to send them a video of was traditional Irish music and dancing. I can say I accomplished one of these goals, as the traditional Irish band played amazing music for a crowd in one of the many cozy rooms at Whelan’s. It was so much fun to be surrounded by locals and other people visiting Ireland while listening to such good music in such a cool environment. It was also extremely entertaining to see drunk Irishmen attempt Irish dancing. Although they arguably weren’t the best dancers, watching them brought us, as well as everyone else in the pub so much joy.
If music isn’t your thing, Whelan’s also offers comedy shows every Monday night. I have never been to a comedy show before, but going in I knew one thing: don’t sit in the front row. So, we did exactly that. This may not have been the best idea, being that we were the only Americans in the crowd. Even through being attacked and targeted throughout the whole show for our country’s politics and stereotypes, it was such a great experience and something I will remember for a very long time.
Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed about Whelan’s was the reputation and people it holds. Walking through the hallways of the pub, posters for numerous bands and artists line the walls. From Ed Sheeran to Mumford & Sons to Jeff Buckley, so many notable concerts have been held in this Dublin pub. The staff and people in general at Whelan’s are for the most part extremely friendly, and I learned some fun facts about the pub through these interactions. For example, I learned that Whelan’s is the filming location for a scene in P.S I Love You and this simple fact draws in large amounts of tourists every year. Whelan’s draws in people from a multitude of different countries as well, which makes it such a fun place to talk to and get to know other people.. You never know what kind of crowd will be there on a given night, and that’s one thing I love about it.
Finally, Whelan’s is also the home of the famously and highly revered silent disco. Discovered by accident as we loitered around the downstairs area after the comedy show, the silent disco is held at Whelan’s every Monday night in the upstairs area. As we waited around after the comedy show ended we were surprised to see a massive crowd of teenagers rushing into Whelan’s all at once. Curious, we asked the bartender what is drawing in the crowds, and he informed us that the silent disco was about to begin upstairs. We excitedly rushed upstairs to find one of the most interesting, but fun scenes I have experienced. If anyone is unfamiliar with the concept of a silent disco, it is basically just a dance, but instead of the music played through speakers, everybody has a pair of headphones on, which provides the music. When you’re wearing the headphones, the experience seems completely normal as everyone is just dancing to the music. However, if you remove your headphones, you will see just how odd it truly looks to an outsider. Seeing a large group of mostly teenagers, dancing with what seems like no music playing, singing and or screaming randomly, is an odd sight, but so much fun to be a part of.
Whelan’s has given me so many memories and experiences in such a short amount of time and I know that when I come back to Dublin, I will have to make a stop back to visit such a special place.