Located off of the livly Wexford Street, Whelan’s Pub offers tourists an insight to Ireland’s rich music culture. Known for being a live music pub, bands ranging from traditional Irish folk music to rock bands play in one of the many venues located within this pub almost every night. Hidden in an isolated bar, young artists are able to play their new songs on open mic nights in very intimate settling. It is here, in Whelan’s, where I felt the most immersed in the culture of Dublin.
On the first night I went to Whelan’s, it was the weekend and the pub was in the midst of a traditional Irish folk fest. On every stage, artists were playing their own interpretation of Irish music. We first went upstairs to listen to a women play the violin and sing soft songs about her family. The room was packed and we had to stand off to the side to be able to see the young woman perform. In contrast, there was an Irish band performing in the main venue in the pub. They were playing uplifting, traditional Irish tunes while drunk Irishmen danced with their friends. The room was filled with joy and Guinness as family and friends gathered around and listened to the music. We were clearly outsiders and the locals took notice. Random, friendly, and slightly aggressive older Irish men came up to my friends and tried to make us dance with him. Other men, which the pub mostly consisted of, asked us our thoughts on Ireland and some slightly personal questions about religion. This was the first time I saw local Irish citizens listen and dance to Irish folk music. It was this moment, in the dark room nestled in the back of a pub, where I knew Whelan’s was a special place.
On Mondays the pub host’s the Cherry Comedy event. Local comedians perform on a small, intimate stage upstairs for around fifty spectators. The comedians liked to interact with the audience and they were quick to spot that my friends and I were Americans. As a result, we became the butt of many jokes because we are young, blonde, American girls. Jokes about guns, Trump, and incest were commonly mentioned, but the most memorable joke was directed at me. The comedian was doing a bit on dogs and asked me if I had a dog and what its name is. I hesitantly responded “Duchess,” he promptly remarked “damn protestant, Canadian’s hit her with a car.” I was taken back. After the show, I thought a lot about this joke and the history that is behind the remark. The historical conflict and oppression of both catholics and protestants date back to the 12th century and has made a major mark on Ireland. Conflict still arises between these two groups and the past historical trauma evokes prejudges on people based off of religious beliefs. Overall, Whelan’s offered us an acumen into the life of Dubliners and gave us a place where we could feel at home with the locals.