The George, Dublin

Last updated

The George
Thegeorge.jpg
The George, Dublin
General information
AddressGeorge's Street
Town or city Dublin
Country Ireland
Coordinates 53°20′37″N6°15′53″W / 53.343747°N 6.264655°W / 53.343747; -6.264655
OpenedMay 1985;38 years ago (1985-05)
Website
thegeorge.ie

The George is a LGBTQ bar [1] and nightclub on South Great George's Street in the city centre of Dublin, Ireland.

Contents

It is one of Ireland's oldest and biggest gay bars and is regarded as the best known gay bar in the city. South Great George's Street has historically been a popular location for gay men in Dublin. [2]

History

The George, Dublin The George, Dublin close.JPG
The George, Dublin

Opened in 1985, The George began as a gay-owned venture, [3] eight years before homosexuality was legalised in Ireland. It was subsequently purchased by the group of bars and clubs owned by the Capital Bars Group and today it is owned by the Mercantile Entertainment Group who own several venues around the city including the popular music venue, Whelans.

Originally a traditional pub on the corner of George's Street,[ citation needed ] The George was purchased by Cyril O'Brien who loved the atmosphere of the bar but wasn’t quite so sure about the décor and thought the place could do with a revamp. [3] In 1984 the area above the pub was transformed into a gay disco bar called ‘The Loft’, with the downstairs pub remaining as a straight venue. In May 1985 the venue expanded downstairs to the area now known as 'Bridie's Bar', [4] at which point the overall venue became known as The George. Eventually, The George became a dedicated gay bar.[ citation needed ]

It was only the second bar in the city to be owned by a gay proprietor and to be opened specifically as a gay bar; the other was ‘The Viking’ on Dame Street. [3] [5] Prior to this point, the city had multiple 'gay friendly' bars, however these venues did not openly trade as gay bars or advertise for LGBTQ clientele. [6] [7]

The George provided a safe space where gay people could socialise with their friends without fear and prejudice. Through the years, the bar continued to grow in popularity and post decriminalisation in 1993 there was an explosion of numbers onto the gay scene and for the first time The George expanded. In 1998, The George extended again into the building next door, which had originally been an Indian restaurant. [8]

For many years it was the only large gay venue in the city,[ dubious – discuss ] however the improved economy and liberalisation of Irish attitudes to homosexuality in the 1990s resulted in a diversification of the Dublin gay scene. This somewhat reduced the club's prominence, although it is still a central fixture of gay nightlife in the city. It retains an iconic status in spite of competition from newer gay venues, such as Pantibar on Capel Street and formerly The Dragon, also on South Great George's Street and The Front Lounge on Parliament Street, with both closing as gay venues since 2015.

The original and smallest part of The George, referred to as 'Bridie's Bar', is a quiet bar frequented by an older crowd. Next door, the club venue extends over two floors and regularly stages popular drag shows as well as personal appearances by Irish and international acts. It is also home to some of Ireland's best-known drag queens such as Shirley Temple Bar, Veda Beaux Reves, Davina Devine, Mizza and Dolly Grip as well as a host of other drag acts. The venue boasts a drag act 'almost' every night apart from Fridays when the crowd are entertained by gogo-style dancers.

In June 2008, on the evening of the Dublin's LGBTQ Pride festival, a hoax caller said he planted a bomb at the venue. The Gardaí evacuated the venue at 11pm until the all clear was given 90 minutes later. The festivities then resumed to normal. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gay bar</span> Drinking establishment catered to LGBT clientele

A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBTQ+ communities.

The International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival is a theatrical event held annually in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, during the first two weeks of May. The 19th festival will be held from 2–15 May 2022. Over 50% of the festival's content comes from outside Ireland. The Festival has included productions from countries as diverse as Poland, Germany, Zimbabwe, France, Spain, Australia, South Africa, Venezuela and Canada as well as strong representation from the UK, Ireland and the United States. Festival 2016 saw the 3,500th performance of a Festival production since 2004.

<i>Gay Community News</i> (Dublin) LGBT community magazine based in Dublin

Gay Community News (GCN) is Ireland's longest-running free LGBTQ+ publication and press; it is based in Dublin, and founded in 1988. It has been referred to as the "paper of record" for the Irish LGBTQ+ community.

Mr Gay Ireland is an annual contest for gay men, with regional heats held in gay venues around Ireland, with a grand final held in late October. In previous years the final has been held in The George, Dublin. The current title holder is Max Krzyzanowski. Max won the title of Mr. Gay Ireland 2010 and went on to win the title of Mr Gay World 2010.

LGBTQ+ life on the island of Ireland is made up of persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or otherwise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin Pride</span> Annual LGBTQ+ event in Dublin, Ireland

The Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride Festival is an annual series of events which celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) life in Dublin, Ireland. It is the largest LGBTQ+ pride festival on the island of Ireland. The festival culminates in a pride parade which is held annually on the last Saturday in June. The event has grown from a one-day event in 1974 to a ten-day festival celebrating LGBT culture in Ireland with an expanded arts, social and cultural content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Liverpool</span>

The LGBT community in Liverpool, England is one of the largest in the United Kingdom and has a recorded history since the 18th century. Many historic LGBT firsts and pioneering moments in the LGBT rights movement either took place in Liverpool or were achieved by citizens of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Portland, Oregon</span>

LGBT culture in Portland, Oregon is an important part of Pacific Northwest culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in New York City</span>

New York City has been described as the gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ sociopolitical ecosystem, and is home to one of the world's largest LGBTQ populations and the most prominent. Brian Silverman, the author of Frommer's New York City from $90 a Day, wrote the city has "one of the world's largest, loudest, and most powerful LGBT communities", and "Gay and lesbian culture is as much a part of New York's basic identity as yellow cabs, high-rise buildings, and Broadway theatre". LGBT travel guide Queer in the World states, "The fabulosity of Gay New York is unrivaled on Earth, and queer culture seeps into every corner of its five boroughs". LGBT advocate and entertainer Madonna stated metaphorically, "Anyways, not only is New York City the best place in the world because of the queer people here. Let me tell you something, if you can make it here, then you must be queer."

LGBT culture in Leeds, England, involves an active community of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender/transsexual. A BBC News Online article published in 2012 stated that, while Leeds City Council has not published statistics relating to the number of LGBT residents, the figure can be estimated at 10% of the overall population, which currently suggests a total of at least 77,000. The tenth year of the Leeds Pride march and celebration, held in 2016, was attended by over 40,000 people.

This is a timeline of notable events in the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community in Manchester.

The National LGBTQ Wall of Honor is an American memorial wall in Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan, New York City, dedicated to LGBTQ "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes". The wall is located inside of the Stonewall Inn and is a part of the Stonewall National Monument, the first U.S. National Monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history. The first fifty nominees were announced in June 2019, and the wall was unveiled on June 27, 2019, as a part of the Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019 events. Each year five additional names will be added.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Great George's Street</span> Street in central Dublin, Ireland

South Great George's Street is a street in south-central Dublin, Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Therapy (New York City)</span> Defunct gay bar and nightclub in Manhattan, New York, U.S.

Therapy was a two-story gay bar and nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It hosted frequent drag shows, some of which featured performers who later rose to prominence on RuPaul's Drag Race. The venue was a favorite Monday-night stop for Broadway actors, who sometimes participated in the club's shows. Like other New York City nightlife establishments, Therapy was ordered to close temporarily in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July of that year, the venue's owner announced that it was unlikely to reopen, citing financial troubles. Therapy's atmosphere, drink selection, food and entertainment have generally received positive remarks from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Industry Bar</span> Gay bar and nightclub in Manhattan, New York City

Industry Bar, or simply Industry, is a gay bar and nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Owned by Bob Pontarelli, it is a sister establishment to Barracuda, a gay bar, and Elmo, a restaurant. Industry opened in 2010 and caters primarily to a crowd of young gay men and tourists. Its musical selection is mostly pop, and its live entertainment consists of a number of weekly drag shows, many of which are hosted by internationally recognized drag queens. New York City nightlife journalists frequently note Industry as one of the top gay venues in Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBT community</span> Impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ+ community

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted inequities experienced by marginalized populations, and has had a significant impact on the LGBT community. Gay pride events were cancelled or postponed worldwide. More than 220 gay pride celebrations around the world were canceled or postponed in 2020, and in response a Global Pride event was hosted online. LGBTQ+ people also tend to be more likely to have pre-existing health conditions, such as asthma, HIV/AIDS, cancer, or obesity, that would worsen their chances of survival if they became infected with COVID-19. They are also more likely to smoke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise (nightclub)</span> Gay nightclub in Asbury Park, New Jersey

Paradise is a gay nightclub in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It is known for its fundraisers and drag shows, most notable of which is the annual Miss Paradise pageant. The club is integrated with the Empress Hotel; both are owned by record producer Shep Pettibone. Paradise's 1999 opening is credited as one factor that improved Asbury Park's struggling economy and drew the LGBT community back to the city after a period of local unrest. The venue is a popular Jersey Shore destination in the summer, and it has received praise for its welcoming atmosphere. After several months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Paradise reopened its outdoor pool and bar area in summer 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DTM (nightclub)</span> Gay nightclub in Helsinki, Finland

DTM is an LGBT nightclub in Helsinki, Finland. Founded in 1992, it was once the largest gay club in Northern Europe. The venue was initially situated in Helsinki's Kamppi neighborhood, having since relocated twice: first, to Iso Roobertinkatu in Punavuori in 2003, and second, to Mannerheimintie in Kluuvi in 2012. Popular with gay men, DTM also caters to a straight and lesbian customer base. The club's playlists contain primarily pop songs, dance music, techno and Finnish hits, with live entertainment often taking the form of drag shows. Through an agreement with UK-based promoter Klub Kids, DTM hosted visiting performers from RuPaul's Drag Race from January 2019 to early 2020, when the Mannerheimintie venue closed.

There is an active LGBT community in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Junior Larkin, also known by his stage name Kylie O'Reilly, was an Irish drag queen and gay rights activist.

References

  1. ↑ "Best Gay Nightclub Dublin | Dublin's Best Gay Bar | LGBTQ Nightclub". The George. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  2. ↑ "UVF had no need of British collusion for Dublin and Monaghan atrocities". Sunday Independent. Retrieved on 8 April 2007. "The Garda report found that the man was a 'homosexualist' and was in Dublin because he liked to frequent establishments in South Great George's Street popular with gay men at the time".
  3. 1 2 3 "The queen of gay bars turns 25". The Irish Times. 16 April 2023. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Dunne, Peter (10 April 2019). "The history of Bridie's Bar: One of Dublin's first openly gay bars". GCN (Gay Community News). Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Casey, Jane (18 September 2015). "By George, Time Flies! : An Oral History Of The George". GCN. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Martin, Kevin (1 May 2016). Have Ye No Homes To Go To?. Gill & Macmillan Ltd. ISBN   978-1-84889-582-9.
  7. ↑ "Rice's and Bartley Dunne's: Dublin's first gay-friendly bars". Come Here To Me!. 6 October 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  8. ↑ http://www.thegeorge.ie website
  9. ↑ O'Keeffe, Alan (23 June 2008). "Pub bomb scare mars city's huge Gay Pride festivities". Dublin: Evening Herald. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.