For anyone that’s been the lucky enough to sample the celebrated hospitality that Ireland’s capital city is so famous for, it’s hard to believe that homosexuality was only decriminalized in Southern Ireland as recently as 1993.

The laws outlawing homosexual acts were passed by the UK parliament before Irish independence - and where very rarely enforced for consensual adults - but the battle to have them repealed was a long and arduous one which went all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.

The ensuing transformation of the gay scene saw it grow from small, underground and secretive to highly visible, popular and a fully integrated part of the city’s growing nightlife. The first gay Pride Parade in 1993 saw thousands of people taking to the streets and the mood was one of jubilation and celebration.

So Why Go
The vast majority of tourists who go to Dublin are always, of course, keen to take in some of the local nightlife which has become synonymous with the city, but Dublin also has a wealth of historic landmarks, enchanting architecture, museums, shopping and a grand literary heritage (being the birthplace of many authors and poets including Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw) to keep you busy.

The area around Temple Bar is home to the greatest concentration of bars in the city and should certainly not be missed, especially in the evenings, and makes a good point reference point from where to start your explorations.

However, you would be missing an integral part of the city’s charm if you limited yourself solely to this area as the city is full of cosy watering holes which make great places to stop off at and meet the locals in a city best explored on foot.

Dublin Castle and Trinity College
From the winding cobblestone streets, bars and tourists of Temple Bar it’s just a short walk to Dame Street where you’ll find a more upscale selection of restaurants and pubs but also Dublin Castle.

Initially founded by King John in 1204 as an administrative centre for the city, all that remains of original structure is the Norman tower. By the 17th century the castle contained law courts, parliament and official apartments. The splendid, gilded state apartments were added in the 18th century and are still used for state occasions to this day.

The castle also contains the amazing - and free - Chester Beatty Library which was awarded European Museum of the Year in 2002. This collection of ancient art includes artistic treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world including European, medieval and renaissance manuscripts, Turkish and Persian miniatures and striking Buddhist paintings.

Head west along Dame Street and on to College Green and you come to Trinity College, Irelands oldest university which counts Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Jonathan Swift among its former students. The 16th-century campus’ squares, manicured lawns and cobbled lanes make for a pleasant stroll and it also houses what is considered to be one of the oldest books in the world, the Book of Kells.

From Trinity College another short walk will bring you to Grafton Street, the city’s busiest and most upmarket shopping area. This is one of the city’s two main pedestrianised shopping districts, the other being Henry Street on the other side of the river, and is usually full of activity, buskers, shoppers and artists.

If the idea of fighting through the hordes of shoppers fills you with dread however then why not visit the National Museum of Ireland which can be found on Kildare Street between Trinity College and St. Stephen’s Green. This collection is the national repository for all archaeological objects found in Ireland and houses over 2,000,000 artefacts from 7000BC to the late medieval period.

Included in the collection is jewellery dating back to the 8th century BC and medieval antiquities such as the Tara Brooch and the Ardagh Chalice. Also housed here is the 12th-century Cross of Cong, an ornate reliquary of wood, bronze and silver, said to contain a fragment of the True Cross.

Church Zone
The city’s ‘church zone’ is located at the other end of Dame Street where Christ Church Cathedral, first founded in 600 by Strongbow, the first conqueror of Ireland, can be found. Ireland's largest church, St Patrick's Cathedral, is also just a few blocks away. Dating from the 12th century this is thought to be where St. Patrick was baptized and also contains the tomb of Jonathan Swift, who was dean of St. Patrick's from 1713-1745 during which time he penned Gulliver’s Travels. 

A little further west and you’ll find a temple of another kind, the Guinness Storehouse  at St James’s Gate. A tour of the factory is finished with a complimentary pint of the dark stuff itself at the Gravity Bar, where you can enjoy fantastic 360 degree views of the city.

Crossing north on one of the nine bridges spanning the River Liffey, which also dissects the city into north and south, making another handy reference point, you’ll find the city’s most political monument, the General Post Office on O’Connell Street. It is here that Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the Easter rising read the proclamation declaring a free Irish Republic on Easter Day in 1916.

This area also has a strong literary and historical identity and the surrounding streets are worth exploring as they contain some of the city’s earliest Georgian architecture. Also worth a visit is the Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane and the Dublin Writers’ Museum. Plus, for James Joyce aficionados, there’s also the James Joyce Centre.

To find out more about Dublin’s great literary heritage why not take a guided walking tour of the city. More information on these and other guided walking tours of the city can be found at the tourist information centre in the former St. Andrew's Church on Suffolk Street. The building is well worth a visit as this beautifully restored building retains its original character and charm as well as more information on the city’s attractions.

Gay Dublin
While Dublin may lack the number of gay venues found in other cities it more than makes up for this with the shear friendliness and sociability of the scene. It is impossible to be on your own for long here - unless you want to of course - as the Irish have a passion for conversation and will happily entertain visitors with their colourful conversation, it’s the national past-time after all!

The city also has the advantage that all of the venues are within a 10 minute walk of each other, being either located around the South Great George Street and Dame Street areas or across the river Liffey on Ormond Quay.

A typical gay night out in Dublin is likely to start with drinks at one of the gay ‘superpubs’, like the stylish Front Lounge on Parliament Street or the lively George on South Great George Street, which both lay on entertainments galore in fun and friendly surroundings.

If you haven’t picked up the low-down on the local scene after a few drinks then you should check that you really are in Dublin and make your way to The Dragon, Dublin’s newest and funkiest gay club and sister bar of The George.

Don’t be fooled by the Georgian façade and charming exterior which gives little indication of the extravagance of the interior, and what a treat it is. Spread over two floors with a handy mezzanine for checking out the dancefloor, the sumptuous red velvet, funky art work and chandeliers should get you in the mood for sampling the huge variety of cocktails, wines and beers on offer.

Gay Events
Gaze, Dublin's international lesbian and gay film festival takes place in the city annually in August, while Dublin's  Gay Pride Parade takes place on 21 June 2008. Plus, don't miss the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, now in it's 5th year, from 5-18 May 2008. This year the city also hosts the Bingham Cup, rugby's international gay rugby competition, which takes place from 12-16 June 2008.


Find out all the latest gay travel information by buying the brand new 2008 Spartacus International Gay Guide. Get it online and save some money to put towards the other Bruno Gmunder guides - Hotel and Restaurant Guide and Sauna Guide.

Watch the Bingham Cup 2008 Dublin video