The George

The George is Ireland's oldest and most iconic gay bar, a landmark on South Great George's Street, open since 1985, eight years before homosexuality was decriminalized in the country, and long the heart of LGBTQ+ Dublin. Painted its trademark purple, it's really two venues in one building: a relaxed original bar (Bridie's, nicknamed "Jurassic Park") open from the afternoon, and a vast, high-energy dance space that fills with a younger crowd by night. Famous for its drag, its long-running Sunday-night bingo with Shirley Temple Bar, plus cabaret, DJs, and karaoke, it's a warm, celebratory institution that's been central to Irish LGBTQ+ life and activism, from the marriage-equality campaign onward. A must-visit cornerstone of the Dublin scene.