Dublin is open late on Thursday as people experience the city 'a different way'
Dublin is staying open late this Thursday as the new ‘ Dublin by Dusk’ initiative brings the city centre to life.
Starting this Thursday May 28, Dublin City Council is launching their new monthly initiative that invites the public to see all the city has to offer after 6pm . Through cultural events, unique experiences, hospitality and entertainment, this month’s programme includes late-night openings at museums and galleries, cocktails and live music, pottery painting, evening cruises on the River Liffey, walking tours, wellness experiences, hotel offers and late-opening hospitality venues across the city centre.
In collaboration with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Fáilte Ireland, Dublin Town and other city partners, participating venues include the National Gallery of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublinia, art bars, cocktail experiences and a range of cultural and hospitality spaces and offers across the city.
Night-Time Economy Advisor with Dublin City Council Ray O’Donoghue said the aim of Dublin by Dusk is to encourage people to explore the city in “a different way”. “People are increasingly looking for experience-led evenings and more variety in how they spend time in the city,” he said.
“This programme is about making those experiences easier to discover and encouraging more people to explore the city centre at night. You could start the evening at the National Gallery, go for food or drinks afterwards, take in live music, explore somewhere new and even stay overnight in the city. That is the kind of joined-up evening experience we want to continue developing across Dublin.”
‘Dublin by Dusk’ forms part of wider efforts to support Dublin’s evolving night-time economy while promoting a vibrant, welcoming and accessible city after dark. Other initiatives include Dublin Nights Mapped, which was launched last January to showcase all the things there are to do that go beyond simply the pub.
This interactive map came after Google Mr O’Donoghue previously told Dublin Live he was asked to curate a map and he soon realised “just how much there is to do in Dublin after 6pm that isn’t focused on alcohol.” While he stressed the map is “absolutely not anti-alcohol” as it also features venues selling alcohol, he said that it highlights fantastic alternatives for those looking for something different, whether that’s “a late café, a cultural event, indoor golf, pottery painting, or simply walking around the city and seeing it differently.”
Mr O’Donoghue is passionate about all that Dublin has to offer and said it’s important to move away from the narrative that the streets aren’t safe and encourage people to get out more. “Every city has their edge, and every city has issues. During COVID 24% of people said they felt safe in the city at night-time. Now we’re up to around 40%,” he explained.
“Globally, Dublin is a safe city. I bring international delegates over here and they say this city is amazing and it’s 100% true. I think we can be a bit hard on ourselves as Dubliners and as Irish.”
Safety is a central component of one of Mr O'Donoghue's flagship projects, the Dublin Nights Help Zone, affectionately known as the ‘Nee-Naw.’ This pilot programme was based primarily on Camden Street and was staffed by a dedicated team of medics, a welfare officer, and trained security staff.
As a service intended to support people on their night out whether through medical assistance, welfare support, or general help such as directions, water or flip flops, the presence of such a service gave people a safe space on the streets after dark. While Mr O’Donoghue still has to bring the project to tender to re-establish it on a more permanent basis, he’s confident the Nee-Naw will return in 2026.
With the Nee-Naw often serving as a meeting space for people during a night out, Mr O’Donoghue said it's great to see how his night-time initiatives are being embraced and absorbed into the fabric of the city’s after dark scene. "I want to take things to the next level and we now have premises on Camden Street where we can have an information shop, workshops, training, and mini performances,” he said.
Full programme listings for ‘Dublin by Dusk’ are available at DublinByDusk.ie.
This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme