Ah, the George. The very name of this bar stirs up so many memories for people. For the older readers, it may cast people’s minds back to the time it was a dedicated “tea room” (it opened in 1985, eight years before decriminalisation). For others, to some weird or random experience a few years back. And for many of us, our memories stretch as far back as last week, when we danced/smoked/pulled within the confines of this gay institution.

I have heard the George referred to as the “Purple sticky fun bar”, which I think is about as accurate description as one could ever give. Or, at least it was until their recent redecoration!! My first night out on the scene took place in the George, and talk about being thrown in the deep end! From Dyke corner to the Drag Queens, as a young lesbian fresh from the wilds of Roscommon, I didn’t know where to look. Since then however, it has slowly become a second home to me.

So what is it about the George that we all love to hate? Everyone constantly moans about it, yet ends up there week in and week out. So this writer felt it her duty to go out every night and investigate (yes, it makes me feel better when I have a semi-legitimate excuse!) I will be reviewing each night individually at a later point, as I know that the mood and crowd depends on the night in question, but for now, let’s take a step back and see what the bar is like in general.

What was previously a dark, purple, closed looking bar, since the redecorating, The George seems to have doubled in size. There are two floors in the pub, with two bars, one on each floor. A tip: If you get thirsty on a busy night, go upstairs! The cloakroom is located upstairs, alongside the “green room”, which serves as both a quiet-ish seating area and as a dressing room for the drag queens on any night that the drag show is on. As the night goes on however, it can sometimes end up as couple central.

The bathrooms are also located upstairs. Now, obviously I’m just going to deal with the ladies. If you can’t see the sign, go for the one that doesn’t smell of poppers!! There are about 6/7 cubicles, and most of them have locks, which I appreciate in a toilet stall. They are useable most of the time, and always have toilet paper, as they are checked regularly. This is a major plus point in tabula rasa’s mind. To add to the appeal, there is a wonderful selection of graffiti and poetry to read while you’re in there. It can be a great way to find out who loves who (in case you care) or even for a wonderfully mad list of reasons to vote No to Lisbon! The downside of the bathroom is that there are only 3 sinks, which can be hard to get to when the bathroom gets busy, and the fact that there is only one, very weak, hand dryer.

Downstairs has the dance floor, the stage, seating area and the main bar. The bar staff in the George are a very friendly bunch, and can work really fast. I never fail to be impressed with just how many people they can serve at the same time, which is great when you want a quick 7up between songs!! There is a great selection of drinks, and what with the recession and all, they have some great drinks deals. These include €4 pints, or two cocktails for €10 on certain nights.

Entry fee is charged some nights, but as a general rule, it’s free before 11. Which is a good time to be in by anyway, if you want seats or a half-decent standing position. The music is quiet until the show or dancing time each night, so it’s also a good place for a quiet chat (up until a point!)

I wouldn’t recommend coming here for a first date, unless you’ve been somewhere else first, because a) You’re bound to meet into someone you know who will be oblivious to the fact that you’re trying to impress a lovely lady and will accidentally become a third wheel, b) you’ll discover that they don’t like to dance/hate loud music/what have you or c)Everyone you have ever gone out with will be there…So I recommend a quiet drink somewhere first, and then perhaps give it a whirl!

There are loads of women out most nights, especially Wednesdays and Sundays, so it’s definitely a change of pace from the likes of Pantibar, which as much as we love it, can be very male dominated most nights.

The George doesn’t serve food, but the bar is located very close to Juice (Dublin’s only sit-down vegetarian restaurant, which is lesbian central, so could be a good place to eat before your night out!!
The George is located on South Great George‘s Street, Dublin 2. For more information on The George, and special events they run, check out www.thegeorge.eu.

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