The George is an institution at this stage.
As a gay person, The George is my absolute go-to night out. It’s fierce, fabulous and, most importantly, inclusive.
There are so many reasons it is mine and so many other people’s favourite spot for a drink and a dance. Here are just some of those reasons.
1. The performances are stellar
It’s no lie that Dublin’s drag scene is just epic. And The George is where you can head to witness so much of it.
Queens like Davina Devine, Dolly Grip, Veda, Pixie Woo, Shirly Temple Bar and more put on unreal shows that are as funny as they are fabulous.
2. Nobody judges anyone
You can be as camp and as out-there as you want here because it’s very unlikely that you’re going to get judged for it. Everyone is just there to be themselves.
3. The music is always fierce
The music in The George is always so epic. You can expect LGBT+ classics from divas like GaGa, Beyoncé, Cher and Madonna. Saturday is probably my favourite night to head to The George because DJ Conor Behan takes to the decks and plays bop after bop after bop.
4. Saturday karaoke is so fun
Every Saturday in The George, you have the chance to show off your whopper singing skills. And oh boy, do some people go for it.
You don’t do things half-assed here, that’s for sure.
5. Sunday bingo is also gas craic
Now, this isn’t your average Sunday bingo with your granny. Because this is drag bingo.
Drag queen Shirley Temple Bar started bingo in The George in 1997, and over 20 years later, it’s still the best craic in Dublin on a Sunday night.
6. The crowd is so diverse
A lot of bars and nightclubs have a certain kind of ‘crowd’ they tend to attract, but The George is for everyone. What I love about a night here is that it’s jam-packed full of all kinds of different folk of all ages and backgrounds.
7. The drag queens are basically goddesses
Honestly, they are stunnnnnnnning.
They dance, they act, and they roast you from time to time.
It seems like drag fans are all obsessed with RuPaul’s Drag Race at the moment, but the queens of Dublin are the ones we should be drooling over.
8. They pick the best themed nights
It’s Madonna’s birthday? It’s Mariah Carey’s album launch? Kylie Minogue just cancelled her Dublin gig? Well, you can be damn sure The George is going to mark the occasion.
My favourite so far was the Britney night they had last summer. T’was iconic.
9. There are great chats to be had in the smoking area
I don’t even smoke and I head out to the smoking area for great chats, and I always get talking to strangers.
It’s also where the fierce photos start to happen.
Me getting my photo taken in the smoking area in The George. pic.twitter.com/Q1Bn7R9CWC
— luke (@LukeDonegan) February 8, 2017
10. The post-night out meal is always stunning
So this isn’t exactly part of the night in The George, but what I love about finishing a night in The George is that everyone either migrates over to Charlie’s for a 3-in-1, or to the big spar (nicknamed ‘Gay Spar’) for a chicken fillet roll.
If you didn’t do either, you didn’t do your night out right.