Student pubs guide: "It is worth avoiding the standard student night out every now and again"

Starting college usually means getting to know a new city while meeting a completely different group of people. In the first few weeks, most nights out will probably be dictated by whatever student event everyone else is going to.

The obvious ones are useful: they’re cheap, busy and full of people also getting to grips with student life. However, it is also worth going beyond them now and again.
Here are some of the pubs, clubs and live venues worth knowing in Ireland’s main college towns.

In Dublin, where you go early in the evening will largely depend on which college you attend.

For DCU students, The Slipper is the main local option. It has plenty of TVs for matches and a great ‘80s rock playlist. Students at the St Patrick’s Campus also have Kennedys of Drumcondra nearby, which is also a great venue for watching sport or stopping in for a drink before heading into town.

For TUD students, McGowan’s in Phibsborough is around a 10-minute walk from the Grangegorman campus. It also runs a student night on Thursdays.

UCD students tend to frequent places such as Farmer Browns and The Merry Cobbler, while Trinity students benefit from being right beside the city centre.

Doyle’s on D’Olier Street is just off campus, while Tapped runs a weekly pub quiz and is another good place for watching matches. Kennedy’s on Westland Row is also particularly busy for rugby games.

Once you move into the city centre, Dublin’s various college crowds start to mix. Disndat is a great shout for a late-night stop or a more casual hang. Their offers include 2 Spritzes for €15, €6 pints from Monday to Thursday, and their coveted €10 Pint, Toastie and Crisps deal (available daily until 5pm). They’ve also got live music every night, a top-notch cocktail menu and pizzas from the delicious PI across the road delivered straight to your table. Dicey’s Garden, Dtwo and Lost Lane are among the more obvious first-year student nights, helped by cheap tickets and drinks promotions.

Disndat

Flannery’s is another popular late bar, with a large outdoor area and, often, live music earlier in the evening. It is usually over-19s, however, so some younger first years may be ruled out. Ryan’s, across the road, is another busy option, although its door policy can rise to 21+ depending on the night.

If you want to avoid the standard student night, The Stag’s Head on Dame Lane hosts free comedy on Mondays, while Whelan’s has live music throughout the week. The Workman’s Club, The Grand Social, The Academy, Sound House and Index are also worth watching for relatively cheap gigs and emerging artists. Keep your eye on the Hot Press A&R section for artists that are worth seeing.

It’s also worth figuring out your transport home. Check roughly what a taxi should cost and learn the late bus routes. During my first month in college, I paid €45 for a taxi from Camden Street to DCU; the usual fare is about half of that.

For University of Limerick students, The Stables is the obvious place to start. With UL sitting outside the city centre, having a pub on campus for society events, casual drinks and student nights is particularly handy.

For bigger student nights, Angel Lane is one of the main venues in the city. It is spread across several floors, which makes it good for larger groups where not everyone wants the same kind of night.

Mary Immaculate College students have much easier access to the city centre, with pubs such as Nancy Blake’s and Charlie Chaplin’s close by. For live music, Dolan’s is the standout. It attracts plenty of touring Irish and international acts and has an atmosphere and character all its own.

For UCC students, The New Bar on campus is an easy starting point. It hosts quizzes, society events, live music and class parties and is particularly helpful during the first few weeks when you are still getting to know people.

The pubs around Bandon Road are convenient for drinks close to campus, although bigger nights tend to move towards the city centre.

Reardens is one of Cork’s main nightlife spots. It’s big, central and popular for sport, live music and late drinks, so most students will probably find themselves there at some point. Cork also has plenty to offer outside the standard club nights. City Limits is a good option for comedy, while Cyprus Avenue, Crane Lane and Coughlan’s are all worth keeping an eye on for gigs.

With such a strong music scene, there is little reason to spend every week in the same nightclub.

Galway has one major advantage for students: most of the nightlife is concentrated within a relatively small city centre.

The Skeff is one of the most obvious student spots, with live music, sport and a central location. Mary Mullen’s is another popular late-night option, while The Front Door, Brownes and The King’s Head draw a broader mix of students and locals.

During Freshers and Rag Week, the biggest crowds will often simply follow whichever student night is being heavily promoted and will eventually end up in the city’s premiere night club, Electric.
For something different, Róisín Dubh hosts live music, comedy and club nights; and Monroe’s is a prime Westend haunt that does great cocktails, good food, excellent live music and rocking, unpretentious club nights.

Tig Cóilí is worth visiting for traditional music, while The Blue Note offers a smaller, more relaxed pub atmosphere. Galway is easy to explore on foot, so go for a walk!

Tig Cóilí

The Roost is Maynooth’s most obvious student pub: big, central, spread across several bars and a regular spot for sport and pub quizzes.
Brady’s is another major option and has more of a classic student-night feel, while O’Neill’s is great for something a little more casual. Maynooth is much smaller than Dublin, Cork or Galway, so it does not take long to figure out which places are busy on which nights. During the first few weeks, follow the student events and you will quickly work out where your own group prefers to go.

For SETU Carlow and Carlow College students, most nights will eventually take you into the town centre. Tully’s is one of the main student pubs and is good for sport, casual drinks and larger student events, while Scraggs is a good option for a quieter pint.

For later in the night, The Foundry is the best-known venue in Carlow. With a bar, nightclub and entertainment spaces within the same complex, it encompasses a large part of the town’s late-night scene. As in Maynooth, the best approach is to follow the main student events, see which nights actually draw a crowd and then settle into the places that suit you.

There is nothing wrong with spending your first few weeks following everyone else. Go to the promoted student nights, try the campus pub and work out where people from your course tend to go. But once you have settled in, explore a bit further. Go to a small gig, try a comedy night or find a pub that is not specifically aimed at students.

The obvious college bars are part of student life – but they do not have to be the whole of it.

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