www.couriermail.com.au/travel/world/a-tour-of-damien-leiths-dublin/story-fnjjvclz-1227261424250Travel
A tour of Damien Leith’s Dublin
Damien Leith
Escape
March 15, 2015 11:00PM
I HAVE been living in Australia for almost 11 years, and as much as it’s become my adopted home, Ireland will always be where my heart lies. Recently, I spent some time in Dublin recording my new album Songs from Ireland and I was reminded of how much fun that city can be.
When it comes to incredible live music and vibrant pubs, Dublin has it in bucket loads. From the cobble-stone streets of Temple Bar in the city’s centre to the side streets of North and South Dublin, the craic is always mighty, and with almost 700 bars at your doorstep, there’s no excuse not to have a great time.
Dublin prides itself on its roaring nightlife and its great music. So if you were to ask me where one should start a walking tour of the pub and music scene you’d be asking a pretty difficult question, but your first stop would have to be The Brazen Head pub.
One of the things I love most about roaming around Dublin is the fact that it’s such an old city. I’m a mad history buff and Dublin has echoes of the past around every corner, on every street, and even in the pubs.
The Brazen Head is Ireland’s oldest pub (1198). It’s not necessarily known for its music (though there is live music, and acts such as Tom Jones, Van Morrison and Hothouse Flowers have performed there) but I think anything that has lasted for that long is well worth a look. What’s even better about The Brazen Head is that it’s only a short walk from the renowned Guinness Brewery – you can knock over two birds with the one stone. The brewery very much caters to tourists but if you’re fond of drinking Guinness – or the black stuff, as it’s better known – the brewery has the best pint in the city.
On from there, my next stop would have to be Temple Bar. Having busked next to its famous Ha’penny Bridge many times over the years, I know the area very well. It’s a point of contact where music and bars collide perfectly.
Visitors from all over the world pass each other on the streets of Temple Bar, where Irish music stores, gift stores and bars draw large crowds. There are incredibly gifted buskers and performers battling for street space while Irish music plays around the clock in the many lively pubs.
The Temple Bar Pub has always been a particular favourite of mine and I have been involved in many a session in there over the years. A session by the way, for those who don’t know, is when musicians and singers start up an impromptu sing-along in a bar. If you’re fortunate enough to stumble on one, be warned, you might be asked to sing and they won’t take no for an answer.
Everyone is encouraged to get involved and if you play an instrument, you’re more than welcome to give it a go. Irish music isn’t the only music you’ll hear in Temple Bar – Eamonn Dorans and The Temple Bar Music Centre are venues that cater for all tastes from rock to pop and over the years have been host to many international acts including one of my own favourites, Jeff Buckley. I played in both of these venues over the years and still have fond, if not a little dusty, memories of those nights.
Moving on from Temple Bar, I’d head towards one of Dublin’s best-known high-end shopping streets, Grafton St, taking in en route a view of the famous Molly Malone statue from which the well-known folk song gets its name. I recently recorded a new version of that very song during my travels.
Grafton St is not short of a pub or two but what I particularly like is that it’s very close to Harry St, where stands a statue of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, while for literature- lovers, McDaids pub was frequented by writers including Brendan Behan and Liam O’Flaherty.
As evening draws in and the night begins to cool, you’re bound to find a cosy nook somewhere with a log fire and decent pub grub. With a full belly, I’d make my way to Whelans Bar off Wexford St. It’s one of Dublin’s most famous music venues, small and intimate, raw and in your face. I was fortunate to perform there many years ago – it was inspiring and had always been on my wish-list. Vicar St is another such venue and also caters for comedy.
Dublin has music and arts venues everywhere – if it’s classical or theatre you’re after you won’t be stuck either. There are glorious old theatres like The Olympia and The Gaiety, where I saw one of my favourite ever concerts – Neil Finn on his Try Whistling This tour. The National Concert Hall is spellbinding and The Gate and Abbey Theatres are drama enthusiasts’ heaven.
One of Dublin’s most famous bands, U2, still has its Windmill Lane Studios in the city centre. Fans will require a stickybeak. I never recorded there but being a fan, I’ve definitely checked it out. You know you’re close to the studios by all the U2 graffiti .
By two in the morning, your walking trip, or rather, your introduction to the Dublin scene, will have ended. But remember we’ve only scratched the surface of Dublin’s south side – there’s still the north side to get stuck into tomorrow.
Damien Leith’s eighth album Songs from Ireland was released this week on Sony Music.
See damienleith.com.au
what an interesting read 
