If you can’t guess by the name alone, the giant pillars of this stately structure are a dead giveaway that The National Concert Hall is a focal point of culture and art. Even those whose appreciations and enjoyments generally place them in other venues or halls (i.e. pubs) should give this gaff a lash. Friends of mine are quite musical, and I was lucky enough to tag along to a recent performance by Liam O'Flynn.
This was my first experience with the hall. Though Dublin has a rich musical heritage (Handel’s Messiah was first performing here, for instance), the city did not have a suitable concert venue until as recently as 1981. Prior to that, symphony orchestras had to bum venues off of churches or the RDS. Also prior, this building built in 1865 on Earlsfort Terrace was used to give University exams in or to store turf.
The hall has been beautifully refurbished. The night of the concert, there was not a brick of peat in sight, though a good number of University students were on hand. There were also a good number of people in eveningwear, in business suits, in street clothes or warm-up gear. The hall seats 1200, and a fairly wide spectrum of the population were making an evening of it. It was a good spot to people-watch. There was this fine-lookin’ redheaded bird there who I bought a drink for, fer instance, and managed to talk into coming back to my place after.
(Oh! Wait, that was me mot. Nevermind).
Liam O'Flynn is a master of the Uileann pipes, which are a sort of Irish bagpipes played sitting down. He was joined in his jigs, reels, hornpipes and balads by a number of other prominent trad (traditional) musicians. Everyone enjoyed the music. Quite good for an evening. During intermission, my friends retired to the lobby. Orders had been taken before the concert began, and several hundred drinks were ready and waiting for their owners to claim them. This was an organizational feat matching, for impression, the magnificent hall and music itself. Drink waiting! Excellent. This other time the gang of us had gone to see a Brendan O'Carroll play down in that theatre in Tallaght and spent the whole intermission queing for coffee we never had a chance to order. Lousy! Much more enjoyable, intermission at the National Concert Hall. But I digress.
The point I have been wanting to make all along is that the NCH holds about 400 events per year, including concerts in the early afternoon for under £4.00. There is a Beethoven series on, performances by choral groups, trad musicians, and some renowned artists like Elvis Costello and Morrissey. There is sure to be something that any visitor will enjoy. Even if planned as an outing of discovery (such as my attendance at Liam O'Flynn's gig), a visit to the NCH is recommended and quite likely to please.
P.S. Don't forget to order your intermission drinks before heading in to the Theater.
Guide Index Red words? Check the Dub Glossary!