Several gay bars have been closing around Ireland in the past few months due to the economic recession and more liberal attitudes about homosexuality in the general population.
Sean Mullen, the owner of the gay bar Dignity in Waterford, which also markets itself to straight couples and hosts bachelorette parties, believes the era of gay only bars is coming to a close.
“I think the days of actual gay bars are dying out,” Mullen told the Sunday Times. “Things are not the way they were 10 or 20 years ago, when gay people didn’t feel they could be affectionate with each other in regular bars. Now I think you can do that.”
With the recession sees mainstream venues hosting more gay nights to fill seats and dancefloors, and the growth of location-based social networking apps aimed at gay daters, such as Grindr, the need for gay bars is becoming obsolete.
Mullen opened a franchise gay nightclub called Dignity West on Galway's Shop Street but it shut down last May after two years. He opened Dignity 2, Kilkenny's first gay bar, in 2009 but that bar closed in 2010.
Mullen went from employing 40 people in his franchise to now just nine people in the Dignity Waterford location.
“The gay community does come in but I couldn’t survive in business with just them so we’re marketing towards the straight community an awful lot,” he said.
“We still fly the rainbow flag and run gay events but we have to keep our heads above water. You can’t say the gay community hasn’t been affected by the recession — they’ve had to take pay cuts too.”
In Dublin, The Wilde Venue on Wicklow Street opened in August but is already "rebranding" itself as a "straight" bar and will change its name next month.
Brian Finnegan, the editor of Gay Community News, told the Sunday Times that he believes the newer clubs in the Dublin market are struggling to compete with industry stalwarts such as the George, which opened its doors nearly a decade before homosexuality was decriminalized.
“Go to the George on a Wednesday night and it is jammed, where other bars in the city would be empty,” Finnegan said. “That’s because they lived through good times and bad times and found their place before the recession hit.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Seanmor | Jan 22, 2013, 06:31 PM EST
hollaback: It appears as though I.C. is in step and on target with the curent Administration, but it still published most of my comments, even tho I remain firmly in the pro-family, pro-life camp, honorably served 4 years in the marines, have been an American Legion member for 25 years,remain married to D.A.R. member who is regent of her own chapter, regulary attend services in Catholic, Methodist and Episcopal churches, strongly support Reunification of the Irish nation agus labhraim beagán Gaeilge ó am go ham. Go raibh míle maith agat to I.C.
hollabackgurl | Jan 22, 2013, 04:31 PM EST
IC actually loves annoying you, Smyrnian. Or rather, you are annoyed reading news of people, politics or issues you don't agree with. Do you imagine that every time someone writes something you don't agree with it's an agenda?
Smyrnian | Jan 22, 2013, 07:57 AM EST
IC just loves any gay topic and any topic that makes the RC Church look as. The IC agenda is clear and relentless.
STEVENSTAR | Jan 22, 2013, 06:09 AM EST
WHY IS THIS NEWS TO PEOPLE IN AMERICA .. I SAW THINGS MUST BE PRETTY BORING OVER THERE IF YOU HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT STORIES LIKE THIS HAHA.... YES WE DO HAVE GAY BARS IN IRELAND WE ALSO HAVE CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS AND ALOT OF EUROPE HAVE GAY MARRIAGE.... UNLIKE MOST PARTS OF AMERICA WHO SEEM QUIET HOMOPHOBIC AND DATED AS REGARDS GAY PEOPLE ...MOVE ON AND PRINT SOME PROPER NEWS STORIES AS TO BE HONEST MOST PEOPLE IN IRELAND ARE NOT 'OBSESSED' WITH GAYS AND WHAT THEY DO...UNLIKE AMERICANS.
tombegs | Jan 22, 2013, 12:43 AM EST
OMG!!! There are gay bars in IRELAND??!!?? What will the Primate and the parish priests aay unless they are already regulars at one of them??? Do those bars serve under-age clients only if they are accompanied by a responsible adult who wears a Roman collar or is dressed in a red and/or purple skirts and wears a miter??
bobby | Jan 21, 2013, 09:05 PM EST
It's not only Gay bars, pubs are closing everyday in Ireland, they are expensive. Who wants to spend €5 or €6 on a beer when you can get 20 beers for €15 in a supermarket, it's the same in the UK.
anglo-norman | Jan 21, 2013, 07:43 PM EST
Good cos this means that seanomelb will stay in Australia...
anglo-norman | Jan 21, 2013, 07:40 PM EST
Good...
Seanmor | Jan 21, 2013, 07:18 PM EST
There will always be merriment and gaiety in Irish pubs with or without the presence of homosexual patrons.
SingleDonald | Jan 21, 2013, 07:04 PM EST
Gays do come into straight bars, in the U.S. However, they "tone things down". I guess straight people should do the same, if invited into a gay bar, by some gay friends. I just wouldn't want to see the things which go on, in a homosexual or lesbian bar. I don't believe they should be discriminated against, but they should confine their amorous activities to their own venues.
alisaann | Jan 21, 2013, 02:33 PM EST
imo, until GAYS are treated EQUALLY...there will ALWAYS be a need for GAY BARS....unless, MORE bars open for ALL people....in other words: MIXED CROWDS. GAY RIGHTS SUPPORTORS, need to KEEP fighting. alisa
Butch1 | Jan 21, 2013, 10:43 AM EST
Perhaps, it is best to open the bars up to straight-friendly folks as well. The more people find that gays are just as much fun to be around and party with the more society will come to realize it was foolish to exclude them for so many years. Listening to those priests, who were diddling the little innocent children turned out to be a very bad idea and a bad source from which to get your information about gays. They are the only reason most people hold reasons to dislike gays. (religion) One can pick those translations apart if we really need to. I don't think it is necessary. A person is obviously born this way just like straight people are born the way they are. Getting together to have a bit of craic and dance should be what it's all about. Let's keep these places open during these bad times.
CitizenWhy | Jan 21, 2013, 10:29 AM EST
When I lived in Tacoma, WA many years ago the "gay" bar, for some reason, probably bribery, stayed open until 4 am. Everyone in town, gay and straight, including the mayor, frequented the place. There was always a festive - and might I say only slightly naughty - atmosphere. Friendliness all around. ... But haven't all kinds of bars and pubs been hurt by the Irish collapse?
Towngate | Jan 21, 2013, 10:08 AM EST
"It's an ill wind ... etc." seemingly homosexuality is too expensive to practice in the old sod now. Poverty has driven the Irish ones back onto the Straight and narrow!