Irish Opera Houses and Concert Halls
Is the music played in our Irish clubs and pubs not to your taste? Do you want to go on a fancy date somewhere with your significant other? No problem! There are a number of Opera Houses and Concert Halls that offer everything from the most famous music artists over theater performances to classical orchestras. With this wide range of activities offered, surely there is something for everyone in our list. It may be a bit pricier than if you just go to a club but these Irish Opera Houses and Concert Halls Babylon Radio has found are certainly worth a visit.
National Opera House
The National Opera House was formerly called the Wexford Opera House. It was Ireland’s first custom-built, multi-purpose opera house that opened on the site of the old Theatre Royal in 2008, which had been the home of the Wexford Festival Opera for over 50 years. The National Opera House presents Irish and international events, opera, music, family events, comedy, theatre and dance. It also offers two different performance spaces: the O’Reilly Theatre and the Jerome Hynes Theatre as well as numerous meeting and dining spaces for private functions.
High Street, Ferrybank South, Wexford
Contact: +353 (0)53 912 2144
Cork Opera House
The Cork Opera House was originally built in 1852 on Anglesea Street to house the National Exhibition and has undergone a number of name changes over the years. The building burned down in 1955 and it took 10 years to collect enough money to rebuild it. That only was possible through the hard work of the people of Cork. Now it is southern Ireland’s premier venue for concerts, comedy, drama, dance and, of course, opera. It also possesses one of the largest stages in Ireland.
Contact: +353 (0)21 427 0022
Web: corkoperahouse.ie
National Concert Hall
The National Concert Hall is the principal national venue for classical music concerts in Ireland. Originally built for the Dublin International Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures of 1865, it later became an University. After that, it was the stage for significant events surrounding the War of Independence. The NCH has played host to an astonishing variety of artists in every genre from all over the world and is home to RTÉ’s National Symphony Orchestra.
Earlsfort Terrace, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2
Contact: +353 (0)1 417 0000
Web: nch.ie
Vicar Street
Vicar Street is a concert, performing arts centre and events venue in Dublin. Since opening in 1998, it has become a popular setting for a wide range of arts including stand-up comedy, drama performances and a variety of concerts. It has won a variety of awards as one of the best Live Music Venues in Dublin. The building itself has a capacity for 1050 people for seated performances and 1500 people for standing ones. Because of its intimate size, the venue is looked on with warmth by fans and acts alike.
Thomas Street, The Liberties, Dublin 8
Contact: +353 (0)1 775 5800
Web: vicarstreet.com
Ulster Hall
Ulster Hall hosts concerts, classical recitals, craft fairs and conferences. People affectionately call it Belfast’s “home of music”, since it caters for concerts ranging from rock gigs to organ recitals. It features one of the oldest examples of a functioning classic English pipe organ: The Mulholland Grand Organ. The Ulster Orchestra and their program of world-class concerts perform here as well. During WWII it became a dance hall used to entertain American troops stationed in Northern Ireland.
Contact: +44 (0)28 9033 4400
Web: ulsterhall.co.uk
University Concert Hall Limerick
The University Concert Hall in Limerick is the largest entertainment venue in the midwest. It was the first purpose-built concert hall in Ireland. The building has a variable acoustic which the staff can tailor to suit the needs of all genres of perfomance, including everything from Classical to Pop. Over the years, the University Concert Hall has hosted many events, TV and Radio broadcasts over the years, including Eurovision Song Contest and the Late Late Show.
Foundation Building, Castletroy, Limerick
Contact: +353 (0)61 331 549
Web: uch.ie
