Second “Dublin by Night” lights up city streets

On the first weekend of November, the capital marked the second annual celebration of “Dublin by Night”. 

The after-dark events, from cooking demonstrations to circus performances, ran through the night. 

The event is meant to emphasise safety in the inner city during the evening hours.  

The first evening focused on south city hotspots Drury Street and South William Street, while the following evening events ventured north to Capel Street and Lower Mary Street. Some performances could also be seen on the stairs of Dame Street’s Central Plaza. 

Both nights were organised by a partnership including DublinTown, Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland, and the Department of Tourism. 

“The atmosphere was just amazing,” Viki Dos Santos, a local DJ who supplied the soundtrack to Capel Street on Saturday, told The Liberty. “Everyone was happy to be there, and it felt like even the people who didn’t know it was on were just as happy to stumble across it.” 

On Capel Street, activities spanned from the iconic Panti Bar all the way up to Krewe on the north end, where cooking demonstrations took place. 

“There were a lot of stalls, but it wasn’t too many. People still had time to stop at each stall and actually learn about the businesses,” Dos Santos said. 

“There were garda walking up and down every so often, so it all felt quite safe, but didn’t feel too controlled. It still felt very freeing.” 

“It is a good change,” Dos Santos said. “Usually when tourists come over, all they can really do is go to a pub, restaurant, or shopping, so I really hope they keep this going.”