Page 340 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

338  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS
ENTERTAINMENT IN IRELAND

If there is one sphere in which Ireland overlooked is the free enter tainment
shines, it is entertainment. For details about (planned or spontaneous) provided by a
entertainment in Dublin, see pages 112–19. night in a pub. For more active forms of
Elsewhere in Ireland, nightclubs and enter tainment, covered on pages 342–7,
concerts by international entertain ers the list is even longer, from golf to pony
tend to be concen trated in large cities, but trekking and cycling to scuba diving. Those
many other events includ ing theatre, arts who prefer their sports sitting down can
festivals, traditional music and dance, cultural go along as spectators to Ireland’s famous
holidays and even medieval banquets take horse race meet ings, as well as Gaelic
place all over the country. Most towns and football, hurling, soccer and rugby matches.
cities also have one or two cinemas showing A happy mix of these activities can easily
the latest movies on release. Not to be be put together with almost any itinerary.

Theatre
From international tours to
amateur productions, there is
excellent theatre to be seen in
virtually every location in
Ireland. In Galway, the Druid
Theatre specializes in avant-
garde plays, new Irish plays
and Anglo-Irish classics, with
frequent lunchtime and late-
night performances, while
Gaelic drama, Irish music,
Ulster Symphony Orchestra at the Ulster Hall in Belfast singing and dancing have all
thrived at the Taibhdhearc
Information Sources concerts and other events Theatre since 1928. Waterford
The tourist board for the around Ireland can be made boasts its resident Red Kettle
Republic, Fáilte Ireland, and by telephone through Keith Theatre Company which
the Northern Ireland Tourist Prowse Travel (IRL) Ltd and performs at the Garter Lane
Board (see p351) both publish Ticketmaster in Dublin. Theatre, while the Theatre
a yearly Calendar of Events Royal brings amateur drama
that lists major fixtures and musicals to the city. In
around the country, and all Major Venues Limerick, the Lime Tree Theatre
the regional tourist offices In many Irish cities, the main on the grounds of Mary
have information about theatres host a huge variety Immaculate College hosts a
happenings in each locality. of events. In Cork, the Opera diverse programme of drama,
To supplement these listings, House presents predominantly comedy and dance.
check regional newspapers Irish plays during the summer, Keep an eye out for small
and enquire locally. with musical comedy, opera theatre groups performing
and ballet at other times of the
year. Also in Cork, the Everyman
Booking Tickets Palace Theatre stages plays by
Tickets can usually be bought local and visiting companies
at the door on the day or interspersed with concerts of
evening of most events. both classical and popular
Advance booking is a must, music. Sligo’s Hawks Well
however, for popular concerts Theatre, Limerick’s Lime Tree
and plays. Many cultural and Theatre and Carlow’s George
arts festivals require tickets Bernard Shaw Theatre are
only for the key performances, venues for drama and concerts.
but for internationally In Belfast, the Grand Opera
famous festivals, such as the House, Waterfront Hall and
Wexford Opera Festival, you Lyric Theatre present various
will need to book well in productions, including Irish
advance through the festival and international plays,
office for all performances. experimental drama, Home of the Druid Theatre Company in
Credit-card bookings for plays, panto mime and opera. Galway (see p214)

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