Drag Queen Vicky Voltz’s Guide to Dublin
Originally from Brazil, the sublime Vicky Voltz started her drag career with “one wig and a dream.” Since moving to Dublin at the start of the pandemic, Voltz has quickly become a staple of alternative and experimental drag nights across the capital. She describes her style as conceptual, cartoonish, and full of cultural references. “I make political statements with my drag,” she says.
While nightlife was curtailed when she first arrived, she says that even in the depths of lockdown, she noticed a welcoming attitude towards drag in Ireland. “In Brazil, we don’t have as many opportunities to show our art,” she says. “But in Dublin, drag is so appreciated—they see it as a valid art form and a real career.” Dublin’s drag scene is bright, beautiful, and thriving—and, of course, infused with a healthy dose of Irish craic. Here’s Voltz’s guide to exploring all its dazzle.
How and where to experience Dublin’s drag scene
According to Voltz, there’s one clear forerunner when it comes to places to experience Dublin’s drag scene: “The George is a masterpiece of drag,”’ she says. Located in the iconic Temple Bar neighborhood in the city center, the almost 40-year-old institution describes itself as “the heart of LGBTQ+ Ireland.” Events here range from drag bingo every Sunday to classic drag performance nights on “Thirsty Thursdays” and “Witchy Wednesdays.” She describes the Wednesday night event as “a bit spooky and alternative” and notes that “there aren’t any femme drag moments; instead, it's more experimental, with different drag attitudes. People take risks.”
Voltz also recommends Haus of W.I.G for a taste of drag excellence. “It’s a monthly show run by Shakira Nightly and features a selection of Dublin drag queen royalty. The performances are next level and pull out all of the stops.” And if you want to meet Voltz herself, she recommends coming to her Drag ‘n’ Draw event, a drag-themed version of a life drawing class that takes place regularly throughout the year at a variety of venues across the city. “I create the character and the artists drawing me create a storyline—I love to see my drag persona through other lenses.”
More LGBTQ+ nightlife in Dublin
Voltz says that for LGBTQ+ travelers, no visit to Dublin will be complete without a drink at Pantibar, which is run by Panti Bliss, an LGBTQ+ activist hailed as the queen of Dublin drag. Voltz describes it as “an inclusive queer space where you’ll meet people from so many different tribes, ages, and communities,” and notes that it’s a great representation of the city’s queer scene.
She’s also “obsessed” with Fibbar MaGees, a punk rock club that puts on a monthly Dance to the Underground drag night (where Voltz also performs). While most drag nights are based around pop music, this hot spot blares out punk, rock, and 80s and 90s bangers. ”You feel such rock energy!” she says.
Pride and other LGBTQ+ events in Dublin
While Voltz says that Dublin “feels like Pride throughout the year,” the city goes big for Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride Festival, which typically takes place the last Saturday of June. Festivities include a colorful parade through the center of town and a huge Mother Pride party held at the historic National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks.
The city also hosts a variety of smaller queer-focused events throughout the year: In May, you can enjoy the International Gay Theatre Festival, which celebrates theatrical talent from across the LGBTQ+ community. In August, the GAZE LGBTQ+ film festival—which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary—hosts films that explore the queer experience.
Vicky’s Dublin must-dos
What to eat
One of Voltz’s favorite places to eat is Currabinny, a queer-owned food truck and catering company that serves up classic Irish dishes using local produce and lashings of butter. For a varied selection of cuisines that reflects Dublin’s cultural diversity, Vicky recommends heading to Abbey Street, where you can find food ranging from Chinese and Japanese spots to Brazilian restaurants serving all-you-can-eat grilled meat.
She also recommends enjoying Dublin’s increasingly popular drag brunches. Her favorites are at Wigwam, which offers free-flowing cocktails with brunch every Sunday, and at the Lighthouse, where the breakfasts, known as “naughty brunch,” are hosted by “Daphne with a D,” a long-running queen on the Dublin drag scene.
What to see and do
To explore the LGBTQ+ side of Dublin’s arts and culture scene, start by heading to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. “It’s run by queer people (world-famous drag queen Sacha Velour has performed there twice) and hosts a varied program of comedy, drama, and performance art,” says Voltz. Plus, the building itself is a feat of modern architecture, all sharp edges and shimmering glass panels. Volts also loves the Project Arts Centre on Street 66, a gallery, performance, and workshop space where the artists include lots of “queer people writing, directing, and acting in different plays that reveal both the positive and negative sides of being part of the queer community.”
To learn about Dublin’s LGBTQ+ history, take a gay-themed walking tour of the city that includes landmarks such as the Oscar Wilde Memorial Sculpture in Merrion Square Park; the statue, which lazes luxuriously on a rock, is colloquially known as “the Queer with the Leer.” You could also learn more about Wilde (and the square's other famous residents, like William Butler Yeats) on a Merrion Square walking tour.
Where to stay
Voltz says that LGBTQ+ travelers coming to Dublin are likely to get a warm welcome no matter where they stay. “It’s such a queer-friendly city,” she says. “It’s one of the biggest differences I noticed when I moved from Brazil, where, in certain parts, being queer is a very dangerous thing to be.”
However, her top picks include Dublin 8, where “you’ll be neighbors with all the drag queens,” and Dublin 2, “which is close to the city center so you’ll be around at all the places for drinks and dinner.” And of course, the closer you are to The George in Temple Bar, the better.
Find more fabulous things to do in Dublin
Keep reading
