by Sophia Fischer
Last month, I travelled to Ireland to study abroad and while I was there, I explored the music scene in Belfast and Dublin. Punk music was very popular in Ireland, especially Belfast, which is ruled by the UK so that made sense. Dublin isn’t ruled by the UK, but there was an awesome punk rock pub called The Thomas House. Before I get into The Thomas House, I want to note why I bring up going to Belfast.
In Belfast, they have many political murals due to The Troubles, a battle that lasted 30 years between Protestants and Catholics within the town that led to many deaths and many long nights. To bring peace to the two sides, there are barriers separating the two parts of the town. The walls are covered in murals, one being a portrait of The Undertones, a punk band that started in Derry, Northern Ireland. Known for their punk songs that tell the political story of The Troubles through adolescence and teenage angst/heartbreak, their most popular song is “Teenage Kicks” which does exactly that: explaining innocent infatuation and teenage desire. It’s written like a youthful love letter and shares a positive outlook to such a disheartening time in Irish History.
In Dublin, the punk scene is just as large as Belfast, but they had many more punk rock pubs and concerts. The one I want to highlight is called The Thomas House. Located on Thomas St. in Dublin, The Thomas House features punk and alternative music while having live bands, DJs, and open mic nights. I went pretty early in the night so they just had a playlist going, but it had great songs ranging from the 80s to today. I missed the live band that night, but the bartender said the live band nights are some of the busiest on Thomas Street. The pub was decorated with band posters and event posters, as well as stickers and banners. It was a great atmosphere, and I can’t wait to go back!
Check out this Irish punk playlist I made to commemorate my trip:
