Temple Bar on St. Patrick’s Day is chaotic.
There’s no two ways about it.
However, while there are many other great ways to spend St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, people still flock to Temple Bar’s overcrowded streets.
If you’re one of those people debating spending St. Patrick’s Day in Temple Bar, here’s what to expect.
What to expect from Temple Bar on St. Patrick’s Day
Photo via Earth Cam
If you’re debating spending St. Patrick’s Day in Temple Bar, please take 20 seconds to read the points below, as they’ll save you time and hassle in the long run.
1. It’s grand at the start
If you’ve ever visited Temple Bar on St. Patrick’s Day you’ll know that you’re lured into a false sense of security if you arrive mid-morning/early afternoon.
The pubs in Temple Bar are open and there’s live music playing, the area is busyish, but nowhere near as bad as you expected and there’s a great buzz about the place.
2. Then the crowds start to slowly grow
As the afternoon progresses, you notice that the place is getting busier and the queues for the bar are getting longer, however, it’s just like a busy Saturday.
It’ll be busy, but not so busy that you’re put off. There’ll be a buzz in the air and you’ll hear trad music coming from the many pubs dotted along its streets.
3. The it gets potentially dangerous
Then things start to get hectic and potentially dangerous. Large crowds + tight spaces + excessive drinking = messiness.
Temple Bar’s cobbled streets are wall-to-wall with people packed in tightly. You can no longer get to the toilet or the bar.
4. Annnd you then wish that you were anywhere else in the city
As the crowd continues to swell, the Gardai (Irish police) usually step in and cordon off the area to stop any more people coming in.
You’ll want to be as far away from Temple Bar at this point, but it’ll likely take you a fair bit of time to get through the crowds.
Alternatives to spending St. Patrick’s Day in Temple Bar
Different trad bars in Dublin. © Tourism Ireland
There are many ways to spend St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland if you’d like to dodge the crowds.
Now, these tend to fall into two categories – pub-related-activites and non-pub-related-activities:
Pub-related-activites
You don’t have to drink alcohol to enjoy buzzy pub. In fact, many pubs in Dublin with live music have dedicated events for St. Patrick’s Day.
Although the Cobblestone is one of the more popular spots, the likes of the Brazen Head, O’Donoghue’s and many other host live sessions.
Non-pub-related-activities
There’s many other things to do in Dublin that’ll ensure you dodge the crowds on St. Patrick’s Day.
There’s plenty of day trips from Dublin you can head off on, from Glendalough and the Cooley Peninsula to the Dublin Mountains and much, much more.
FAQs about Temple Bar on St. Patrick’s Day
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Is it worth visiting?’ to ‘Is it as crazy as people say?’.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
Is St. Patrick’s Day in Temple Bar crazy?
Yes. Once the parade ends and people start looking for somewhere to head to, the cobbled streets of Temple Bar fill up often to a dangerous level.
What’s on in Temple Bar on St. Patrick’s Day?
You’ll find live music being played in all of the pubs but that’s pretty much it. The parade takes place on many of the neighbouring streets, however.
Thanks for visiting the Irish road trip! This site exists to inspire and guide you on an Irish adventure that’ll give birth to a lifetime of memories!