The festival of good craic, St. Patrick’s Day, is rolling in on a Friday this year and we can’t think of a more apt way to celebrate the weekend than in the footsteps of the Irish. All things Irish are celebrated around the world on March 17 and Dubai loves to adorn itself in shamrocks come St. Paddy’s day. It’s an opportunity to toast to Irish heritage, culture, music, Celtic lore and, of course, Irish drinks or scoops as the Celts call it. From steakhouses to traditional Irish pubs and massive concerts, there’s plenty to raise your pints of Guinness to in Dubai. Slainte!
1. Enjoy a family day out this St. Patrick’s Day
Jumeirah Golf Estates is hosting a special evening brunch to celebrate the Emerald Isle of Ireland. The St.Patrick’s Day brunch will be held at Earth Terrace on March 17, serving traditional dishes and drinks along with a side of lively Irish music so good that you’ll find yourself breaking out into a jig. Kids will have separate entertainment to keep them busy.
Date: March 17; from 5pm-8pm
Price: From AED 315 for adults and AED 135 for kids aged 5 to 12
Bookings: Call 04 587 7777 or email jevents@dubaigolf.com
2. Down unlimited drinks and play bar games at this gastropub
Taj Exotica’s Roaring Rabbit is all set to have a roaring good time on March 15 and 17 in lieu of St. Patrick’s Day. Tuck into a special a la carte beverage menu, unlimited Irish cocktails and beers, a live DJ. Try your hand at fun games such as snooker, dart board, and beer pong and more.
Date: March 15-17; from 5pm-8pm
Price: Beverage packages start from AED 149 and a la carte menu from AED 35
Bookings: Call 04 275 4444 or email restaurants.exoticadubai@tajhotels.com
3. Carve into a succulent Irish steak at Atlantis The Palm
Ireland’s rolling green hills have some of the world’s best pastures and by extension some of the world’s best grass-fed beef. Seafire Steakhouse & Bar at Atlantis The Palm is serving grass-fed tomahawk beef steaks dry-aged with whiskey for 45 days. Salivating yet? You can enjoy a sharing offer on March 17 where the Irish beef can be enjoyed by two people and washed down with a special Jameson Irish Whiskey cocktail. A live jazz duo will set the mood.
Date: March 17; from 6pm-1am
Price: From AED 850 for two adults to share and AED 89 for the Jameson cocktail
Bookings: Visit www.atlantis.com/dubai/restaurants/seafire-steakhouse
4. Test the luck of the Irish at this wild bingo night
Bongo’s Bingo reputation as a boisterously fun bingo night precedes it. It’s what happens when a rave is crossed with a seniors’ weekly game. The fun factor is cranked up with this special St. Patrick’s Day-themed edition of the party game on March 18 at Zero Gravity. Irish star and former Girl’s Aloud star, Nadine Coyle will take to the stage so you can sing along to popular Irish tunes, dance and have a thrilling hooley.
Date: March 18
Timing: Doors open at 7pm
Price: AED 150 per person
Booking: https://dubai.platinumlist.net/
5. Sing along to a live concert by The Script during brunch at this Irish gastropub
This is one Paddy’s Day celebration that’s going to make it to the hall of fame. Irish rock band The Script are performing live in concert at the Factory by McGettigan’s at Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah on March 18. Their special brunch package will get you a heart feast as well as a complimentary ticket to see the chart-topping rockstars perform live at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. Guests will be shepherded to the venue from McGettigan’s by shuttle afterwards and it’s included in the price.
Date: March 18
Price: AED 699 including concert ticket, brunch and transportation
Booking: Call 04 230 0073 or book directly on the McGettigan’s website
6. Get your pups in on the craic at Qwerty’s pet-friendly party
St. Paddy’s with puppies? Aye, that’s what’s on the schedule at Qwerty in the Media One Hotel on March 18 and 19. This quirky celebration will be handing out prizes for the best-dressed dog, so make sure your four-legged friend comes dressed in their best green attire. Puppers can strut their stuff during a special catwalk, well, dogwalk in this case. Pet owners meanwhile can relish Irish cocktails, themed bites and music. The pets will be treated to dog ice creams and puppachinos.
Price: AED199 per person for Irish-themed cocktails, unlimited Irish-style bites and dog treats
Timing: All day
Booking: Call 050 777 9247 or email qwerty@mediaonehotel.com
7. Nosh on a nighttime roast brunch at The Dubliner’s
On March 17, this Irish pub is hosting an “All Things Irish Nighttime Brunch”. From 7pm to 11pm you’ll be regaled by traditional live Irish music, Irish dancers and a carvery dinner with unlimited selected beverages. Those who come wearing their greenest best will get a 25% discount on the total bill.
Price: From AED 299
Date: March 17
Booking: 04 702 2455
8. Party with Paddyman and Shola Ama at Barasti
Trust Barasti to set you up with wallet-friendly celebrations that celebrate the green without spending too much of it. Dream of Ireland’s castles and mountains while soaking up the sun on Dubai’s sandy beaches as 90s British soul-pop singer Shola Ama will belt out hits such as You’re The One I Love and Still Believe on March 17. The next day on March 18, comedian and musician Paddyman from Canada will take to the stage and play the crowds like a fiddle. Go back to Barasti on March 19 to chug pints of Magners for AED 40.
Price: Entry free
Date: March 17-19
9. Kick it Celtic-style at the Irish Village’s three-day weekend celebrations
Irish Village is going all out this St. Patrick’s Day by bringing in riverdance performers, and Celtic band MAMO will be coming in all the way from Ireland to bring in the musical cheer. On Sunday family-friendly additions of a petting zoo and bouncy castle will be added to the venue.
Price: Free entry
Booking: Call 04 282 4750 or visit www.theirishvillage.com
10. Sign up for a ‘saintly’ drunch at Dubai’s oldest Irish pub
It’s called the Saintly Drunch but Fibber Magee’s Paddy’s day brunch on March 18 is set to be sinfully good. Dubai’s oldest Irish pub will be serving unlimited pints of Guinness, Magners, Kilkenny and house beverages as part of their brunch deal. From 1pm-4pm, there’s no prior bookings, only walk-ins.
Price: AED 200
Details: Call 04 33 22 400 or visit https://fibbersdubai.com/promotions/
11. Get quizzical at The Cheeky Camel on March 16
How familiar are you with Irish culture beyond U2 and Guinness? Put your smarts to the test at this gorgeous terrace bar and restaurant at Bonnington in JLT. The St. Patrick’s Day-inspired quiz night will be conducted by podcasters and DJ couple Catboy and Lorra on March 16, from 8pm to 10pm.
Booking: WhatsApp 050 927 5711 or click here
12. Celebrate with dreamy canal views at this rooftop bar at Radisson Blu
A three-day celebration will be afoot at BAI Bar and Terrace at Radisson Blu, Dubai Canal View. Great waterfront views will be accompanied by special drink deals, a spin-the-wheel event to bag fun prizes and a themed brunch on March 18. Hankering for a traditional meal? There’s a Sunday Roast on March 19 with live performances by Dubai-based band Hot Sauce to spice things up.
Booking: Call 056 995 8210
13. Enjoy a fabulous line-up of music at McCaferty’s in Wafi
The Irish pub is going all out from March 17-19 with multiple musical performances every day from Friday to Sunday. Starting 2pm (yep, call it an early weekend) on Friday, you’ll have a shamrockin’ time with performances from Dermott Taggart, Joe Sheahan, The Knights, and Irish dancers. There’s also a St. Patrick’s Day family brung on March 18 and 19 replete with a bouncy castle for the kids, face painting and craft corner, a swimming pool and a meal that’s equally fun and delicious.
Booking: Call 058 5073 623 or email www.mccaffertyswafi.com
14. Jump into the playful festivities at Wavehouse
A pot of gold maybe not be, but truckloads of fun can be found at Wavehouse until March 19. The entertainment and dining destination at Atlantis The Palm will be doling out trad Irish favourites such as Guinness and Jameson, cocktails made of these beverages. Foodies can tuck into Irish dishes including corned beef hash with russet potatoes, a selection of mini Irish pies, bread pudding with dark chocolate and Irish whiskey custard or a cheesecake brownie with Baileys and vanilla ice cream. Heaps of entertainment is being rolled out too – stilt walkers dressed like Leprauchans will roam around, you can get your faces painted and performances by a band are also part of the lineup.
Timings: 12pm-1am
Bookings: Vist www.atlantis.com/dubai/restaurants/wavehouse