Dublin

As capital city and largest urban centre on the island, Dublin has always attracted gay men and women looking for both the anonymity, and exposure, that a big city provides. In fact, Dublin has more gay men and women per capita than San Francisco. With one of the highest youth populations in the European Union, coupled with the (now diminishing) "Tiger" economy, the city seems to be ever-expanding both physically and culturally.

Leaving the George on a Saturday night, wandering down South William Street or through Temple Bar, it might seem that the entire city is queer (or at least queer-friendly). But don't be too fooled by this feeling: keep in mind Dublin's potential intolerance and bigotry (and name-calling!), and remember that under the veneer of the cosmopolitan tiger society lies the old and often dangerous city that Dublin, and Ireland as a whole, has always been for gay men and women.