Dubai: The Irish Village, a popular leisure venue in Dubai, expanded its capacity by 70 per cent on Thursday when visiting Irish Prime Minister, Enda Kenny, inaugurated the outdoor extension that overlooks the lake and the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel.
Opened in October 1996 as a part of the Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Tennis Stadium, the Village, looked upon as a small piece of Ireland in the heart of Dubai, has become one of the most popular meeting points in the city.
“The Irish Village opened in 1996 and has really become one of the most popular meeting places in Dubai, in fact it was named by Newsweek some years ago for being ‘one of the greatest meetings places in the world’,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice-Chairman, Dubai Duty Free.
He revealed that the new extension meant that the outdoor space had grown by 70 per cent, increasing seating capacity from 318 seats to 538. He believes that increase in capacity was significant.
“We are delighted that the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) took time out from his packed schedule to officially inaugurate the Village extension,” McLoughlin said.
“The Irish Village is a popular destination for our regulars and it has become a must see venue for a lot of overseas visitors,” pointed out Dave Cattanach, General Manager, The Irish Village Complex.
“Our philosophy from the start has been to create an authentic and friendly atmosphere with a true taste of Ireland,” he said about the venue.
The Village was designed using Irish craftsmanship and materials which were shipped to Dubai and reassembled on site, creating an authentic experience in the heart of the city since 1996. To bring another touch of authenticity to the place, a life-size bronze sculpture of three traditional Irish musicians was installed in the centre of the Village terrace. The sculpture, entitled “The Session” was commissioned in Ireland and created by Irish artist Austin McQuinn then shipped to Dubai.
“The main objective with The Irish Village was to build something authentic and as a result we sourced materials such as the paving stones, which come from a quarry in Liscannor [a coastal village in Ireland],” revealed George Horan, President, Dubai Duty Free.
“The artefacts in the display cases inside the restaurant are all very authentic and of course the plaque commemorating the present and past chairman/women of the Dubai Irish Society takes pride of place in the restaurant, so there is a sense of local origins as well,” he enthused.
According to Cattanach, the outlet has had a very busy year with significant increase in sales. The Village sold over 119,000 pints of Irish beverages in 2013.
The Irish Village is part of Dubai Duty Free’s leisure portfolio and is one of the most popular restaurants in Dubai, employing 20 Irish nationals, some of whom were greeted by the Irish Prime Minister.
The Irish Village is known for its live concerts and famous Irish artists performing there have included Bob Geldof, Mary Black, Sharon Shannon, Dara O’ Briain and Tommy Tiernan.
