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WATCH Dolan’s celebrates 30 years as a landmark for Limerick’s music scene
Dolans celebrates 30 year anniversary with a special event on January 23, 2025. Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick
Dolans celebrates 30 years of music, laughter, and memories as a cornerstone of Limerick’s cultural scene

Celebrating 30 years in business, Dolan’s thanked the community in Limerick for their support since opening its doors in 1994 when from its humble beginnings, Dolan’s Pub has grown into one of the city’s largest live music venues and hosting some of the country’s biggest stars.
Speaking with Richard Lynch of I Love Limerick, Mick and Valerie Dolan reflected on their incredible journey and the support from the people of Limerick, with Mick saying, “We wouldn’t be here except to support the people of Limerick.
“We started off with a small pub on the Dock Road in 94, and we’ve come a long way since then, Valerie and the two kids are great, Neil and Sarah, it’s a whole team effort for all the people. We’re still in contact with people that worked here from when we first opened and it’s great.”
Reflecting on the family’s greatest achievement with Dolan’s since the opening day, Mick recalls one event in particular, he said, “The achievement I think I’ll never forget today; we opened the warehouse which was in 1998 and it was like you could walk on the atmosphere right across from all the people that were in the room. It was just a special, special moment.
“I will never forget and it was Seamus Begley who has left us now, to the launch with Sharon Shannon and with Sharon Shannon still playing here. So it’s great, still good friends.”
Valerie noted how supportive the whole family were, reflecting on how it truly is a family business, she said, “Carmel, Noel, my mother and father were here with us, my sister, Karen, my brother-in-law. The whole lot of them. Jenny is still with us, it’s very much part of our lives, and we’ve had great craic here, we’ve had a great time here. It has never been boring, I can tell you that, it has never been boring”
From the bar in 1994, to the Warehouse in 1998, it has been an upward trajectory for the music venue, and the family now adds festival organisers to their long CV, with the inclusion of Dockland’s Festival which has transformed Limerick’s entertainment offerings over the summer months since its foundation.
Valerie and Mick both excitedly mention this year’s Docklands Festival which will be the biggest yet, saying, “This is going to be a week long festival! All of August, with Moncrieff, Picture This, Kaiser Chiefs, 20 years, Black Rockin’ Beats.

“Moncrieff is the first one, and I’m just looking forward to him,” Mick said, adding, “I think he’s a new kid in the block, he takes Dolan’s as his second home. He loves Limerick! Limerick is in his blood and he loves coming down here.”
“We’ve also got David Gray in the castle, and the Coronas. Qween in the castle, Amble,” Valerie said as Dolan’s have organised a huge number of concerts taking place in the historic grounds of King John’s Castle, with too many to name she pointed readers to their website for more information.
Celebrating 30 years in an industry you love is something people can only dream of, and during that time the couple have had some amazing moments, Valerie reflected on one standout moment for her, “Macy Gray. I cried when I saw her. I couldn’t believe I was in the same room as her. And it was our place! So, yeah, I loved it!”
Eoin Devereux, UL lecturer, music expert, and author, spoke highly of the Dolan family, and the music venue in his speech at the 30th-anniversary event, drawing on the connection between Hot Press Magazine which has been “Keeping Ireland Safe for Rock and Roll” since its foundation in 1977, and who have commended Dolan’s many times since they first opened their doors.
He said, “Hot Press Magazine’s slogan since 1977 has been Keeping Ireland Safe for Rock and Roll. Well, I always think of Dolan’s as keeping Limerick safe for rock and roll and trad and music and creativity. Mick and Valerie should be commended for the effort and the contribution they’ve made over time.”
Speaking about his own memories of the venue, he added, “I was racking my brain today about my favourite gigs that I’ve seen here. Bob Geldof performed here, we saw Fontaine’s DC. I think the ticket price was around a fiver only a couple of years ago. The National in the Docklands. This coming summer, the king of punk rock, John Lydon, Johnny Rotten, will perform here at a sold-out show.
“And it’s a testament to Dolan’s that they have that breadth of vision, whether it’s upstairs, in the Kasbah Club, or in the Warehouse. Whether it’s in the wider and middle of Limerick, the Market, King John’s Castle, or the Docklands, they have the imagination and the wherewithal to run gigs.”
With an amazing 30 years behind them, the future still shines bright for Dolan’s Pub with a jam-packed summer of live gigs, festivals, and concerts the group looks forward to hosting some of the biggest names in music and also giving some up-and-coming artists their chance to make a name for themselves. For the family, “all the world’s a stage”, and for Limerick, Dolan’s shines a spotlight on it.
Pictures: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick