Irish music live on tap at The Dubliner

Sometimes the best performances can be enjoyed at a table surrounded by friends, all requesting more brew from the waiter and faster reels from the player. At The Dubliner, both flow freely. Daniel Coleman opened his Capitol Hill pub (as much for the entertainment as for the food and drink) on March 8, 1974. Since that time, live Irish performance has been the staple every night of the year.

“Our patrons love our live entertainment,” general manager Gavin Coleman said. “We have people come from across the country to visit us at The Dubliner and hear their favorite musicians perform.”

His father’s pub, which he now runs, was designed to replicate the Dublin City pub experience. There, as well as here in D.C., visitors to the city and regulars find an intimate atmosphere in which to enjoy the music.

“Crowd participation can really change the way each performer plays on a given night,” Coleman added.

Patrick Garvey is one such performer, celebrating 34 years at The Dubliner as a solo favorite.

“I sing and play the guitar [and] play reels on the accordion,” said Garvey, a self-taught musician. “My favorite thing about The Dubliner is that people come to hear Irish songs. I can go from very traditional music to pub singalongs like ‘The Wild Rover’ and ‘The Unicorn Song.’ ”

The Dubliner’s scheduled performers are booked as either solo artists or two-person bands, except on those occasions when participation comes from sources other than the audience.

“Given the history of music in The Dubliner, it is not unusual for one of our acts to have a musician friend or two stop by and join them onstage (or near it depending on how many people there are) for a traditional session,” Coleman said.

Conor Malone is a regular performer at The Dubliner, playing guitar and, on the odd occasion, the tin whistle. A native of County Clare, Ireland, he enjoys the crowd that visits.

“Because of the Hill, you might have a Kennedy knocking around,” he said in his rich Irish dialect. “The atmosphere is nice; it’s the real thing, you know.”