Since my friend Martin was returning to Sydney, a gang of us went out on the tear last Saturday night. The plan was to meet in Sosume on South Great George’s Street at half eight. The problem was that at half eight Colm and I had just come out of a showing of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (I thought it was excellent by the way and would recommend it — am obviously a big kid at heart). At half nine, Colm and I arrived at Sosume with our excuses ready, although we needn’t have bothered cos everyone was in flying form and hadn’t even noticed we were late.

I have two problems with Sosume. Firstly, it has to be one of the most packed bars I have ever been in (and that is saying something in Dublin). When it is an ordeal to go and get a drink or go to the loo, why bother? And secondly, when I went there first I noticed the tables in this ‘new’ bar were chipped at the corners and dirty looking which smacks of cheapskatedness (is there such a word?).

Anyway, it was Martin’s night, so Sosume it was for the first couple of Buds. Then — thank the good Lord — we headed to one of my favourite drinking dens, GUBU. I’d say it was around 10.30 when we all arrived. By ‘we’ I mean Martin, Jimi, Lee, Colm and myself. We were meeting Martin’s sister (who is also gay – eeek! the poor parents!) and her girlfriend. Somehow they had managed to get a seat so we all piled in and had a bit of craic. 

By now, you probably know that I cannot sit still, so I was up and around and behind and over there all night. At one stage, I remember chatting to a doctor (if you don’t mind) friend of mine about why there were two circular mirrors positioned above each urinal. (I have realised that I often revert to chatting about toilets in this diary – must look into this. Although fair enough, an awful lot of things do happen in toilets in gay bars.) Anyhow, we decided that the mirror opposite the head was obviously to either check your own hair or check out who was in the toilet with you. Now, the mirror opposite the genitals . . . Do people actually stare at their own bits ’n bobs while pissing or is it that I am being a bit naïve here and people are staring at everyone else’s? Must try to see what other people are looking at next time I’m in there (without being arrested that is).

Another friend of mine who works at GI told me that — and I believe this is something of a coup for Tim’s Dublin Diary and indeed gay-ireland.com — Kylie will soon be playing a couple of dates in Dublin. A friend of his works at a music PR company and they’d heard for definite.

After a few Erdingers in those big feck-off glasses, we headed over to The George.

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Waiting in the queue outside The Gee, my attention wandered to all the people passing the lane entrance that meets South Great George’s Street. It would not be a lie to say that the great majority of those who walked past the lane entrance glanced (or to be more precise gawped) at those standing in the queue. I don’t know what this is about. Are passers-by gawping at us because we’re gay? because we are queuing to go into ‘that’ bar? Or is it because they are really pleased to see that their city contains such a diverse gathering of people? Umm possibly not. (And don’t get me started on people on buses going by The George!)

The club itself was heaving. As I’ve mentioned before in the diary, I’m more comfortable on a ‘show’ night in The Gee — like Bingo or Missing Link. However, after all the fun we had in there last Saturday, I’ll definitely be giving it another go. I suppose the copious amount of booze being emptied down our gobs helped. Come to think of it, I don’t believe I would have found myself on the dancefloor gyrating like a mad baboon to ‘Crying at the Discotheque’ if it hadn’t been for that double Bacardi.

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Colm and I have managed to get ourselves invited over to Sydney for Mardi Gras next year. (Note to self: must check Internet for when Mardi Gras actually is!) Martin, who was out on the Saturday night, asked if we would be interested in coming over to stay with him. He didn’t need to ask twice. Martin will be actively taking part in the parade. And I have a funny feeling he wants Colm and I to do the same. The thing is he will be on the Gay and Lesbian Scuba Divers of Australia float. Dear readers, there is every possibility that Colm and I will be dressed as crustaceans or some other aquatic oddity in full view of a million spectators. Makes the Hallowe’en nightmare seem almost tame by comparison.  

More next week…  
Tim - November 2001