What’s At The Whale?

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iven that there are new acts being added pretty much daily, we thought it wise to start pulling together all The Whale’s new shows in one place.

Because there’s very much something for everyone – including you – it’s good to know what’s on that ever-expanding menu.

You can, of course, jump straight to the source here.

And find out what’s rockin’ all over de town here.

For now though, here’s the latest Whale wonders…

FRI8DEC23 8PM €20 The Murder Of Michael Collins
Paddy Cullivan brings the axis-shifting death of Ireland’s first Commander-in-Chief to the stage with an audio-visual spectacular combining hundreds of images, new research and music. Daring to approach that fateful day in Béal na mBlath with fresh eyes, Cullivan breaks down every last detail of that August 22nd, 1922 ambush, and suggests there’s more here than meets the Ireland’s Own. Tickets here.

SAT9DEC23 8PM Dames, Dolls & Divas with Stella Bass
Aided and abetted by The Johnny Taylor Trio, the belle of the National Concert Hall returns to The Whale to celebrate such iconic singers as Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Barbara Streisand and Amy Winehouse. And sure, given the time of year, there might even be some Christmas crackers in there too. Details here.

SUN10DEC23 1PM €12 Home Alone (USA G 103mins)
What is it about this 1990 slapstick comedy – with the emphasis very much on the slap – that captures the spirit of Christmas so well? Perhaps it’s the fact that, as with Will Ferrell’s much-loved Elf, this is a cartoon comedy that delivers an abundance of belly laughs whilst also letting us feel all warm and fuzzy inside about Christmas. Tears of laughter are mixed with those lump-in-the-throat sense-memories of our own childhood Christmases. Yep, that festive feelgood factor doesn’t come much better than seeing Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern being sadistically tortured by a malicious and highly inventive 8-year-old boy. ’Tis the season to be very jolly… Part of a Christmas double-shammy with The Muppets’ Christmas Carol at 4.30pm, details here.

SUN10DEC23 4.30PM €12 The Muppet Christmas Carol (UK USA G 86mins)
It’s easy to dismiss Jim Henson’s muppets as, well, muppets, but the same mould breaking mindset that created the pivotal kids programme Sesame Street would manage to make Kermit, Gonzo, Miss Piggy and the gang both silly and subversive. And, in the case of 1992’s take on the Charles Dickens’ classic, sentimental and surprisingly moving. That Michael Caine has rarely been better (seriously) as the ultimate grouch, Ebeneezer Scrooge, reflects the heartfelt approach here to A Christmas Carol. And it’s going to get your right in the festive feels… Part of a Christmas double-whammy with Home Alone at 1pm. Details here.

FRI14DEC23 8PM €20 Chris Kent Back At It
Having made his Greystones debut at The Whale in February 2022, Cork’s finest Chris Kent is back with a brand new show at the beginning of December. And the show is a new beginning too. Since that 2022 show, the man went back to his regular job as an electrician, but, hey, he just didn’t feel that all-important spark. And given that there’s no future in electricity, the man is back on the road. Fully charged. Interview here, tickets here.

FRI15DEC23 FRI19JAN+SAT20JAN24 Sold Out David O’Doherty Tiny Piano Man
He’s been marching to his own particular Casio keyboard for two decades now, and yet, David O’Doherty’s cuddly surrealism and his refusal to do interviews has helped the Dublin comedian feel forever fresh whilst also maintaining that outsider pull. And constantly selling out venues, such as The Whale, with all three of the man’s upcoming shows now in the waiting list category. Which is right here.

SAT16DEC238PM €32 The Camembert Quartet 
Said to be inspired in part by Greystones’ near-legendary Baskerville Sisters, this fine Dublin quartet mix grooves with giggles. Which is no doubt what drew Ryan Tubridy to the lads when he needed a Late Late Show house band, getting to rock out with the likes of Robbie Williams and Rod Stewart over 12 glorious years. Come join them for some festive funk at The Whale, where they might just have a special guest singer or two. Just not Robbie. Or Rod. Just to be clear. Tickets and info here.

SUN17DEC23 4PM €20/€18 Celebrate Christmas With Classic Harmony
The Kelly family of Ashford have been winning awards all over the world for their close-harmony singing, and have wowed Greystones audiences many times before. So, Frank and the kids clearly know what they’re doing. And for their Christmas 2023 show at The Whale, Classic Harmony will be delivering an eclectic mix of the old and the new as they mix much-loved carols with modern festive favourites. Tickets here.

FRI22DEC23 1pm 4.30pm 8pm Elf (USA PG 96mins)
It is, of course, the finest Christmas film ever made, this 2003 comic masterpiece delivering a perfect mix of sentimentality and hilarity whilst also confirming, once and for all, that Santa really does exist. It’s not like an innocent elf-about-town like Buddy would ever lie to us, right…?

Having become something of a tradition in the town, the Greystones Film Club are very happy to present this year’s annual screening of Elf in the fittingly sparkling surrounds – and teeth-rattling surround-sound – of The Whale yet again. With a great big cinema screen that can truly transport, this is like going back to The Ormonde, only without the sticky floor. And the mysteriously damp seats. Tickets available here.

THURS28DEC23 8PM Sold Out Jerry Fish
From his breakthrough fronting An Emotional Fish in the late ’80s to his rebirth after a 7-year break as a renaissance man, Jerry Fish has added carnival creator, circus ringmaster, festival curator, playwright and poet to his rock’n’roll roots. The handlebar moustache behind the Electric Sideshow at Electric Picnic has two new singles out – both penned by indie’s answer to Brian Wilson, the late Daniel Johnston – with a new solo album also in the pipeline. All in all, The Artist Formally Known As Gerard Whelan has got a lot of material to choose from for his Whale show – which sold out rather quickly, of course. Waiting list here.

FRI28DEC23 8PM Sold Out David McSavage If That Makes Sense
Coming across like Hall’s Pictorial Weekly on acid, The Savage Eye proved to be one of RTE’s finest and funniest TV diatribes of the last 50 years. And the man behind it, former busker-turned-Bolshevik David McSavage will be inciting a riot down in Pleasantville come Friday, December 29th. His new show, If That Makes Sense, will once again have something for both the sentimentalists and the Sandanistas. Respect! Details here.

SAT30DEC23 11AM, 1.30PM, 4PM Sold Out Joe The Magician Live
Having sold out on his visit to The Whale in February 2022 and April of this year, Irish magician Joe Daly has pulled the same trick for his December 2023 shows. The fact that kids tend to walk away gobsmacked and giggling might have something to do with the man’s popularity. You can find out how he keeps it all in pocus with our interview here, and go join that waiting list over here.

THURS18JAN24 8PM €25 Manifest Your Best Year with Georgie Durcan: The Soulful Coach
And now for something a little bit different, as The Whale gives itself over for a night to local life coach Georgie Durcan, who will be putting ‘your goals, dreams and life plan centre stage‘. Continues the blurb, ‘For one evening, Georgie is going to stand on stage but not to entertain, but instead to guide each person through a personal reflection, where the audience is guided to connect with their inner power to start living life fully and joyfully!’ Noice. Tickets here.

FRI26JAN24 8PM €15 Seán Begley Faux Pa
Wherein the rising Irish comedian shines a light on his inadequacies – even if he is storming the likes of Edinburgh and The Comedy Store. “In general, life’s interactions can often be awkward, divisive, and incredibly embarrassing,” says Begley, “but each one can be a learning experience. The new show is about embracing inadequacy, learning from one’s errors and ultimately trying to be a better person.” Interview here, tickets here.

Explore The Whale’s full upcoming line-up right here, and the town’s coming weeks right over here.