Brendan Gleeson’s ‘Farewell to Hughes’s’ Captures a Vanishing Dublin Tradition

Brendan Gleeson’s documentary, Farewell to Hughes’s, serves as both a loving tribute to a cherished Dublin music pub and a poignant warning about the decline of traditional Irish music venues. The film, which documented the pub in January 2022, premiered at the 2024 Dublin International Film Festival according to the Irish Traditional Music Archive, and aired on TG4 on December 29, 2023.

A Last Gathering at Hughes’s

Hughes’s, a cornerstone of Dublin’s traditional music scene for over 35 years, closed its doors in 2021. Gleeson’s film captures a final five-day gathering of musicians, dancers, and singers revisiting the pub and its unique atmosphere. The documentary isn’t simply a nostalgic look back; it explores the essence of what made Hughes’s special – a space where people from all walks of life could connect through music.

More Than Just a Pub

Hughes’s, like many traditional Irish pubs, functioned as a vital community hub and an informal training ground for musicians. These pubs weren’t concert halls, but rather “living rooms” where the oral tradition of Irish music was preserved and passed down through nightly sessions. The documentary, directed by Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, weaves together interviews and archival footage to highlight this role, portraying Hughes’s as a “mecca of traditional music.”

A Wider Crisis for Irish Music Pubs

The closure of Hughes’s reflects a broader trend of disappearing traditional Irish music venues. Gleeson’s film implicitly asks whether the unique magic of places like Hughes’s can survive in a rapidly changing Ireland. The documentary serves as a stark warning about the potential loss of a crucial part of Ireland’s cultural heritage.

Screenings and Recognition

Farewell to Hughes’s has been screened at several film festivals, including the 2024 Dublin International Film Festival and the Chicago Irish Film Festival. It was co-produced by the Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA).