13 Nights, One City. Why Westlife's Dublin Residency Is a Once in a Generation Event

13 Nights, One City. Why Westlife's Dublin Residency Is a Once in a Generation Event

There are moments in any city's cultural life that people look back on years later and say they were there. Dublin has had a few of those. Croke Park in 2008 when Westlife played to over 83,000 fans on their 10th anniversary. The Aviva Stadium on the Wild Dreams Tour. But what is happening at the 3Arena across September 2026 is something else entirely.

Thirteen nights. One band. One city. A record that will almost certainly never be broken.

Westlife's 25th anniversary residency at the 3Arena runs from 10th to 26th September 2026, taking in selected dates across the full month. It brings their total number of performances at the venue to an unprecedented 74 shows, a figure unmatched by any other artist in the 3Arena's history. For context, no act anywhere in the world has played a single indoor arena more times in the history of that building. That is what September 2026 means for Dublin.

Whether you already have tickets, are travelling from outside Ireland, or simply want to be in Dublin while this is happening, this guide covers everything you need to know.

🎤 What Is the Westlife 25th Anniversary Residency?

All 13 Dublin dates: 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 September 2026 Venue: 3Arena, North Wall Quay, Dublin Docklands Doors: 6:00pm Show starts: 7:30pm Tickets: From €80 including booking fee via ticketmaster.ie

Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour kicks off in Dublin before heading to the UK and Belfast in October. The Dublin dates are not just the opening shows of the tour. They are the homecoming, the centrepiece and the celebration the band has been building towards since they reformed in 2019. Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne have said repeatedly that Dublin is where their story began, and this residency is the proof of that.

The show draws on the full 25 years of Westlife's catalogue, from Swear It Again through Flying Without Wings, Mandy, Uptown Girl, World of Our Own, You Raise Me Up and beyond, alongside material from their new album 25: The Ultimate Collection. Expect pyrotechnics, costume changes, confetti cannons and the kind of production that only a band with 25 years of stadium experience can deliver.

📖 The Story Behind the Numbers. Why This Residency Matters

To understand why 13 nights at the 3Arena is such a significant milestone, it helps to understand what Westlife have achieved over the last 25 years.

Westlife formed in Dublin in 1998, managed by Louis Walsh and signed by Simon Cowell. They are the only act in UK chart history to have their first seven singles go straight to number one. They have 14 UK number one singles in total, ranking behind only Elvis Presley and The Beatles in the all-time UK chart. They have sold over 55 million records worldwide, their music has been streamed over 3 billion times and they have performed to more than 6 million fans across 30 countries since their reunion in 2019.

They are the UK and Ireland's top-selling album group of the 21st century. In 2009 they received a Guinness World Record to confirm it.

All of that makes the September 2026 residency the closing of one chapter and the opening of another. Twenty-five years in, Westlife are not just surviving. They are breaking records in the city where it all started.

🗓️ All 13 Dublin Dates at a Glance

The residency runs across three separate weeks in September 2026, with rest days built in between runs. Here is the full schedule:

Week one: Thursday 10th, Friday 11th, Saturday 12th September

Week two: Tuesday 15th, Wednesday 16th, Friday 18th, Saturday 19th, Sunday 20th September

Week three: Tuesday 22nd, Wednesday 23rd, Thursday 24th, Friday 25th, Saturday 26th September

Tickets for all 13 shows are available via ticketmaster.ie, priced from €80 to €369 including booking fee. Due to the extraordinary demand that drove the residency from five nights to thirteen, tickets for the most popular dates and categories are limited. Check ticketmaster.ie for current availability.

📍 Where Is the 3Arena and How Do You Get There?

The 3Arena is Ireland's premier indoor music venue, located on North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands, approximately 2.3km from Dublin city centre. With a capacity of 14,500 it is the largest indoor arena in Ireland.

The venue is cashless. Bring your card or set up mobile payments before you arrive. Cash is not accepted for food, drinks or merchandise inside the 3Arena.

Getting to 3Arena from Dublin Airport: Take Dublin Express Route 782 from Dublin Airport to the city centre. The fastest journey takes as little as 14 minutes from €9. From there, 3Arena is easily reached by Luas, bus or on foot.

Getting to 3Arena from Dublin city centre: The Luas Red Line is the fastest and most convenient option. Board at Abbey Street or Jervis in the city centre and ride to The Point stop, which is located directly beside the 3Arena. The journey takes around 15 to 20 minutes. Extra trams run on show nights to handle the additional demand.

Dublin Bus route 151 serves Castleforbes Road, a two-minute walk from the venue. Services run every 10 minutes during peak times.

On foot: 3Arena is a 25 to 30 minute walk from O'Connell Street along the north Quays. On a mild September evening it is a pleasant way to arrive and soak up the atmosphere building around the Docklands before the show.

By DART or Irish Rail: Connolly Station is the closest rail stop, from where the Luas Red Line takes you directly to The Point. Irish Rail services from across the country connect to Connolly and Heuston stations in Dublin city centre.

✔ Dublin Express tip: Dublin Express drops you at O'Connell Street, Westmoreland Street and other central stops, all within easy reach of the Luas Red Line for onward travel to the 3Arena. Services run every 7.5 minutes at peak times from Dublin Airport to the city centre, from €9. Use the live Coach Tracker at dublinexpress.ie to see exactly when your next service is due before you leave for your stop.

🌆 Making a Weekend of It. Dublin in September

September is one of the best months to visit Dublin. The summer crowds have thinned, the city is still warm and lively, and the events calendar is as strong as any month of the year. Here is how to make the most of a Westlife weekend trip.

Friday evening arrival Land at Dublin Airport and take Dublin Express to the city centre in as little as 14 minutes from €9. Check in, head out and let Dublin do the rest. The city centre on a September evening is genuinely beautiful. A walk along the Liffey, a pint in a good pub and dinner somewhere in the Temple Bar or Georges Street area sets the tone perfectly.

Show day Westlife shows have doors at 6pm and the show typically starts at 7:30pm. Give yourself a relaxed afternoon in the city before heading to the 3Arena. The Guinness Storehouse is a brilliant way to spend a few hours before a show, finishing with a pint at the Gravity Bar with a 360 degree view over the city. Dublin Express customers save on entry via dublinexpress.ie/offers. Head to the Docklands from around 5:30pm to soak up the atmosphere outside the venue before doors open.

Morning after Dublin on a Sunday morning after a big night is one of the best things about the city. Brunch in Ranelagh, a walk through St Stephen's Green or a visit to the National Gallery before heading home. Dublin Express runs from the city centre to Dublin Airport every 7.5 minutes at peak times from €9.

🏛️ What Else to See and Do in Dublin This September

Culture Night, Friday 18th September One of the most brilliant free events in the Irish calendar falls right in the middle of the Westlife residency. On the evening of 18th September, over 350 cultural venues across Dublin city and county open their doors for free. Museums, galleries, theatres, government buildings, artist studios and more all host specially programmed events from 4pm until late. It is entirely free to attend and is one of those Dublin experiences that is genuinely unlike anything else.

Dublin Fringe Festival The Dublin Fringe Festival runs through September, showcasing new and emerging artists across theatre, dance, music and performance at venues across the city. Edgy, unpredictable and consistently brilliant, it is the ideal complement to a Westlife weekend for anyone who wants to see the full range of what Dublin does culturally.

Dublin Theatre Festival The Dublin Theatre Festival begins on 24th September and runs into October, bringing some of the most respected theatre in Europe to venues including the Abbey, the Gate and the Gaiety. Check dublintheatrefestival.ie for the full 2026 programme.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum Nine interactive galleries in the Docklands, just a short walk from the 3Arena, telling the story of Irish emigration and the global Irish diaspora. Voted Europe's leading tourist attraction multiple times. Dublin Express customers save on entry via dublinexpress.ie/offers.

Dublin's Pub and Restaurant Scene September is a wonderful time to eat and drink in Dublin. The city's restaurant scene is exceptional right now across every price point and cuisine type. Book ahead for the most popular spots, particularly on weekends during the residency when demand across the city will be high.

🧳 Practical Tips for Your Westlife Dublin Trip

Accommodation Book as early as possible. Thirteen nights of Westlife at the 3Arena means Dublin city centre accommodation will be in extremely high demand across the entire month of September. The closer to the show dates you leave it, the more limited and expensive the options become.

Ticket flexibility Westlife are performing 13 separate shows, which means there are more opportunities than usual to find tickets if you have not already secured them. Check ticketmaster.ie regularly as returns and additional releases sometimes become available in the weeks before shows.

Getting around Dublin The city centre is compact and walkable. The Luas Red Line connects the centre to the 3Arena in 15 to 20 minutes. Dublin Bus covers every corner of the city. Most of the main attractions and venues are within easy walking distance of each other.

September weather September in Dublin averages temperatures of around 14 to 17 degrees. Evenings can be cool, particularly later in the month, so bring a light jacket for the walk to and from the 3Arena.

✈️ Getting From Dublin Airport to the City Centre

Dublin Express Route 782 is the fastest and most reliable way to get from Dublin Airport to Dublin city centre, where you can connect to the 3Arena and everything else the city has to offer.

Journey time: As little as 14 minutes via the Port Tunnel Frequency: Every 7.5 minutes at peak times Fares: From €9 Operating hours: Around the clock, 365 days a year Key city centre stops: O'Connell Street, Trinity College, Westmoreland Street, Harcourt Street and more

Track your coach in real time using the Coach Tracker at dublinexpress.ie before you leave for your stop.

Book your ticket at dublinexpress.ie.

Ready to Be Part of History?

Thirteen nights. One city. A record that will stand for as long as the 3Arena does. Westlife's September 2026 Dublin residency is the kind of event that defines a year in a city's cultural life.

Dublin Express gets you from the airport to the heart of it all in as little as 14 minutes from €9, with coaches running every 7.5 minutes at peak times 365 days a year.

Book your Dublin Express transfer at dublinexpress.ie and make sure you are there for one of the most talked about months in Dublin's recent history.

All event dates and details are correct at time of publication (May 2026). Always check ticketmaster.ie and westlife.com for the most up to date information on tickets and show times. Dublin Express timetables and fares are available at dublinexpress.ie.