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music · Saturday 4 July 2026 · 6:30pm 
The Scratch - Live at Iveagh Gardens
At Iveagh Gardens · Clonmel Street, Dublin 2
At Iveagh Gardens · Clonmel Street, Dublin 2
The Scratch are one of the most exciting live acts to come out of Ireland in years - a Dublin band who take Irish trad and folk instrumentation and drive it headlong into heavy rock. On 4 July 2026 they bring that full force to Iveagh Gardens for what Aiken Promotions has billed as one of the stand-out summer gigs of the year. If you have not seen them before, this is the right venue to fix that. If you have, you already know the drill.
The Scratch play at a volume and intensity that catches first-timers off guard. Their guitar work is deceptively fast, underpinned by tight percussion, and the songs shift between powerful anthems and moments of genuine quietness. The band’s third album, Pull Like a Dog, was recorded at Hellfire Studio in Dublin, and recent touring took them to the US with the Dropkick Murphys and to Download Festival in the UK. They arrive at Iveagh Gardens in strong form.
The venue suits them well. Iveagh Gardens is a sunken walled garden just behind the National Concert Hall, enclosed by mature trees that keep the sound contained. The stage area is floored for concerts, and the setting - fountains, old stone walls, open sky - makes it one of the better places in Dublin to spend a summer evening. Gates open at 6:30pm. Dress practically; this is an outdoor show and Irish July can go either way.
Iveagh Gardens sits on Clonmel Street, off Harcourt Street in Dublin 2. The easiest public transport option is the Luas Green Line to Harcourt stop, which leaves you a two-minute walk from the gate. Buses on the Harcourt Street corridor also stop nearby. Parking is limited in the area and street parking fills early on event nights; public transport is the straightforward call.
Dublin 2 is good territory to spend a few hours before or after a gig - the Grand Canal, St Stephen’s Green, and the stretch of bars and restaurants along Camden Street are all within walking distance. There is more to see in Dublin and across Co. Dublin.
Heading to Iveagh Gardens in Dublin? Dublin has plenty more to see. Read the Dublin area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.