10 images that capture iconic nights out at Kelly's, Paradise Lost and more
Many of us still remember the feel of the bass in our chest, the smell of cheap aftershave and smoke machines, and the thrill of a dancefloor packed shoulder-to-shoulder with sweaty strangers turned instant best friends.
From sticky dancefloors to pounding basslines, cheap drink promos and questionable fashion choices, no era of nightlife holds quite the same place in our hearts as the 1990s and early 2000s. For many, those were the golden years. They were a time before camera phones and social media, when the only thing you had to worry about on a night out was whether your mates had made it past the bouncers and who was on the decks.
In Northern Ireland, those years weren’t just about the music or the madness, they were about something deeper. As dance music soared in popularity and raves became weekend rituals, something remarkable was happening. Young people from all walks of life were coming together on the dancefloor, united by glow sticks, garage tunes, and a shared love for the moment. In a place long defined by division, the club scene offered connection, a space where the barriers of the past blurred in the strobes.
The venues themselves were iconic. From Shine at the Mandela Hall to Limelight, Kelly’s in Portrush to The Arena in Armagh, they weren’t just nightclubs, they were institutions. Many of us still remember the feel of the bass in our chest, the smell of cheap aftershave and smoke machines, and the thrill of a dancefloor packed shoulder-to-shoulder with sweaty strangers turned instant best friends.
Looking back, it wasn’t just the music that made those nights unforgettable; it was the freedom. Before Instagram stories and tagged photos, you could truly let go. Your only audience was the people around you, and your only worry was catching the last bus home or trying to remember where you’d stashed your coat.
From flared jeans to frosted tips, vodka red bulls to Vengaboys, take a scroll through the gallery below and see if you can spot yourself, a mate, or just feel that old, familiar pull of a time when life felt just that little bit more electric.
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A group of pals pose while having a few drinks at Belfast's Chicago Pizza Pie Factory, circa late 90s
(Image: Louise McGregor Conn)1 of 10
Crowds dance at Kelly's in Portrush, 1995
(Image: BPM/rp2oo8 via YouTube)2 of 10
Crowds get some laser action at the Met in Armagh, 2003
(Image: Fergus McAnallen/The Met Armagh Facebook page)3 of 10![]()
Entertaining the packed dancefloor in The House nightclub at Kilwaughter House Hotel, Larne, 1993
(Image: Mark Dobbin)4 of 10
