A BRAND new social darts club is set to open in Dublin – with owners promising an experience “built to bring people together”.
Flight Club – co-founded by Steve Moore and Paul Barham in 2012 – will open a new location in Ireland next month.
The club will open its doors on February 7 on Dawson Street at the former home of Sams Bar and Samsara, and will be called ‘Flight Club Dublin‘.
After a €7 million renovation, the 8,000 sq/ft venue will feature semi-private oches (darts areas) and fairground-inspired décor to a
360 degree bar with a cocktail selection.
This includes Flight Club’s trophy cocktail served in a trophy cup.
The club’s “pièce de resistance” is a phone booth, described as “a must-visit spot for snapping those Instagram-perfect selfies.”
Flight Club Dublin has been brought to life in partnership with the Loyola Group and is backed by Irish entrepreneur Barry McGrath.
It will be headed up by Andrew Fisher, former manager
of House Dublin.
Fisher said: “As someone who’s passionate about Dublin’s vibrant social scene, I couldn’t be more excited to introduce Flight Club to Ireland.
“This is more than a bar—it’s a place to create memories, celebrate with friends, and embrace the magic of Social Darts.
“We’re thrilled to bring something truly unique to Dawson Street.
It’s arrival will come ten years after the opening of Flight Club’s first venue in Shoreditch in London in 2015.
Since then, they have opened locations in the UK, USA, and Australia alongside their franchise partners: State of Play Hospitality and NightOwl Entertainment.
Stephen Cooney, Director and co-founder of Loyola Group, added: “We are thrilled to be opening the first Flight Club in Dublin on 7th February.
“We met Steve (Moore) and Paul (Barham), founders of Flight Club, some five years ago.
“During this time, we have watched Flight Club grow into one of the biggest and most exciting social entertainment businesses worldwide.
“We have worked patiently to find the perfect location for Ireland’s first Flight Club.
“Dawson Street, Dublin 2 is a fitting address for Flight Club and together with the Red Engine team we will deliver a unique and thrilling venue that Dublin has been waiting for!”
Darts as a sport has taken on a whole new level of popularity amidst the extraordinary rise of teenage sensational Luke Littler.
TEENAGE SENSATION
The 17-year-old prodigy shocked the world by reaching the final of the World Darts Championships in 2023.
While he ultimately lost to Luke Humphries, he bounced back by winning the world title with a stunning victory over three-time winner Michael van Gerwen in 2024.
He has risen to second place on the PDC Order of Merit with a total of £1,118,500 in prize money.
This figure does not include extra cash from when he became Premier League champion (£315,000) or won via World Series events (£150,000).
And he will look to add to his trophy cabinet when he represents England at the World Cup of Darts.
He said: “Last year people didn’t know it was based off your ranking and everyone was asking: ‘Why is Luke Littler not in the World Cup?’
“I was like: ‘Because I’ve only just started my career.’
“But now, obviously the major ranking money goes on to the rankings and I think I’m pretty much in with Luke. I cannot wait.”
Flight Club will have been encouraged by the potential success of a social darts club in Ireland when watching Littler’s journey at the Ally Pally.
Irish eyes spotted a pair of hilarious GAA-related signs among the darts crowd before Luke Littler made history
Several Irish viewers were taken by a few signs held up in the background as ‘The Nuke’ initially made his way up onto the stage.
One beautifully placed one took up a prime bit of real estate on everyone’s TV with its message of ‘Hon Mooncoin’ easy to make out.
For those unfamiliar with the area, it’s a parish located in south Kilkenny near the border with Waterford.
Its main rivals in hurling are nearby club Piltown – whom also got a shout-out in another sign held up by a fan
However, this was of the sledging variety as it stated ‘We hate Piltown’.
But the good people of Piltown did have their honour defended by another few attendees who were snapped with signs aiming the hate right back at Mooncoin.
