Westlife’s ‘Uptown Girl’ Effect Delivers Spending Increase to Dublin
- Concerts and festivals boosting local spend
- Shoppers seek bargains as value remains important
- September spending up slightly according to Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse
9 October 2026: September’s card spending patterns show localised expenditure spikes around the country driven by music and events.
Westlife’s residency in 3 Arena during September (between 10th and 26th September) brought a 40% rise in hotel spending and 16% for bars in Dublin 1, with in-person spending increasing by 12% in the area compared to that period last year.
Demand for live entertainment was Supersonic as consumers purchased Oasis tickets (from 25 to 27 September) ahead of their concerts at Slane Castle in 2027. Spending on Ticketmaster rose by 137% compared with the same period last year, with Louth (+341%) and Meath (+303%) seeing the largest spending increases. Average spending among 26-45 year olds during that specific period on Ticketmaster more than doubled from €234 to €549 per customer.
The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival, which took place throughout September, boosted the local economy with spending increasing by 30% in the area. There was a significant increase in spending in bars (53%), restaurants (150%), and fast-food outlets (143%).
Owen Clifford, Head of Retail Sector, Bank of Ireland said: “While overall spending was slightly up this September compared to last, consumers continue to search for deals as well as good experiences. Live events are driving spend locally, while consumers are shopping for better value in charity stores and online marketplaces. As we enter the final few months of 2026, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues; influencing pre-Christmas spending in shops and online.”
Across the country more generally, Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse data shows that overall expenditure was up slightly with an increase of 2% compared to September 2025. Consumers continue to hunt out value – spending on online marketplaces increasing by 89%, with charity and vintage stores (+134%), discount retailers (+49%), and clothes rental services (+11%) all rising.
Consumers enjoyed an increase in leisure activities. Spending rose by 6% in restaurants, 11% at health and beauty spas, 15% on amusement parks and 9% in games/toy shops compared to the same period last year.
ENDS
About Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland is a diversified financial services group serving more than four million customers across Ireland, the UK, and the EU. Its services span consumer, business and corporate banking, wealth management, life and pensions, specialist finance, and asset finance and contract hire. The Group includes Davy, New Ireland Assurance, Northridge Finance and Marshall Leasing. Bank of Ireland operates a full-service retail bank in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In the UK, it provides mortgages through the intermediary market and is the largest provider of consumer foreign exchange through its partnership with the UK Post Office.