Days Out NI
Music & arts centre Belfast

Mandela Hall (QUB Students' Union)

The Queen's University venue that U2 and Radiohead played, demolished with the old Students' Union and rebuilt from scratch in 2022.

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Check listingsGigs & session nights vary
Check listingsFamilies welcome by day
BelfastMusic & arts centre
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Arts centreAll ages by day
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Mandela Hall (QUB Students' Union) — The Queen's University venue that U2 and Radiohead played, demolished with the old Students' Union and rebuilt from scratch in 2022.

  • Who it's for: open to the public of all ages in principle, but age policy is set per event, so check the individual listing before booking for under-18s.
  • Music: touring bands, trad and folk concerts, tribute acts, club nights, comedy and spoken word.
  • Tickets: ticketed in advance, price varies by event; not a walk-in venue.
  • Accessibility: accessibility information and an FAQ published on the venue site; some shows run with live captions.
Plan your visit

What's on in 2026

The 2026 programme runs hard from midsummer into winter. Confirmed dates include Harry Baker's spoken word show Tender on 24 July, James Acaster across 25 to 28 July with one date carrying live captions, and a run of Belfast Tradfest concerts from 26 July into 1 August taking in Cherish The Ladies, the Michael McGoldrick Big Band, Solas, Four Men and a Dog and FLOOK. After that: The Wailers on 19 August, Geoff Tate on 21 August, Focus on 9 September, Crash Test Dummies on 7 October, Tom Stade on 11 October, Brian Kennedy on 13 November and Duke Special on 14 November. Popular dates sell out, so book early rather than chancing the door.

Completely rebuilt in 2022 with new sound, lighting and acoustics Open to the public, not students only Musicians' Union Fair Play certified Concerts, comedy, club nights and spoken word Some shows run with live captions U2, Radiohead, Ed Sheeran and Blur all played the original room
Good to know before you go:

The programme runs through the academic year and straight through summer, mixing touring music, comedy tours, festival weeks including Belfast Tradfest, and university events. Listings go up well in advance on the venue's own site.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🎶An ear for a tuneTraditional sessions are free to sit in on — you just find a seat and listen.
  • 🕑An eye on the timeAfternoon sessions suit families; most rooms turn over-18s later in the evening.
  • 💷A bit of cashFor food, and for the hat if the musicians pass one round.
  • 📱The what’s-on pageSession nights and gigs move around — check before you travel.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
ticketed concert, comedy and club venue inside a university student centre
Who it's for
open to the public of all ages in principle, but age policy is set per event, so check the individual listing before booking for under-18s
Music
touring bands, trad and folk concerts, tribute acts, club nights, comedy and spoken word
Tickets
ticketed in advance, price varies by event; not a walk-in venue
Accessibility
accessibility information and an FAQ published on the venue site; some shows run with live captions
Parking
university-area on-street parking around University Road, limited during term time
Address
One Elmwood Student Centre, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast
Questions

Before you go

Can we bring the kids?
open to the public of all ages in principle, but age policy is set per event, so check the individual listing before booking for under-18s
What's the music like?
touring bands, trad and folk concerts, tribute acts, club nights, comedy and spoken word
Do I need a ticket?
ticketed in advance, price varies by event; not a walk-in venue
Getting there

Mandela Hall (QUB Students' Union) is at One Elmwood Student Centre, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast. university-area on-street parking around University Road, limited during term time. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

Knocked down, then built back

The room first opened in 1967 and took the Mandela Hall name in 1986. Over the decades it became one of the best-known live venues in Northern Ireland, hosting U2 twice in their early days, along with Radiohead, Ed Sheeran, Snow Patrol, The National, Blur and Foals, plus the Shine club nights.

The Students' Union building closed in August 2018 and demolition began in January 2020. Queen's committed to keeping the Mandela Hall name in the replacement, and the venue was rebuilt on the original site as part of the One Elmwood Student Centre, reopening in 2022.

Rebuilding a beloved venue is a risk. This one landed. The name carried over, the programme came back, and the room itself is better than the one people were mourning.