Live: Hilary Duff in Dublin 2026
Queen Hilary visited Dublin in September, and as a true millennial, I couldn’t miss it.
I don’t recall Lizzie McGuire being popular in the Czech Republic, but a friend showed me the movie anyway, introducing teenage Terez to Hilary Duff. Her songs played on my MP3 player for months, and I’ve revisited them from time to time ever since.
I’m also a big fan of Hilary as an actress. While she set her music career aside for a few years, she focused on acting—you can see her, for instance, in the series Younger. When she announced she was returning to music, I couldn’t believe it—let alone that she would be in Dublin and that I’d get to see her live!
The concert took place on Sunday, September 6, at 3arena, with the British act La Roux serving as the opening act (yes, the same La Roux whose “Bulletproof” we danced to nearly 20 years ago). This alone showed that Hilary is taking this tour seriously and keeping her target audience in mind—a point further reinforced by a pre-show playlist packed with millennial anthems. This approach was evident throughout the concert itself: from the near-total absence of Gen Z attendees to the array of production elements Hilary brought along—confetti, balloons dropped from the ceiling, fireworks, and onstage flames. Usually, artists pick just one of these effects, typically saving it for the final song.
It crossed my mind that some might find it all a bit cringe or over-the-top. But that’s not how it felt to me at all; in that moment, everything made perfect sense. It had been nearly twenty years since Hilary last toured, and it was clear she wanted to fully savor this comeback—and for us to share in that experience with her.
Throughout the evening, the audience got to enjoy Hilary herself—who changed outfits four times—as well as the famous little dance for “With Love,” during which she invited people from the crowd onto the stage. There was also a segment where she sampled local treats; for Ireland, that naturally meant Guinness. In a fun moment, Hilary called up two Irish members of her team to join her on stage for a toast. Both men downed their Guinness, while Hilary split the G (drinking just enough so that the liquid level in the glass aligned with the middle of the “Guinness” logo) and then finished the rest at a more leisurely pace. Another personal touch came when the artist reminisced about the last time she played in Dublin, noting that the 3Arena had a different name back then (The Point—like many other arenas, the venue has changed its name several times over the last 20 years, depending on who owned it). It’s great that she did her homework on this. She also brushed up on Irish slang; I never in a million years thought I’d hear Hilary Duff use the word “craic” correctly!
For me, the setlist was excellent—Hilary chose her biggest hits and wove in some new songs (the album Luck… or Something is fantastic; I highly recommend it). I danced from start to finish, hardly able to believe I was hearing these songs live and that Hilary was so close to me. I had a standing ticket and was positioned somewhere between the tenth and fifteenth row. The people around me were quite well-behaved. One funny thing that happened just before Hilary came on was that two women pushed past me and squeezed into the crowd; they stayed for a few songs, took some photos with the stage in the background, and then left. Also, during one song, two women got into an argument, but fortunately, they left shortly after, so they didn’t manage to ruin the experience for us. Another thing I really appreciated? No one left to get drinks or go to the restroom during the concert. That’s unfortunately a common habit at concerts in Ireland, and it really annoys me.
Hilary also gave a speech, thanking everyone for their support—both throughout her career and regarding her latest album. Most importantly, she promised to keep making music (and she’s kept her word; she’s already released a new song and a Christmas EP). I’m hoping this means she’ll return to Dublin in the future—because, as always, I’d go see her again in a heartbeat!
