In recent times, Òran Mór has quickly become one of my favourite go-to spots for a drink in Glasgow. It’s got such a warm cosy feel to it with its old wooden furnishings. Being from the Southside, it’s always a nice change heading over to the West End for a night out. Me and my mates often enjoy several pints of Guinness there on a packed-to-the-brim Saturday night where we always bump into people we know. We always say ‘deffo not gonna end up in Òran Mór tonight’ yet somehow we always do. It feels like a hotspot where everyone gathers for some pints, tunes and a good atmosphere. As if it couldn’t get any better, it’s usually open until 2am which is class because most pubs in Glasgow shut at midnight. However, if the pub has served its purpose and I’m looking for a boogie then I’ll likely end up in the club downstairs, singing my heart out to Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’ with the boys. 

Shay O’Dowd plays St Luke’s, Glasgow, Tuesday 23 December; his self-released EP Growing Pains is out now.