While our stats here show that you seem to be extremely interested in pubs in Stoneybatter – and quite right, too, for Stoneybatter is a lovely part of Dublin – it’s more happenstance than a response to the numbers that leads us to Walsh’s this week. And frankly, we’ve put it off for far too long, as it is a delightful pub; it just happens to be surrounded by so many of my other favourite pubs, notably L. Mulligan Grocer, Hynes’ Bar and The Barber’s Bar, so going somewhere ‘new’ when in the neighbourhood is sometimes a challenge.
Of course, Walsh’s is far from new, as it’s been trading on this corner since 1826, so it’s coming up on two centuries in business. One wonders if there is to be an epic celebration next year…but back to the pub itself. It’s got a beautiful mix of stained glass and dark wood, cosy nooks and a fantastic snug…really, it’s quite close to the Platonic ideal of a late-19th century Dublin pub (albeit with televisions for the footy), so its recent restoration work has been well-planned and executed. The look and feel is certainly closer to the end of the 19th century than the beginning, but that’s no critique. And while it is best-known for its Guinness, they also serve Beamish, and there are also fresh lines of Trouble’s Ambush and Kinnegar’s Scraggy Bay – it made an ideal stopping-off point for my traditional post-haircut pint not so long ago.
And Walsh’s has another point or two in its favour: it has the full-on Victorian pub splendour, without the crush of tourists you can get at The Long Hall, and it has more variety on offer, drinks-wise, than The Hut, which also has mirrors and stained glass galore. It manages to feel like both a neighbourhood pub and a destination in its own right. And on a damp afternoon, a pint by one of the colourful windows makes for a pleasantly warming experience.
Clearly, we need to do a proper Stoneybatter pub crawl write-up…but in any event, Walsh’s would be a fine spot to begin or end such an endeavour.
Where: 6 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, D07 A382
Access from the city centre: Buses 37, 39, 39A, 70, 83, 83A; Luas Red Line, 30ish minute walk
Food: Not 100% clear if their Cheesy Chewsdays are still a going concern…otherwise, not really
Sport: Football, rugby, GAA – the usual big events and weekend matches
TVs: Screens throughout the pub
Music: Live trad and other tunes some evenings
Family-friendliness: A few kids in with their folks to watch the sport, but still mostly for grownups
Pub-crawl-ability: High – L. Mulligan. Grocer, The Glimmer Man, The Cobblestone, The Belfry, Hynes' Bar, The Barber's Bar & Bonobo are quite close; Fidelity isn't too much further away
Local sites of note: The Lighthouse Cinema, Arbour Hill Cemetery, TUD Grangegorman
Haunted: No known stories, but the snug would be an ideal spot for a customer from the previous two centuries to linger
Other notes: Pleasant whiskey selection, too
Socials: Instagram
