Locals know this, but the visitor to Dublin may not know that horse racing is Kind of a Big Deal. There are endless ads from the various wagering platforms leading up to some of the larger race meetings, and as we’re in the middle of Cheltenham Week*, it seemed appropriate to venture to one of the many Old Man Pubs that draw in the betting racing crowd. And so, to The Wind Jammer.
Of course, there’s more to the pub than this; it’s one of the few remaining early houses that’s actually using its license as intended, and you can grab a pint as early as 7 am. We did a Beer Ladies Podcast (back soon!) on early houses a few years back, recorded live at Slattery’s, though these days, even there they open at the comparatively late hour of 9 am most days. Early houses have been in steady decline for decades, as their core clientele of dock workers and market porters have disappeared, though you do still get medics on night shifts and late-night clubbers, along with a set of regulars. And while we are not *just* a Three Castles Burning stan website, the recent episode on the state of early houses is well worth your time – give it a listen.
But back to The Wind Jammer: the exterior looks more than a little tired, but once in the door, it’s perhaps surprisingly tidy and well-wallpapered – not to the standard of the much-newer Morris Bar, of course, but in really rather good nick, all told. Our small crew had no trouble finding a comfortable table and were immediately trading race day tips with regulars. And while there are no craft or independent options, you can get a Beamish, and there’s plenty of Guinness 0.0 for more responsible day-drinking.
While it’s only a short walk from more ‘hipster’ bars like The Dockers Bar and the various tech company offices that have sprung up nearby, it maintains very much an inner-city pub feeling – no frills, mostly regulars, but at the same time, no ‘Slaughtered Lamb’ feeling when office workers or tourists stop in; it’s a warm welcome for all.
So while there are probably not many modern use cases for the 7 am pint, and even fewer places to obtain one, you’ve still got The Wind Jammer. Whether you’re stopping in for a pint while visiting or if you have a hot tip on a horse, you’ll be in good company.
Where: 111 Townsend St, Dublin 2, D02 TX96
Access from the city centre: Buses C1/C2/C3/C4, 15A, 15B, 56A, 77A, 18-ish minute walk
Food: Crisps and peanuts
Sport: Horse racing, rugby, GAA, football…
TVs: Visible from every seat in the pub
Music: Some live music events, but more tuned to the sport
Family-friendliness: Not much for the kids to do, unless they like to follow the sport
Pub-crawl-ability: Medium – The Dockers Bar, The Lombard, The Ferryman, Kennedy’s and The Ginger Man are a bit further on toward Merrion Square, but the vibe certainly changes as you head in that direction
Local sites of note: 3Arena, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, EPIC, Grand Canal Dock
Haunted: The toilets are certainly haunted by a smoky fug
Other notes: Another Tuborg sighting – is it becoming a norm at Old Man Pubs?
Socials: Facebook
* I started with €25 and ended up with €29.60 – so no complaints! Profit.
I’ve never seen U2 live. But like everyone of my age and fighting weight, I saw Rattle & Hum a fair few times, and back in the 1980s, I rented the U2: Live at Red Rocks VHS not infrequently. And while I completely agree that a lot of the stuff of that era of the band still slaps, I can see that the kids might find certain things about U2 a bit, well, cringe. But as a transplant to Dublin, I also don’t have that immediate animosity some seem to have to anything Bono-related – I’m essentially U2-agnostic.
Why the U2 preamble? Well, because this week’s pub, The Dockers Bar, was 
And what do those current regulars find at The Dockers Bar? It must be said that they were there in numbers on a weekend evening, so clearly, it’s working for them – is it the combination of some excellent independent Irish beer options (Rascals, Kinnegar, Trouble, Wicklow Wolf)? Or maybe they are mostly there for the Guinness, or perhaps the cocktails? The more-interesting-than-usual nibbles? In any event, it was a packed after-work scene.