Fireplace

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Glimmer Man

by

The Lounge Bar at The Glimmer ManThere’s been a pub on this site in Stoneybatter since around 1814, and while the current building dates to the 1880s, The Glimmer Man really came into its own in the 1990s, when the enormous back bar of the pub was constructed. The Victorian lounge bar at the front retains many details of that era (as well as much memorabilia of all sorts), but it’s hard to overstate just how full-on the collection of items in the back is – there is everything from pianos to blow-up dolls, plus a nice fireplace for good measure.

Part of the back bar at The Glimmer Man

I tend to be a bit suspicious of cash-only pubs, but happily, The Glimmer Man’s welcoming environment doesn’t give off the conspiracy vibes associated with so many businesses of that variety, and it is one of the last few holdouts after others like The Gravediggers also began accepting cards. For the unprepared visitor, there is an ATM inside the pub…though if you are me, it’s been so many years since you’ve actually got cash out, you may not recall your pin – plan ahead! And no, they don’t take Revolut.

More of the back bar at The Glimmer ManBut just what is a glimmer man, you might ask? The name comes from the Emergency/WWII-era job title – think a sort of proto-TV license inspector role – tasked with seeking out people using too much gas. It’s been applied to the pub here since at least the 1980s, though a previous proprietor, T. Lyster, is still commemorated in the tiled entrance. The Glimmer Man is very much a community hub for Stoneybatter; there are numerous events and activities that contribute to local causes. Some of this is down to capacity – the glorious, cavernous back bar area can accommodate activities of all sorts.

There’s an excellent beer selection on offer, too – plenty of Guinness, but also Beamish and a strong lineup of independent options from the likes of Larkin, Kinnegar, Wicklow Wolf, Trouble and more; it’s worth looking at both the front and back bars to get the full set of offerings.

It may be the only reason you ever need to carry cash again.

Where: 14 Stoneybatter, Dublin, D07 RK37
Access from the city centre: Buses 37, 39, 39A, 70, 83, 83A; Luas Red Line, 30ish minute walk
Food: Food truck at times, but you are welcome to bring in food from elsewhere
Sport: All the usual big events are shown
TVs: Lots of screens about the place – it’s big!
Music: All sorts – there’s a jukebox
Family-friendliness: More of a grownup scene
Pub-crawl-ability: High: L. Mulligan. Grocer is next door, Hynes’ Bar is up the road, The Cobblestone, The Belfry, The Barber's Bar & Bonobo are quite close; Fidelity and isn’t too much further away
Local sites of note: The Lighthouse Cinema, Arbour Hill Cemetery, TUD Grangegorman, Collins Barracks
Haunted: Seems an ideal spot for a haunted object or two in the back
Other notes: The cash-only policy also applies to the jukebox – bring coins
Socials: Instagram

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Ginger Man

by

Outside The Ginger Man: Christmas decorations galoreIn the immortal words of Noddy Holder, ‘it’s CHRIST-MAS!’

Well, even if it isn’t quite, you’d be mistaken for thinking it is if you wander into The Ginger Man after Halloween. Christmas is this pub’s thing. Every year, since the early 1990s (my brain wanted me to type ‘1970s,’ but I am told that said decade was not, in fact, 30ish years ago), the Christmas display has grown larger and larger; ‘extra’ doesn’t begin to cover it. But it’s a good kind of extra, and there is a lot of competition – pubs in Dublin tend to have a high standard of holiday sparkle at this time of year.

Inside the Ginger Man: a red glow from the decorationsThere can be a bit of a dark side to going all in on Christmas, though – a pub might attract groups of Twelve Pubs of Christmas revellers. Now, I like a pub crawl. I like a bit of festive cheer. But as with anything of this nature, its growing popularity means that weekend pub visits during the holidays can be, well, messy. Some pubs bar these groups altogether (at least, in theory). And if you’re still wondering just what the Twelve Pubs of Christmas is and where it goes, Publin did an excellent look into the history of the tradition, which does seem to have a traceable pedigree back to the 1990s, and, depending on your interpretation, it either has no rules, beyond hitting up twelve pubs, or there are many rules – just ask Reddit (or don’t, up to you). And like so many modern-day folk practices, this leads to a range of approaches…some more annoying than others and most distinctly, well, blokey.

And there are some groups out there being (reasonably) responsible, taking it slowly, staying hydrated and being mindful of bar staff and other customers – great! Others, meanwhile, are like even-more-mobile stag parties in Christmas jumpers, and are best avoided. So, if such a group is looking to make The Ginger Man one of their stops, what will they find?

More Christmas decorations upstairs at The Ginger ManWell, as mentioned, they have the ideal backdrop for the social media documentation of their special day – there is no corner of the pub lacking holiday decorations. They can also be sensible by getting a bit of food, and while the beers on offer aren’t terribly adventurous – their own-brand offerings look to be from Franciscan Well, so more or less a small step up from your standard Heineken portfolio plus Guinness, but it does give Beamish stans their fave, too. But The Ginger Man is the kind of place that’s busy no matter what – its proximity to Trinity College means there are always plenty of students and tourists, plus a big after-work crowd. There are likely smaller numbers of JP Donleavy fans coming to see a pub named after his novel, as there are other pubs frequented by Donleavy (plus, of course, Brendan Behan) or mentioned in the book, but hey, you never know…

And even if you aren’t doing a Twelve Pubs of Christmas crawl, The Ginger Man is a spot worth ticking off this time of year – there’s such a range of great holiday decoration all around Dublin, so get out there and take some in.

Where: 39-40 Fenian St, Dublin 2, D02 KD51
Access from the city centre: Already there
Food: Pub grub: burgers and tourist faves
Sport: All the usual big events are shown
TVs: Various scattered around
Music: A bit more touristy than many
Family-friendliness: There is a children’s menu, but it can be crowded
Pub-crawl-ability: Medium – Kennedy’s is nearby, or wander to the other side of Trinity College for O’Neill’s, Tapped, Bowes and more
Local sites of note: Trinity College, Merrion Square, National Museum of Ireland (Archaeology), National Library of Ireland, National Gallery of Ireland
Haunted: No ghost stories mentioned – but could Brendan Behan be lurking?
Other notes: They do decorate for other holidays as well, just not quite so much
Socials: Instagram

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Brazen Head

by

Spooky decor inside The Brazen HeadIt’s properly Halloween season, and that means we need to take in a pub with a better ghostlore pedigree…even if its other, more, er, brazen claims don’t really hold up. And so, to The Brazen Head. We’ll get the negatives out of the way first, because there is a properly historic pub hidden under here, and a surprisingly decent beer selection for such a touristy spot, but we’ll lead with that point – it is never, ever, not packed with tourists. Now, this is no bad thing from a business perspective, especially with how difficult it is to keep a hospitality business going (not that it’s been going since ‘1189,’ but we’ll come back to that) – fair play to the management for finding what works to bring in a steady stream of paying visitors. And no shade to those visitors themselves; I’ve been one of them, though it probably says something that I certainly stopped in The Brazen Head more frequently as a tourist versus once we moved to Dublin. On the one hand, it’s simply not that close to home, so it would never be my local, but really, it’s that the crush of tourists mean that it’s most frequently crowded and, well, loud; not really a spot to linger over a book with a pint. The atmosphere can feel much more ‘theme park’ than ‘pub,’ which is a reasonable thing if you’re on holiday, but I find it a lot less diverting in the everyday.

Outside The Brazen Head 'since 1189'And so to the second issue – is it ‘Ireland’s oldest pub,’ here ‘since 1189?’ LOL, no. While Liam has done an excellent job of unpacking its more likely history, I’ll summarize a few points, though his work on The Brazen Head (and, really, everything to do with Irish beer history) is very much recommended reading. First, while the pub does sprawl over a few buildings, there’s most likely nothing here older than the 18th century, and much that is more recent.

Are there parts of the pub that ‘feel’ a bit more like a coaching inn? Sure! Like a medieval tavern? Not remotely, we simply don’t have any in Dublin, and, as ever, we can at least partially blame the Wide Streets Commission. What is perhaps a more interesting question is ‘when did The Brazen Head begin marketing itself this way?’ Presumably before the ersatz crenelations at the front (to be fair, while they look riduclous from across the road, they do make for a nice covered outdoor space, and a non-smoking one to boot, though the smoke/vape ick can drift over from the nearby covered smoking porch) were added; I’ve found references along these lines as far back as the 1960s, whereas press mentions in the late 19th century stuck to a more believable ‘oldest established hotel in the city’ – even if the name has possibly attached itself to a number of different local businesses since, say, the 18th century, there’s at least a bit of a throughline.

In a crowded part of The Brazen Head

And this is the bit about the fake history that makes it especially annoying – first, that the various claims are repeated absolutely everywhere without the slightest bit of interrogation, but more than that, it obscures the actually very interesting – and more validated – history of The Brazen Head. There is a genuine association with Robert Emmet, and there are a number of literary connections as well. Obviously, this being a pub in Dublin, Brendan Behan made an appearance, and there’s the requisite Ulysses mention; it would be lovely to hear more about these aspects of the pub’s history instead of an entirely imaginary ancient foundation. That’s not to say that there were not previous buildings on the site, nor, indeed, that Winetavern Street does not come by its name honestly as having a long history of domestic brewing and, later, inn- and tavern-like business; there’s a lot of quite interesting archaeology nearby, as this was very close to the Viking site at Wood Quay. But also given its proximity to the Liffey, it’s not 100% clear that there *was* solid ground here prior to the 13th century – it may have been under water in ‘1189.’ One presumes that there was a committee somewhere that decided ‘1189’ was a precise-yet-vague enough date to be applied wherever a deep lineage is required – see also the similar-vintage Ye Old Trip to Jerusalem on the Neighbouring Island (and, of course, listen to our Beer Ladies Podcast episode on Historic Building Mythbusting with Dr. James Wright).

A glass of Rye River Upstream Pale Ale in the beer gardenHappily – at least for a ghostlore collector like me – there are ghost stories, too – Emmet and his executioner are both meant to appear at various spots in the pub, though as ever with this kind of story, it’s not clear how we identify said executioner; at least Robert Emmet has his death mask in various places, including a short walk away at Arthur’s, close to the spot of his execution.

It’s not as though Dublin is short of pubs (though we know it’s a hard time for all hospitality businesses), and so it’s not necessarily a terrible thing that we seem to have given one over entirely to tourism. That said, there are relatively few pubs here that do date back to the 18th century – I’m not really willing to go further back than that on the available evidence, but hey, more than happy to be surprised – and it would be a nice thing to see that history more celebrated. The Gravediggers does a great job of appealing to tourists and locals alike, though that’s almost certainly helped by its location away from the immediate city centre, but they also celebrate their pub’s history, recently hosting an event as part of the Dublin Festival of History. More of this, please!

But The Brazen Head does have one up on The Gravediggers for me from a beer selection point of view – they always have some reliable Rye River taps – and that is also something to be celebrated, especially if overseas visitors may stumble across a local, independently-produced beer. And it’s well-located to kick off a pub crawl into The Liberties…get your tourist TikTok done, then head down Thomas Street.

But in any event, I’m willing to wager The Cat & Cage is older…and less full of tourists! If only we could get some details about their ghost story…

Where: 20 Lower Bridge St, Usher’s Quay, Dublin, D08 WC64
Access from the city centre: Buses 13. 26, 27, 37, 70, 77A, 83, 83A, 123, 145, 151, C1, C2, C3
Food: Tourist pub grub
Sport: All the usual big events are shown
TVs: Inside and outside
Music: Generic playlist by day, live sessions by night
Family-friendliness: A fair few jet-lagged kids always seem to be sitting outside looking grumpy
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Tailors Hall, The Lord Edward, The Bull & Castle, The Beer Temple/The Oak are all more or less in one direction, with The Thomas House, Love Tempo, Dudley's, Swift, Arthur's, Guinness Open Gate Brewery and other Liberties spots in the other
Local sites of note: Christchurch Cathedral, Dublinia, St Audoen's Church, St Michan’s Church, Guinness Storehouse, Vicar Street
Haunted: FINALLY. Proper ghostlore; more, please!
Other notes: Temple Bar prices outside Temple Bar
Socials: Instagram, Facebook

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Bleeding Horse

by

Exterior of The Bleeding Horse: flags, Carlsberg branding and a portrait of a horse

We are not *quite* into Spooky Season yet – indeed, it has been so unseasonably hot that I’ve had to create a Beer Garden tag – but my thoughts have nevertheless turned toward the creepier side of things when it comes to pubs. And although I cannot find any ghost stories linked to The Bleeding Horse, it does come with a spooky-adjacent literary history, and so, to Camden Street.

A quote from James Joyce, etched in stoneThe Bleeding Horse gets the usual James Joyce namecheck in Ulysses, complete with a stone at the door to remind the visitor, but I’m personally more interested in the Sheridan Le Fanu mention. While MR James nerds like me get excited about Le Fanu’s role in shaping the modern ghost story, his mention of The Bleeding Horse is in one of his earlier works,
The Cock and Anchor (no snickering at the back). Set in 1710, the pub is described in the book as ‘…a small, old-fashioned building, something between an ale-house and an inn.’ And while this is largely literary license, that part does have a ring of authenticity.

A pint of Whiplash Rollover on a table at The Bleeding HorseA 17th century ale-house would have been somewhat akin to our modern ‘wet pub’ (yes, it’s a terrible phrase), with drink on offer, but little else, while an inn would have offered accommodation as well as refreshment. And although ‘public houses’ began to be licensed in both Ireland and Britain in the late 17th century, it’s still all a bit scattershot, and there are gradations and edge cases all over. And while a 1649 date for the pub’s foundation often pops up, one wonders if this has more to do with its maybe-possibly association with the Battle of Rathmines, which might have given The Bleeding Horse its name (or, equally, may not have – the story of a bloody, battle-frightened horse is a bit too Just So). It would seem to be spectacularly bad luck to build and open a new business just as the country is about to be laid waste to by Cromwell and his troops, but then, stranger things have happened. That said, if it was a coaching inn, it was likely a relatively substantial establishment, and one that stretched at least a bit further back. In short, a little proper archival digging would be quite an interesting exercise!

A table at The Bleeding Horse

But with that said, the pub we see today – and a large, somewhat barn-like building it is – only dates from 1871 (though I would be willing to wager the cellars have some older bits and bobs), when it was redesigned by RJ Stirling, early in his architectural career; he would later go on to serve as a key architect for Trinity College. That ye-olde-feeling interior, on the other hand, is even more recent – it’s from a renovation in the 1990s. Again, though, this is no bad thing, as the feeling of the place does ‘work, and the maze-like interior as you wind up the stairs offers a variety of nooks and crannies to settle into. And while there are the usual Carlsberg (whose branding is currently covering most of the exterior) and Guinness taps (and also Murphy’s, for those seeking an alternative stout), there are also local independent options with a few Whiplash choices, too.

Perhaps, though, the spookiest thing about The Bleeding Horse is its more recent literary history: The Bleeding Horse and Other Ghost Stories by Brian J. Showers (he of local publisher Swan River Press) is a cracking read, and one I’d highly recommend for any visitor to the area. Le Fanu may be long dead, but his tradition remains alive; no better place to check it out than at a pub whose name he would have recognized.

Where: 24-25 Camden Street Upper, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2, D02 NP22
Access from the city centre: Buses 9, 14, 15, 16, 27, 56A, 65B, 77A, 83, 140, 151, 15-ish minute walk
Food: Elevated pub grub with some more interesting offerings than many spots
Sport: Football, rugby, horse racing, F1, golf…really, all the sports
TVs: All over the place
Music: Live music and comedy on weekends and some evenings; check the socials
Family-friendliness: More of a grownup vibe, and can be very crowded on big sporting event days
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Devitt's, Teach Tábhairne Ag Teach, The Camden, Ryan's of Camden Street…and the local ‘Spoon's, Keavan's Port. Or, carry on to Dame Street for The Beer Temple and The Oak
Local sites of note: Whelan's, Iveagh Gardens, St Stephen's Green, National Concert Hall, Marsh's Library, St Patrick's Cathedral
Haunted: Only in the most literary sense, though I admit I’m not the biggest fan of the recent restoration of the horse, which does creep me out
Other notes: Handy for a bookish pint after picking something up at The Last Bookshop
Socials: Instagram

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: Arthur’s Pub

by

Across the street from Arthur's PubArthur’s Pub – or, if you prefer, Arthur’s Blues and Jazz Club – sits on a prominent corner in the Liberties, and while it presents itself as ‘the nearest pub on the route to the Guinness Storehouse‘ and has name-checked Arthur Guinness, it has much more going for it than simply a handy location near one of Dublin’s most-visited landmarks. Although renovated as recently as 2022, the updates manage to feel very much bedded-in, yet with all the modern comforts.

And while there are a fair few spots nearby in The Liberties that cater to my craft beer preferences, Arthur’s does a great job of showcasing a range of independent Irish breweries, in addition to that extremely-fresh Guinness (even if it’s actually brewed a little bit further along than the Storehouse); there’s usually a good selection from Wicklow Wolf, Trouble, O’Hara’s, Rascals and more. In many ways, this is what I would expect for a pub that’s very much on the tourist trail – yes, there’s your expected Guinness, but you are also showing off other local producers, through both food and drink, and giving visitors a much fuller picture of what’s available here in Ireland. Oddly, this rarely happens, as many pubs that cater primarily to tourists carry only macro beers – so it’s great to see it. Arguably, the music venue upstairs does something similar – there’s a good mix of trad along with the jazz and blues in the name, which can be harder to find elsewhere in town.

The fireplace at Arthur's PubBut I love having an excuse to go to Arthur’s during the Libertine Market Crawl, a monthly craft and art market spread across three other neighbouring pubs, most recently Lucky’s, Dudley’s and Love Tempo. There’s always an eclectic but well-curated mix on offer, and Arthur’s seems to draw some of vendors on the spookier end of things, so yes, I am being catered to. And while the pub is by no means ancient by European standards – it was built c. 1850, and has been a pub since the 1860s (though not, back then, under its present Guinness-themed branding, of course) – its proximity to St Catherine’s Church, site of the execution of Robert Emmet in 1803, gives it a bit of a haunting air, enhanced by the large stone fireplace, covered in drippy candle wax at the far end of the pub, complete with a death mask of Emmet on the wall above.

For the tourist who may feel slightly discombobulated by a trip to the ultra-modern (and pricey) Gravity Bar at the Guinness Storehouse, just steps away, Arthur’s can help re-set the system; it feels like a very ‘authentic’ pub, albeit one with a more-interesting-than-usual set of offerings – something for everyone in the best way.

Where: 28 Thomas St, The Liberties, Dublin, D08 VF83
Access from the city centre: Buses 13, 27, 49, 54A, 77A, 123, 150, 151, G1, G2, 15-ish minute walk
Food: Elevated pub grub and small plates
Sport: Plenty of sporting options elsewhere in the neighbourhood
TVs: Not here
Music: Trad, jazz and general indie during the day, live jazz and blues upstairs
Family-friendliness: Plenty of kids about for lunch on weekend afternoons
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Dudley's is across the street, with Love Tempo, Guinness Open Gate Brewery, The Thomas House, Swift, The Christchurch Inn, Tailors Hall, The Lord Edward, The Bull & Castle and The Beer Temple/The Oak are all within a short walk; The Brazen Head is also a bit further away
Local sites of note: Guinness Storehouse, Vicar Street, Olympia Theatre, Christchurch Cathedral, Dublinia, St Audoen’s Church
Haunted: They lean *all the way in* with the Emmet death mask, but alas, he’s said to haunt The Brazen Head instead…
Other notes: Great vendors on the Libertine Market Crawl, always a kid- and dog-friendly event
Socials: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Bull & Castle

by

Gargoyle friend at The Bull & CastleBack in the day – you know, the late aughts to the mid-2010s – Ireland had very little going on from a craft beer perspective, especially compared to its neighbour across the Irish sea, or the larger one on the other side of the bigger body of water. And yet, a small-but-dedicated group of beer enthusiasts and homebrewers used to regularly meet and exchange notes at the subject of this week’s entry: The Bull & Castle.

While these days, the craft beer coterie tends to gather at The Underdog, there’s still plenty to enjoy at The Bull & Castle, and some amazing steak, to boot. Also: bonus ghost content! Well, dodgy ghost content, but surely, one expects nothing less. There is a literary connection, in any case, but it’s neither James Joyce nor Brendan Behan; it isn’t even Yeats!

The upstairs bar at The Bull & CastleBut back to the pub itself: The Bull & Castle is very much ‘sleek steakhouse with taxidermy and statuary’ downstairs, and if you’re simply looking for the bar, you need to head up the stairs. But before you do, it’s worth noting that the steak is top-notch; it’s part of the FX Buckley family, and if you are a meat-eater who hasn’t had their steak, well…you should probably get on that, whether at The Bull & Castle or one of their other locations around Dublin. Upstairs, there is also excellent food, but also a more pub-like atmosphere. There are a variety of local craft beer options: on my most recent visit, some Trouble, lots of O’Hara’s choices (also in bottles downstairs), including the house pale ale, The White Hag and others, plus a wider selection of ciders than you typically find in most places around town. It can feel a bit hidden, since you don't enter into the main bar right from the street as in so many other pubs, but that can add to the charm as well.

A goat friend downstairs at The Bull & CastleAnd, of course, there’s the aforementioned literary connection and ghost story. Poet James Clarence Mangan, whose bust can be seen watching over St Stephen’s Green, was born in a house on the site of The Bull & Castle, and legend has it that he makes his presence (absence?) known via cold spots and a melancholy atmosphere. Now, why he does this in the current building, which is not in any meaningful way the one in which he was born, merely on the same site, is a question for any passing mediums, but it’s a fun story. Regular visitors to my expanded universe will know we recently interviewed buildings archaeologist Dr James Wright on the Beer Ladies Podcast, and this connection certainly seems like one worth both revisiting for some mythbusting, as well as digging into for more concrete evidence – it’s entirely likely many other interesting stories could be unearthed as well.

While the street-level steakhouse feels more like an ‘occasion’ restaurant, don’t sleep on the bar upstairs; it’s a lovely spot with a lot of interesting history, both in recent events from a craft beer perspective, as well as of the more ‘shrouded in myth’ variety.

Where: 5-7 Lord Edward St, Dublin 2, D02 P634
Access from the city centre: Buses 27, 77A, 150, 151, 11-ish minute walk
Food: All the good steak, other smaller options in the upstairs bar
Sport: Big events
TVs: Some discreet televisions upstairs
Music: Jazzy downstairs, more chill vibes upstairs
Family-friendliness: All the FX Buckley steak places are great with families
Pub-crawl-ability: High – The Lord Edward, The Christchurch Inn, Tailor’s Hall, The Beer Temple/The Oak are all more or less in one direction, with The Thomas House, Love Tempo, Dudley’s, Swift, Arthur's and other Liberties spots (including a certain Guinness Storehouse and/or Guinness Open Gate Brewery) in the other; The Brazen Head is also a short walk away
Local sites of note: Christchurch Cathedral, Dublinia, St Audoen's Church, Guinness Storehouse, Vicar Street, Olympia Theatre, Dublin Castle
Haunted: Mangan likes the cold? Sure, why not?
Other notes: The side door going straight upstairs doesn’t always seem to be open, but when it is, it’s a welcome sight
Socials: Instagram

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Strand House

by

Outside The Strand House: red frontageA mid-October 2024 update:
We returned* to The Strand House recently to give their recently-relaunched food menu a go (see, I said we’d get back to it!), and it turns out we have some good news to report on that front. The children’s menu is back and, I must admit, better than it was in the Galway Bay days. The Sunday roast options were all very tasty, but the real standouts for me were two rather unexpected starters – if you had told me in advance that I’d find something labeled as ‘crispy vegan wontons’ not only to my taste, but absolutely delicious, I’d never have believed it, but they were really lovely, as were the chorizo croquetas, but I would probably at least have tried those unbidden – so the nudge to sample the wontons was a wise one.

The one knock is still on the beer selection, with Ambush from Trouble being the only craft option, but I am happy to say that said Ambush continues to be fresh and well-kept; it’s clearly turning over with some regularity, which seems to be a good sign. It would be delightful if there were even just one more independent option, though at least Gaffney’s down the road does have Hope on tap. I will need to visit again soon, for science, to try the smashed bone marrow burger, which sounded intriguing…the pub does seem to be settling into its new identity, which is excellent news…and with Martin’s Off-License so close, a well-curated bottle or can list could be a nice extra feature…

Our original take from April, 2024:
After several weeks looking at Dublin city centre pubs, we’re heading back to the Northside, with a visit to The Strand House in Fairview. Locals will recall that this was most recently the BRÚ House Fairview, which was a BRÚ pub that became a Galway Bay pub retaining its BRÚ branding, but with the Galway Bay food menu and core beers. Clear? Great! However, just as The Beer Market (also a former Galway Bay/BRÚ joint) became The Christchurch Inn, so BRÚ House is now The Strand House.

Well, what’s changed?

The bar at The Strand House

First off, the frontage is red now, but the beer lineup is the biggest revision, and it’s quite a downgrade from my perspective. Whereas before there were the usual Galway Bay beers and some interesting guest taps, now it’s a standard Heineken/Diageo macro lineup, with a single independent option – the always-welcome Trouble Ambush. On the positive side, the Ambush was lovely and fresh, and hopefully it will remain that way, but it did mean that for me, there were not as many reasons to stop in and linger as there had been before. Indeed, while the interior looks welcoming, if not a huge change from the previous look and feel (the nice coat/bag hooks under the bar are certainly handy, and the darker colour scheme is pleasant), I’m not entirely sure it sets itself apart from Gaffney’s, just a few doors down now, whereas before, they were more distinctive – though the staff were all on top form, so also a big positive there.

Red leather seats at The Strand House

We’ll do a separate entry on Gaffney’s at some point, but in brief, it is a very comfortable Old Man Pub, also with a few craft taps (from Hope, in their case). And, so far, The Strand House feels quite similar, albeit with more children running around. One of the things that made BRÚ House such a useful neighbourhood pub was the children’s menu – and with Fairview Park right across the road, we would stop in not infrequently after a playground session, or even in the middle of trick-or-treating on Halloween. That’s not to suggest it was overrun with small children, by any means, but it was a very chill, family-friendly spot at reasonable hours. And while the food menu won’t kick in for a bit, there were still quite a few kids around, no doubt as the parents living nearby were presuming they’d be able to get them fed as under the previous management – time will tell.

I plan to visit again once the food is back – trad sessions are also on the way – but at the moment, it’s less of a destination than it used to be, at least for me. Perhaps more independent taps will be added in the future, but without them, it’s no longer my go-to post-haircut spot, despite being just around the corner from said establishment. That said, it’s nice to have more than one neighbourhood pub, so it’s more likely to fill that niche.

And if it turns out the food menu is the real draw, all to the good…fingers crossed!

Where: The Strand House, 12 Fairview, Clontarf, Dublin 3, D03 C998
Access from the city centre: Buses 14, 15, 27; DART to Clontarf Road
Food: Pub grub, Sunday roasts
Sport: Seems even more sport-friendly now: football, horse racing, GAA…
TVs: In the main bar area and in the back seating areas
Music: General indie background music, with some live events from time to time
Family-friendliness: Once again welcoming to the kids (at the usual hours)
Pub-crawl-ability: Low, unless you prefer a walk up to The Yacht Bar in Clontarf, though Gaffney's is almost next door
Local sites of note: Fairview Park, Croke Park, Clontarf Promenade
Haunted: Not that I've heard…
Other notes: Very handy for Martin's Off-License, one of Dublin's best; in theory, the Battle of Clontarf may have happened not far away, but that could also be LIES
Socials: Instagram

 

*Full disclosure – we were invited for a family meal, and the family did eat everything!

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: Fagan’s

by

Fagan's - mosaic tile floor outsideBill Clinton wuz here. And you’re not likely to forget it, as he seems to be on every wall in Fagan’s, somewhere.

Of course, to Dubliners, Fagan’s is better known for its Bertie Ahern connections, but I think it’s the Clintoniana I’ve always found a little bit off-putting; in short, for us Gen X folk of all political and national stripes, that aspect of the décor can seem a bit, well, Boomer. However, it’s not every pub in Dublin that’s had national and world leaders enjoy a Guinness (or other beverage) there, so it’s entirely understandable that there would be more than a few clippings on the wall.

Bill & Bertie with a pint of O'Hara's

And, to be fair, it’s not truly throughout the entire pub, as Fagan’s is enormous. The front bar is the original section from 1907, and the (presumably purposefully-designed) barn-like extension to the rear was added much more recently, though care has been taken to give the back bar an air of Victorian respectability, with dark wood and plenty of glass; there’s also the requisite snug, just to the left of that bar. There are also fake hand pumps, which is moderately enraging for a cask nerd, like me, but the less said about that the better. If you carry on even further to the back of the pub, there’s a carvery, and it always seems to be popular. I confess I’ve never quite grasped the appeal of a carvery – I am probably scarred from living in the UK in the 1990s, where that meant (perhaps still means?) something along the lines of a Toby Carvery or Brewers Fayre, with steam tables galore, but I do recognize that it’s A Different Thing here in Ireland…I’m just not sure entirely how. In any event, I am clearly not the best person to judge, but it very much has its fans.

Front bar at Fagan's

I have had quite good a la carte food options here for family meals in the past, but it’s never become one of our go-tos, despite it being a short walk away; while there is a craft beer tap (O’Hara’s Pale Ale on my most recent visit), it doesn’t have the variety of beers you find just up the road at The Cat & Cage (or even Juno, in the other direction), and that’s probably a big reason we simply don’t go there as often – yes, the Guinness is good, though when I’m in a plain-old-Guinness mood, I’m more likely to head to The Gravediggers or The Hut. I’m not even certain I can articulate why that’s the case…it’s simply a pattern I seem to have fallen into.

Back bar at Fagan's

However, in the interests of science, I called in to Fagan’s after a lengthy absence the other day, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it more welcoming than I had remembered it in the past, and that despite its somewhat cavernous feeling toward the back of the pub, there were some cosy nooks and smaller spots to escape to.

I may never truly understand the appeal of a carvery, but I might just stop in more often in the future for a quiet pint (hopefully without accidentally ending up in government).

Where: Fagan’s, 146 Drumcondra Rd Lower, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, D09 YR83
Access from the city centre: Buses 1, 13, 16, 44
Food: Pub grub, pastas, stir-fries, carvery
Sport: All the usual football, rugby, GAA, etc
TVs: Quite a few for the sport, all over
Music: Can be a bit MOR, but they also played ‘Hey, Big Spender’ on my last visit – was it a sign?
Family-friendliness: There are chicken goujons, etc., for the pickier kid, as well as more ‘mature’ kids’ options
Pub-crawl-ability: Medium; Kennedy’s is next door, but you’d be better off walking up to The Ivy House and The Cat & Cage, or stroll across Griffith Park to The Tolka House, The Gravediggers or The Botanic; Juno is not too far to walk, either…at least, by my reckoning
Haunted: Entirely possible that the BVM statue in the park across the street moves
Local sites of note: Croke Park, National Botanic Garden, Glasnevin Cemetery
Other notes: Can be exceptionally crowded on match days at Croke Park, as are all local pubs
Socials: Instagram, Facebook

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: Dudley’s

by

Outside Dudley's at nightWe’re back in the ‘my sort of Dublin pub’ category: one with great craft beer – and a good variety, not simply one or two taps – there are 28 in total at Dudley’s, which is one of my favourite spots in The Liberties. But it’s not just the beer and the deep, rich colours that make this one of my go-to places when I’m in this part of town; it’s that it’s always welcoming and feels like a part of the fabric of the community – a pub for many different occasions. As with some of the other locations that make up the always-excellent Libertine Market Crawl each month, it’s a place that caters to many different demographics; I’ve seen groups (and solo drinkers) of all different ages, looks and preferences, whether that’s those with a taste for the Guinness that was brewed down the street or an Irish craft beer from the likes of Lough Gill, Whiplash, Hopkins & Hopkins or Trouble; the lineup is always changing, as are the styles.

Mac & cheese and a pint at Dudley'sDudley’s opened in 2021 when the previous pub on the spot closed during the Covid shutdown. Its name now commemorates Thomas ‘Bang Bang’ Dudley, a renowned Dublin character who roamed the Liberties and surrounds, using a key to ‘shoot’ buses and passers-by; the key is also remembered in the pub’s signage; Phibsborough’s Bang Bang Café is another nod to the man himself. Inside, the renovation is still looking fresh, with deep colours and a variety of seating options – two sides to the bar, with bar stools and tables around both, and cozy mezzanine and downstairs areas as well. I’m also a fan of the food; I’m always baffled that we don’t have more mac & cheese in Irish pubs, since we have The Best Cheese here, but Dudley’s is one of the few places in Dublin that provides.

T-shirts at Dudley's - yes, you can buy one, but no, you don't have toIn short, even though it’s not one of my locals, Dudley’s is always a must-visit when I’m over in that direction; it’s great for a chilled-out solo pint, a pause on the Libertine Market Crawl with friends or family, and a fantastic spot to kick off a little Liberties pub crawl with friends.

But with such a nice variety of beer, food and ambiance, sometimes the crawl ends where it begins…there’s no compelling reason to leave!

Where: Dudley’s, 48 Thomas St, The Liberties, Dublin, D08 Y44A
Access from the city centre: Buses 27, 77A, 123, 150, 151, G1, G2, 15-ish minute walk
Food: Slightly fancier pub food, Sunday roast, mac & cheese!
Sport: Football & rugby on for bigger games
TVs: Screens for larger sporting events
Music: Live sessions on Sundays at 7, great jazz & indie faves the rest of the time
Family-friendliness: I’ve found the mac & cheese a great success in the afternoons
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Love Tempo, Guinness Open Gate Brewery, The Thomas House, Swift, Arthur’s, The Christchurch Inn, Tailors Hall, The Lord Edward, The Bull & Castle, The Beer Temple/The Oak; The Brazen Head is also a short walk away
Haunted: No obvious tales circulating, but this part of town has seen some things…
Local sites of note: Guinness Storehouse, Vicar Street, Olympia Theatre, Christchurch Cathedral, Dublinia, St Audoen’s Church
Other notes: Also ideal for pre- or post-gig pints & food at Vicar Street
Socials: Instagram

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Barber’s Bar

by

Inside The Barber's BarThis week’s Weirdo Dublin Pub is properly a little bit weird, in the best possible ways; we’re heading back to Stoneybatter for The Barber’s Bar. Although you can no longer get a haircut while you sip, the theme is still very much in evidence, with the barber’s poles outside and other signage inside…along with some taxidermy (obvs) and a Pac-Man machine. But despite its close proximity to the TUD Grangegorman campus*, this feels much more like a neighbourhood spot than a student bar, perhaps because of the emphasis on its dog-friendliness. Though that said, given that so many university students live at home with their parents nowadays (I have one of these upstairs myself) rather than in a messy shared house, thanks to the housing crisis, I suppose there’s nothing to stop them from simply bringing the family dog.

Pac-Man in The Barber's Bar

The Barber’s Bar is run by the same team behind Doyle’s Corner in Phibsborough, but it’s a very different vibe; smaller and quirkier, and a bit less like a ‘traditional’ pub, but still very welcoming. And while some of the kitschier décor may suggest the visitor has taken a trip to Craftonia (Homage to Craftonia? I’ll get me coat…), there are still only a few local craft taps, albeit very nice ones – Kinnegar’s always-tasty Scraggy Bay and Ambush from Trouble, along with Guinness and the other usual offerings – so, essentially a smaller version of the Doyle’s Corner beer lineup.

Doggie portraits at The Barber's BarBut back to the dogs – they are very much catered for here, with their own little snugs and corners, photo wall (there is much to be said for a pet-focused feature wall vs a human-centred ‘Instagram wall’ in a pub) and even a little bed tucked away within some of the seating, for the sleepier or simply more retiring Good Pupper. On my recent visit, all the canine customers were very well-behaved indeed – and the same went for their human counterparts.

Doggie snug at The Barber's BarI’d been told by a regular that the food (served in the late afternoons and evenings) was worth the trip too; while I’m generally a fan of most standard pub food, it’s nice to have alternatives, too, and the Tokyo Kitchen-powered menu offered a great selection of Asian-inspired tapas and more; gyoza and beer make a great combination, far superior (in my opinion, of course) to crisps for a snack or even a smaller meal, though you could certainly size up for more.

All in all, though, The Barber’s Bar is very close to my ideal sort of spot for a chilled out solo pint: just enough of a walk that it’s a destination, comfortable surroundings that don’t take themselves too seriously, cute companion animals and some excellent, unfussy beers on tap.

I seem to be craving gyoza and a Scraggy Bay now…

Where: The Barber’s Bar, 19 Lower Grangegorman Road, Stoneybatter, Dublin, D07 H583
Access from the city centre: Buses 9, 37, 39 39A, 70, 83, 83A, Luas Green Line (Broadstone), 30ish minute walk
Food: Tokyo Kitchen – gyoza, spring rolls, Japanese curry & more
Sport: Not so much
TVs: Nope
Music: FELT SEEN – 70s/80s/90s tunes that seemed ripped from my own collection of indie and electronica; occasional live music advertised on the socials
Family-friendliness: If they like dogs and it’s not late, sure
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Stoneybatter and Smithfield are both handy: L. Mulligan, Grocer, The Glimmer Man, The Belfry, Fidelity, Hynes’ Bar, Walsh’s, The Cobblestone, Bonobo…even Underdog isn’t too far, or you could cut back across the Grangegorman campus to Phibsborough and Doyle’s Corner, The Boh, The Hut, The Bald Eagle…
Haunted: Does the Doyle’s Corner ghost make visits? There is a Sheela-na-gig up the road…
Local sites of note: TUD Grangegorman, Collins Barracks, Lighthouse Cinema
Other notes: So many doggos!
Socials: Instagram, Facebook

*Perhaps Dublin’s best example of thoughtful reuse of a historic site, turning something with a dark past into a modern space for community and learning, with (mostly) creative new architecture mixed with (mostly) well-conserved historic buildings – a great place for a stroll, and well worth taking one of the occasional walking tours to learn more