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.
The 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 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!
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
