In the various Dublin Corporation road widening and general development schemes that defined much of 1980s to early 1990s Dublin, there were promises that the destroyed pubs would be replaced by new ones in the replacement buildings. As far as I can tell, it virtually never happened - with one exception. Well, one that's still open - I think there was another in the North city centre that was itself redeveloped again out of existence.
That one is Peadar Browns, formerly Kate McAuleys and The Weavers. Sited on the ground floor corner unit of a late 1980s apartment block built back to the expected new line of Clanbrassil Street, it is actually slightly further back than the new building line due to the scaling back of Dublin Corportation's plans.
The pub is a mix of an inner suburban pub, and something more central, with quite a lot of tourists coming in due to short term lets and nearby attractions like the Teelings tour. A similar synposis of the atmosphere and crowd by Publin.ie is quoted on the pubs own website, so they clearly don't disagree. Trad music is on offer many nights of the week.
Personally I'd prefer some of the premises slightly closer to the city, but this is still quite a decent pub.
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Saturday, 30 March 2019
Friday, 29 March 2019
S1438 MVP
I was still seeking out food, and MVPs website has a Thursday-Saturday menu on it, so surely I'd get my dinner here?
Well, no - it wasn't available that specific evening, I didn't ask for details why. I ended up in Pinheads (again) for that.
MVP is a Bodytonic pub, and due to forgetting that they have opened 1006999 The Lighthouse in Dun Laoghaire I had written a bit about having now visited all of them. Well, I haven't yet. I'm not sure if the name is meant to place it in the Bodytonic sports bar range of pubs, or is a reference to something else entirely; but if so its the smallest of them and generally still feels quite like a traditional suburban pub rather than the high sports decoration of S0145 The Square Ball and N0120 The Back Page. This was a bit of rushed visit as I really did need to get food somewhere, and had I not been specifically pub-bagging I would probably have asked about food before buying a pint.
And now for the history bit. There's a relatively high density of pubs in this area, and then fairly large areas beyond without in all directions. Some of this is explained by current or former non-residential land use - army barracks, a hospice, parkland, and a substantial cemetery for instance; and demolition for road widening or redevelopment to apartments.
However, one closed premises remains - the building right next door was also a pub with the fantastically weird name of "The Old Grinding Young" at one point in the past. This is a reference to an abstract concept of renewal/rebirth rather than a reference to a Harcourt Street or Georges Street nightclub dancefloor!
Well, no - it wasn't available that specific evening, I didn't ask for details why. I ended up in Pinheads (again) for that.
MVP is a Bodytonic pub, and due to forgetting that they have opened 1006999 The Lighthouse in Dun Laoghaire I had written a bit about having now visited all of them. Well, I haven't yet. I'm not sure if the name is meant to place it in the Bodytonic sports bar range of pubs, or is a reference to something else entirely; but if so its the smallest of them and generally still feels quite like a traditional suburban pub rather than the high sports decoration of S0145 The Square Ball and N0120 The Back Page. This was a bit of rushed visit as I really did need to get food somewhere, and had I not been specifically pub-bagging I would probably have asked about food before buying a pint.
And now for the history bit. There's a relatively high density of pubs in this area, and then fairly large areas beyond without in all directions. Some of this is explained by current or former non-residential land use - army barracks, a hospice, parkland, and a substantial cemetery for instance; and demolition for road widening or redevelopment to apartments.
However, one closed premises remains - the building right next door was also a pub with the fantastically weird name of "The Old Grinding Young" at one point in the past. This is a reference to an abstract concept of renewal/rebirth rather than a reference to a Harcourt Street or Georges Street nightclub dancefloor!
Thursday, 28 March 2019
S1831 KCR House
I popped in here thinking they might do food. They don't - well, they do lunchtime sandwiches, but it was the early evening. So I had a pint of Beamish to kill the time until the next bus (same reason as my previous moan about the awful service for somewhere so close to the city), and headed on elsewhere to eat afterwards.
This is a very standard suburban locals pub, with traditional decor - those red carpets are presumably on job lot prices, a generic macro drinks lineup and some level of table service.
This is a very standard suburban locals pub, with traditional decor - those red carpets are presumably on job lot prices, a generic macro drinks lineup and some level of table service.
Wednesday, 27 March 2019
1013317 Four Provinces
Both a new brewery pub and a reopened traditional Dublin pub in one, Four Provinces in Kimmage is a resurrection of the Black Horse Inn which closed a few years ago.
Four Provinces Brew Co are based in Kimmage - the brewery behind the pub roughly - and their beers are sold in cans as well as having decent enough draught availability in the craft-centric pubs of the city. I enjoyed some on my visit to S0194 The Hill a few weeks previous.
The Beer Nut covered a visit to the brewery and mentioned plans for a taproom on-site at the time, but they have instead gone for the flexibility of a full pub. The pub itself is a traditional, roughly 1950s suburban premises, in a fairly narrow but quite long building in the middle of a row of shops.
As of now, the original Black Horse branding remains on the windows and mirrors, although I was told of plans to change some of the internal decoration in the short term. The usual signs of an outside-the-canals craft pub are there - Guinness, Heineken and TVs - but the rest of the tap lineup is craft, featuring (on the day of my visit) the Four Provinces core range along with guest taps including a Dungarvan and a White Gypsy.
The staff on the day were more than willing to indulge in me likely boring them to death, and their card payment facilities were fully working which I wasn't expecting on what was only their second day open! One feature that you may notice from their branding and social media is the extensive use of Irish; and to that end there was at least one fluent Irish speaking staff member so that those who want to use their cúpal focal or more should be able to.
I eventually had to leave to get food, after more pints than I'd usually have on a list-ticking visit. Hopefully the suburban location does not impede the craft-forward nature of the drinks menu and the Four Provinces thrives.
Four Provinces Brew Co are based in Kimmage - the brewery behind the pub roughly - and their beers are sold in cans as well as having decent enough draught availability in the craft-centric pubs of the city. I enjoyed some on my visit to S0194 The Hill a few weeks previous.
The Beer Nut covered a visit to the brewery and mentioned plans for a taproom on-site at the time, but they have instead gone for the flexibility of a full pub. The pub itself is a traditional, roughly 1950s suburban premises, in a fairly narrow but quite long building in the middle of a row of shops.
As of now, the original Black Horse branding remains on the windows and mirrors, although I was told of plans to change some of the internal decoration in the short term. The usual signs of an outside-the-canals craft pub are there - Guinness, Heineken and TVs - but the rest of the tap lineup is craft, featuring (on the day of my visit) the Four Provinces core range along with guest taps including a Dungarvan and a White Gypsy.
The staff on the day were more than willing to indulge in me likely boring them to death, and their card payment facilities were fully working which I wasn't expecting on what was only their second day open! One feature that you may notice from their branding and social media is the extensive use of Irish; and to that end there was at least one fluent Irish speaking staff member so that those who want to use their cúpal focal or more should be able to.
I eventually had to leave to get food, after more pints than I'd usually have on a list-ticking visit. Hopefully the suburban location does not impede the craft-forward nature of the drinks menu and the Four Provinces thrives.
Friday, 22 March 2019
1010288 Berlin D2
Originally a cafe/restaurant known for its music, Berlin was originally on Clarendon Row and then moved to Dame Street (and through to Dame Lane) in 2017, taking over the former premises of the Front Door, which was a fairly generic boomtime bar. Via its music operations, it trades on a theatre licence, furthering the side of my constant internal argument that these should be included - the eventual trudge around the suburban civic theatres to watch comedy gigs may eventually break me from that habit!
Generally, Berlin has been packed any time I've walked past the door, and had security on the door - something that still vaguely puts me off going in if I've even had one pint beforehand. Memories of Tripod doormen in ~2006 hang in my mind obviously!
However, in the late afternoon on a Saturday, it was almost empty. I was heading towards Kimmage (the next post will explain why) and had a substantial amount of time to kill due to its abjectly awful bus service, so dropped in.
The premises is fairly large, albeit maybe not by Dame Street area standards. There's a fairly nice laid-back atmosphere when its quiet, but it'll clearly be vastly different at night - there are notices that the tables and chairs are removed later on.
The music is not quite to my personal tastes, so its unlikely I'll be back to see what it's like at night though. Having been in similar venues that do cater to my tastes, its on the decent end of the scale in terms of space and size although I hope the basement toilets aren't the only ones!
Generally, Berlin has been packed any time I've walked past the door, and had security on the door - something that still vaguely puts me off going in if I've even had one pint beforehand. Memories of Tripod doormen in ~2006 hang in my mind obviously!
However, in the late afternoon on a Saturday, it was almost empty. I was heading towards Kimmage (the next post will explain why) and had a substantial amount of time to kill due to its abjectly awful bus service, so dropped in.
The premises is fairly large, albeit maybe not by Dame Street area standards. There's a fairly nice laid-back atmosphere when its quiet, but it'll clearly be vastly different at night - there are notices that the tables and chairs are removed later on.
The music is not quite to my personal tastes, so its unlikely I'll be back to see what it's like at night though. Having been in similar venues that do cater to my tastes, its on the decent end of the scale in terms of space and size although I hope the basement toilets aren't the only ones!
Thursday, 21 March 2019
N0300 The Lord Mayors
A absolutely huge pile of a premises on Swords Main Street, of which I saw relatively little. The basement / ground floor if approached from the carpark has a more cafe-like area, albeit with a full set of taps, which is where I ate lunch
And quite a bland lunch it was too, with a very disinterested barman taking my order.
I used to work in Swords, and while the pubs have changed a bit (primarily the Slaughtered Lamb -> Empire -> "The Betsy") in the over a decade since, I'm sure there's still better food available elsewhere. In fact I know there is from my visit to N0303 The Cock Tavern, roughly the same time last year and for exactly the same reason.
There's a number of other areas to the pub, and a large off-licence, so its probably a bad idea to make a final judgement off the one section - but its unlikely I'll be back anytime soon.
And quite a bland lunch it was too, with a very disinterested barman taking my order.
I used to work in Swords, and while the pubs have changed a bit (primarily the Slaughtered Lamb -> Empire -> "The Betsy") in the over a decade since, I'm sure there's still better food available elsewhere. In fact I know there is from my visit to N0303 The Cock Tavern, roughly the same time last year and for exactly the same reason.
There's a number of other areas to the pub, and a large off-licence, so its probably a bad idea to make a final judgement off the one section - but its unlikely I'll be back anytime soon.
Tuesday, 19 March 2019
S0194 The Hill
The history of this pub has already been covered at Publin, and the rather more chequered history of the adjacent Mountpleasant area which gave the pub its name at Come Here To Me, so neither really needs to be written again by me.
This is a nice pub with a traditional layout and furnishings, but a modern range of drinks on offer - primarily Irish craft taps and Irish spirits.
This was a quick visit upon realising that I wasn't going to make a train and had 55mins to use until the next one - even the improvements in frequency last year haven't made it to late evenings yet. As it was that late in the evening, the food service had finished for the day here so I didn't get to see what was on offer; but it appears to be standard modern pub grub and the reputation is that it is decent.
I'd quite like somewhere like this as my local, but I can't possible afford to live in Ranelagh!
This is a nice pub with a traditional layout and furnishings, but a modern range of drinks on offer - primarily Irish craft taps and Irish spirits.
This was a quick visit upon realising that I wasn't going to make a train and had 55mins to use until the next one - even the improvements in frequency last year haven't made it to late evenings yet. As it was that late in the evening, the food service had finished for the day here so I didn't get to see what was on offer; but it appears to be standard modern pub grub and the reputation is that it is decent.
I'd quite like somewhere like this as my local, but I can't possible afford to live in Ranelagh!
Saturday, 16 March 2019
S4289 PMacs
This was the same weekend as my visit to S0235 Blackbird (yes, it can take that long to get around to posting!), which is part of the same mini-chain of primarly craft beer bars.
This one is possible their oddest location. being a huge two story unit in a boomtime shopping centre. Previously operating as Winters bar and Parker Browns nightclub on the individual floors, it has undergone a transformation to basically look like Blackbird. There is less of a resemblance to the city centre PMacs than there is to Blackbird in my opinion, but all the pubs share a basic design language - as well as a similar tap list and food options.
Drinks obtained were possibly identical to Blackbird the previous day; but we didn't partake in pizza this time, as the entire visit to Dundrum had been for an ulterior motive
The much vaunted Ananda Indian Restaurant is in the same building, with reservations not always easy to obtain; and I chanced my arm that there might be a table available, going to the internal shopping centre door to ask. Later during the meal I saw multiple people in the plusher waiting area accessible from the external door - but its not like the shopping centre entrance isn't signed as being a way in. Its worth the visit, as is Pickle on Camden Street; which was founded by a former head chef from here. But these are brief pub reviews, not unconnected restaurant reviews anyway.
They've done a good job in PMacs, converting a boomtime, South County bar (and 90s flashback nightclub) in to something really much the same as their other premises, and they don't suffer for being almost cookie cutter clones either.
Friday, 15 March 2019
S0249 Dundrum House
A large pub in the centre of the original village of Dundrum, this is split between a very traditional side and a somewhat more modern side with food service. Nominally I think one is meant to be 'the bar' and the other 'the lounge', but the traditional side has more lounge like seating than the average bar, so I'm not really sure.
Depsite the traditional feel, a G&T was supplied in a balloon glass - something I have noted before as creeping in to traditional pubs but still generally a modern trait. However, the presence of Beamish on the tap lineup brings it back down to earth and provided my cheapest pint of the day - all the pubs were in South Dublin though!
Thursday, 7 March 2019
S0216 Uncle Tom's Cabin
Normally when it appears that a pub might be closing down, I don't go out of my way to visit it - as it won't be statistically important for completion once it's gone. And this pub *might* be closing. It is up for sale, and with a large carpark, is clearly going to be eyed for development.
But I was in the rough area anyway.
It's a large pub, which doesn't appear to have any way in when approached from the Dundrum side -he entrances face in to the carpark instead. A large lounge was doing carvery, so we went in to the smaller bar area which was relatively quiet. Bar staff were mostly working in the lounge but came in frequently enough to ensure decent service.
The pub is Victorian externally and to a certain extent internally - but with some elements of probably 80s interiors marring the full Victorian feel. The family who are now selling up have operated the premise since 1890, which is likely one of the longest tenures in Dublin - N0078 Kavanaghs/The Gravediggers does easily outstrip it though.
But I was in the rough area anyway.
It's a large pub, which doesn't appear to have any way in when approached from the Dundrum side -he entrances face in to the carpark instead. A large lounge was doing carvery, so we went in to the smaller bar area which was relatively quiet. Bar staff were mostly working in the lounge but came in frequently enough to ensure decent service.
The pub is Victorian externally and to a certain extent internally - but with some elements of probably 80s interiors marring the full Victorian feel. The family who are now selling up have operated the premise since 1890, which is likely one of the longest tenures in Dublin - N0078 Kavanaghs/The Gravediggers does easily outstrip it though.
Tuesday, 5 March 2019
March 2019 licence update
Substantial enough number of changes for the shorter month since the last update:
Additions
1015067 Shelbourne Social, Shelbourne Road
1015110 Clayton Hotel, Charlemont Mall
Removals
1007885 The Wright Venue - this will reappear with the new owners, but has been explicitly removed this month for some reason
S0041 Neds, Townsend Street - hotel being built here will likely have a bar
Renumberings
1014887 Odeon Charlestown formerly 1010669
1014896 Odeon Point Village formerly 1012553
1014978 Sin, Sycamore Street formerly 1011153
Additions
1015067 Shelbourne Social, Shelbourne Road
1015110 Clayton Hotel, Charlemont Mall
Removals
1007885 The Wright Venue - this will reappear with the new owners, but has been explicitly removed this month for some reason
S0041 Neds, Townsend Street - hotel being built here will likely have a bar
Renumberings
1014887 Odeon Charlestown formerly 1010669
1014896 Odeon Point Village formerly 1012553
1014978 Sin, Sycamore Street formerly 1011153
Friday, 1 March 2019
1012553 Odeon Cinema (Point Village)
I made the decision not to exclude theatre licences from the idea of what is or isn't a pub for a few reasons.
The first one is that it would exclude a number of premises that effectively operate as pubs - 1011153 The Wild Duck and Crowbar in 1013315 Button Factory - which anyone making a list of pubs from a different data source would include.
The second one is the historical sidenote of many bars and nightclubs having obtained theatre licences prior to the 2008 licencing changes as a more flexible method for late opening - about thirty, mostly south city centre, premises held a theatre licence in addition to their publicans licence.
This decision is starting to cause me some problems, though. Not everywhere with a theatre licence actually sells alcohol on a regular basis (N2659 Vue Cinema), and some which do are not open frequently - N2198 Liberty Hall (note the inaccurate prediction in that review!). Excepting the few that trade as bars, you generally need to buy an event ticket to attend.
Luckily, this one just required me to go see a movie, very close to my office. All that's sold here is bottled Heineken and generic red and white wine, dispensed in to plastic cups so you can bring it in to the screens.
This was actually my second cinema of the day - I had watched another movie on the tiny 22-seat Screen 9 of the 1013276 Omniplex in Rathmines - but wasn't aware that their bar only opens at 19:30. There's a few more films I want to see either out or coming out soon, so I'll have to arrange a tour of the other licenced cinemas to see those!
The first one is that it would exclude a number of premises that effectively operate as pubs - 1011153 The Wild Duck and Crowbar in 1013315 Button Factory - which anyone making a list of pubs from a different data source would include.
The second one is the historical sidenote of many bars and nightclubs having obtained theatre licences prior to the 2008 licencing changes as a more flexible method for late opening - about thirty, mostly south city centre, premises held a theatre licence in addition to their publicans licence.
This decision is starting to cause me some problems, though. Not everywhere with a theatre licence actually sells alcohol on a regular basis (N2659 Vue Cinema), and some which do are not open frequently - N2198 Liberty Hall (note the inaccurate prediction in that review!). Excepting the few that trade as bars, you generally need to buy an event ticket to attend.
Luckily, this one just required me to go see a movie, very close to my office. All that's sold here is bottled Heineken and generic red and white wine, dispensed in to plastic cups so you can bring it in to the screens.
This was actually my second cinema of the day - I had watched another movie on the tiny 22-seat Screen 9 of the 1013276 Omniplex in Rathmines - but wasn't aware that their bar only opens at 19:30. There's a few more films I want to see either out or coming out soon, so I'll have to arrange a tour of the other licenced cinemas to see those!