RetroReviews: S0092 The George

The oldest (since 2015) and longest serving (since ~2017) of Ireland's gay bars; The George has expanded from the original pub building in to a significant space across two floors - and part of the loading deck - of the adjacent 1970s office/retail building - one of the ugliest in Dublin and which replaced a vastly more interesting one - to provide two further bars, a dancefloor and a smoking area.

Yet another review suffers from a lack of things to write about due to having been there too often to pick out specific items like I can on a single posting. Lets try to dredge out some filler...

This was the first pub in Dublin I ever saw an ATM in; although I'm sure it wasn't the first - and my local in Maynooth already had one by then anyway. 

It may be the only Dublin pub to receive a serious non-gangland, non-paramilitary related bomb threat; although any such threats have to be taken seriously after the Admiral Duncan bombing.

Such, erm, "stars" as Coolio have performed there over the years; but this has to be taken in the context of the context of some of the acts that Diageo brought over to play random pubs in the Arthurs Day years, plus other events like Green Day playing the White Horse, making it rather a non-event in the world of musical acts and Dublin pubs.

I'm far, far too old to be heading out on the scene like a teenager these days; but as one of the only consistent late night every night venues in the city, I've made my way here after a few weeknight gigs over recent years

RetroReviews: S0090 Hogans

I have had one, necked, pint here due to receiving an SMS (remember those?) just after paying to tell me that the original instructions for someones going  away party were wrong, and they had tables in 1010890 Market Bar instead. 

It all counts, though.

RetroReviews: S0048 Kennedys

I used to go here quite a bit and, well, I'm not really sure why I haven't recently. I had a few pints here one of the early years the Pride parade went to Merrion Square, probably not the year they had the bar on the Square though, and that's possibly the last time.

S0015 The Gingerman has basically replaced this as my general go-to pub in this area.

RetroReviews: S0085 Bad Bobs

This is another haven't-been-here-in-years place, so long ago in fact that it was still called the Purty Kitchen; but not long enough ago for it to have been called Bad Bobs the first time around.

Most nights here were rather on the late side, and despite the hideous bar queues, rather on the boozy side. So I really don't remember that much...

RetroReviews: S0033 Padraig Pearse

This seemed as rough as a badgers arse the one time I went in; which is approaching ten years ago now; however going on some surprisingly positive reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and the like, I may be judging it rather harshly; as it sounds like plenty of other city locals bars. I think it was after a particularly dire Trappatoni era game in Lansdowne so anywhere could have seemed bad!

RetroReviews: S0031 O'Neills

This pub on Pearse Street makes specific claims as to its Victorian heritage on all their branding, yet it is not on "the list" that most people go to - from Kevin C. Kearns infamous pub book. 

As far as I can tell, the pub dates to the 1860s with the current building from the mid 1880s, well in the Victorian era; and the interior is accurate enough, so I'm not sure if this was an accidental or deliberate exclusion by Kearns. It isn't on his almost list either.

Freemans Journal sales ad, January 31st 1885

This is a little out of the city centre that its off the main tourist trails - unless Book of Kells visitors come out the side exit from Trinity I'd guess - but there's plenty of offices around the area which provide a base customer load normally.

Being a bit outside the city, I've been here more often before or after matches and gigs in the RDS or Aviva than for any other reason, albeit it has also been a useful place for organising meetups due to being closed to Pearse Station.

The operators here also own the pub directly across the road, S0032 Trinity Inn. However, this is never open to the public - you need to pre-book a party that is suitably large (50+) to justify opening it up.

RetroReviews: S0018 Bowes

An imperiled Victorian boozer with a strong journalistic history - the Irish Times was located across the road for many years, and staff would often end up here; particularly after the 70s closure of The Pearl a few doors down

Two applications to extend the pub in to adjacent buildings have been refused in recent years, but it may be worth dropping by to see its Victorian splendour now, just in case a further application is approved.

RetroReviews: S0015 The Ginger Man

I quite like this pub - but I'm not gone on its name!

The Ginger Man, as the eponymous main character of the novel by JP Donleavy is an irredeemable violent alcoholic; which doesn't really make for a good name for a pub in my eyes. 

Located on the busier end of Fenian Street, this has often been the boundary pub when coming from the Aviva - the first that isn't ridiculously busy. I've spent the evening after an FAI Cup Final here, or grabbed a final pint after a concert.

The pub has a range of own-branded beers, but the supplying brewery is mentioned on the menus - this is far from the norm unfortunately. They're all Irish craft suppliers, too.

RetroReviews: S0009 Doyles

This vast premises used to be two distinct pubs - and could end up swallowing a third in time - so has quite a few distinct spaces within it, and some differences in crowds as a result. Trinity students make up much of the audience in all parts of the pub, though.

In ordinary times, I've never seen Doyles even vaguely quiet - so I've usually gone on somewhere else - but I've still been in quite a few times both pre- and post-July 2016 when I started writing up new visits.

Probably the most memorable visit was when I had to convince an English stag party - I had worked with one of them so got asked to tag along - that they were not going to get in to S3794 Lapello with leprechaun wigs - or, in one case, tracksuit bottoms - on. 

The tracksuit wearer then returned from the adjacent hostel they were staying in wearing a full suit plus waistcoat. He was designated to go to the door of Lapello first while I headed off home!

RetroReviews: S0005 JW Sweetmans

Previously Messrs Maguire, this is - I think - the oldest Brewpub in Dublin - not that there are a huge amount of others (Rascals restaurant, S3452 The Camden, 1010753 The Open Gate and 1013149 Urban Brewing being other places you can drink in view of a brewkit), having operated nearly constantly for 20 years.

I'm trying to remember the last time I was in here; and it was definitely a few years ago. I will need to correct that soon as I've rarely had a bad visit.

English Pub Names

Todays posting by Dublin By Pub on the Turks Head today mentioned it as a common name in England, and additionally touched on the use of Head in pub names, and the name to sign connection that is common across the water

In Ireland, the "standard" pub name is the surname of the current, or a former owner; but this is far from universal, with plenty of pubs having "names" - but how many of them could have been pulled from some English town?

The Morning Advertiser, a licenced trade publication in the UK, does occasional lists of the most common names amongst their readership - the most recent being from 2019. The 'Head' trend is mentioned there also, as it happens, but the list is jarringly unlike a list of the top Irish names - which would almost certainly just be the 24 most common surnames plus "The Village Inn"; or even a Dublin list that would be lead by Madigans and Graingers.

But which names do sneak in to Dublin?

The most common name in the UK is apparently The Red Lion, which you don't see in Dublin. The hotel which became a shop and is now becoming a hotel again on Georges Street was called this, and the name moved across the road to what is now S0066 Capitol Lounge; and it was also a former name of the recently demolished Grays of Newmarket Square - which is being replaced by a hotel of the same chain, oddly.

We can all but eliminate most of the Royal connected names straight away, at 2, 6, 9, 12, 13, and 19 - the Kings Head on South King Street in the 70s having long left us; 

However, the Royal Oak at #3 is still represented by S1509 Old Royal Oak in Kilmainham; and formerly by the fairly well known but departed boozers on Parkgate Street and the Finglas Road.

Number 4, The Plough, has also existed in Dublin in the past - but as this (N1063, closed long before the blog began) was opposite the Abbey Theatre, it was more than likely a reference to The Plough And The Stars.

At 5, we get our first direct name hit with The Swan - and a fine pub that S0127 The Swan on Aungier Street is. 7, The Bell, is represented by 1007597 The Bell in Blanchardstown

#8 could have got an entry had I written this article some years ago - 1011474 White Hart Inn in Balbriggan is never coming back, after being converted to apartments; as could 10 - S0020 The White Horse was renamed to the Dark Horse in about 2011 and has since closed anyway.

Ten down (13 with the mass exclusion of the Royalist names) and we've got three current pubs - none of which are particularly English - but there's another 15/12 in the list.

Eleven gives us the New Inn - there was one of these on New Street before road widening destroyed the area, and it was a noted gig venue. Like the Kings Head, being named after the street should be seen as a get-out!

14 - Wheatsheaf - well, we had N0120 Sheaf o' Wheat before a name change, if that counts.

Fifteen and sixteen give two innoccous enough names you'd not notice as "English" if we had them - The Ship and The Rising Sun - but we don't.

The seventeenth most popular in the UK gives us one of the more common ones in Dublin, at least until a few years ago. The Black Horse in Kimmage has been renamed (1013317 The Four Provinces); The Black Horse in Inchicore is closed and derelict; and the Blackhorse Tavern is now N0240 The Hole In The Wall. 

18 is another nearly like 14 - Fox & Hounds doesn't really cover N1352 Foxhound Inn.

Number 20, Chequers, is presumably related to the British Prime Ministerial weekend residence and is also not seen in Dublin.

21, 22 are another two total misses - Coach & Horses and Cross Keys. 

23 - White Swan - is a miss, because the colours or attributes we've given to Swans are never the obvious one. Dark, Silver, Missing - we've had those. White is a bit tautological surely?

Number 24 is where Dublin publicans may have had a bit of fun with the name. I've often seen this given as "the" most common pub name in the UK; but its 24th here and the list is not upside down; so there's plenty of possibly wrong people out there.. or the list isn't right. 

The George and Dragon.

Nobody in Ireland would use this name - referencing the mythology of England's patron saint - but when you already own a succesful gay bar called S0092 The George, and are opening another down the road... S3781 The Dragon (now Nolita) works very well! I have no idea if this was the logic used by Capital Bars, though.

#25 is The Nags Head, another total miss here.

Du

RetroReviews: N2741 MV Cill Airne

Dublin's only floating pub - well, with a normal pub licence - and also the last Northside numbered pub I had to do a looking back writeup for.

This is near work, and particularly a few years ago when there was nothing much else around, was the usual place for post work drinks, Friday long lunches and going away parties. When I briefly worked somewhere else still near enough by, the downstairs restaurant / private bar was the place for larger work events, and it retained its position for going away parties

The ships history is summed up quickly by the IBSF, who were also involved in the renovations of the two canal barges that operate as restaurants with Passenger Vessel liquor licences, which I will eventually get around to eating in.

RetroReviews: N2404 The Grand Central

A lovely looking pub - a converted banking hall - that I've just never really liked enough to go back to much. 

I can remember having a fairly mediocre dinner here with my partner early enough on in the relationship (over a decade ago now); but that wasn't my first visit - I picked it as I'd had a decent meal there before. I've nearly gone in a few times since, including when I suddenly remembered I'd never been to N1103 Wynns next door.

RetroReviews: N2538 The Old Borough

This is one of the longest ago legal visits here - a single occasion, being the work Christmas party where I worked in 2006. As a result, I can't remember particularly much about it - other than not being let in to N2211 Wrights afterwards in the politest manner possible.

"Do you think you've had a few already lads?" "Yes, bye..." *bails in to adjacent taxi*

Its a Wetherspoons now, and I was walking up to the door to make the required visit when I remembered that Christmas party and hence knocked it back off the list.

RetroReviews: N2256 The Academy

A frequent gig venue for me, sited in what was originally the Irish Music Hall of Fame - and was licenced then as it is now as far as I can tell; and was then Spirit nightclub, which is what I first attended it as. 

Spirit had a branch in New York, which seemed insurmountably cool at the time.

RetroReviews: N2169 The Spencer Hotel

Fairly standard modern city centre hotel with a cocktail bar open to the public. I've done a lot of work events here but have only been in the bar once - and I don't think anyone really cares about the AV setup in the conference centre!

RetroReviews: N2168 Boxburger HQ

This pub is inside Eastpoint Business Park, which has security at both entrances - so I'm not sure how practical it is to visit as an outsider; but it has a perfectly standard pub licence. It has had a few prior names but has more recently refocused to its burger offerings.

I had a full burger loyalty card here by the time my (then) job moved me to a client site and never got to claim it!

RetroReviews: N2160 The Woolshed

A large, sort-of Australian themed sports bar in the Parnell Centre, where I've seen many unfortunate events happen on screen - Brighton's repeated Championship play-off failures primarily. Actually, I'm not sure I've ever seen the team I wanted to win win here!

RetroReviews: N2057 The Morrison Hotel

A high-end hotel bar, open to non-residents and offering similarly high-end food; and specialising in unconventional Afternoon Teas; the Gentlemens Tea featuring meat and pints instead being probably the best known.

RetroReviews: N1955 The Laughter Lounge

I *think* this is the largest dedicated comedy club floor in Dublin; and in normal times operates nearly every night; but it hasn't been open since March. It is due to reopen in a few weeks as I write this, with distanced, pre-booked table seating only and at somewhat of a price premium - but that is clearly required to operate at all.

This is one of the few premises with nothing on the ground floor (well, the door is); which is something I keep intending to do a list up of to use some time up... expect that soon!

RetroReviews: N1927 Cineworld Cinema

This is the mainstream cinema with the most pub-like bar in it; albeit 1013664 The Stella in Rathmines and S3035 Irish Film Institute have actual bar and restaurants that you don't need to go see a movie to use.

There is an actual bar, and more normal bar seating here; but you have to pass an initial ticket check to get in to it.

RetroReviews: N1900 Hilton Garden Inn

Until a few years ago, we used to go here for "breakfast" at ~10am on the last working day before Christmas as a tradition; albeit this has since moved to 1015426 Rubys out of sheer laziness (its closer). On occasion, the bar would be open by the time everyone had eaten.

RetroReviews: N1833 The Harbourmaster

Its near work, and near where I worked previously, and near the train station that serves my line - so I've been here quite a bit.

Its a very nice restored building and the atmosphere is fine. This is another pub that's suffering writeup wise from having gone there too often.

RetroReviews: N1556 Murrays

The only pub I've heard the officially paid musician singing rebel songs in. Which I suspect is purely because I've missed the music in a fair few places!

RetroReviews: N1195 Clifton Court Hotel / Lanigans

The pub with the most baffling array of stuff hanging from the ceiling I've ever seen. Well, I've seen a single item more baffling - a neon violin lighting rig in a nightclub in rural Meath - but this beats it for variety.

This is a frequent stop before a night in the Laughter Lounge or occasionally a gig in the 3Arena.

RetroReviews: N1194 West County Hotel

I've had more carvery dinners here than I can ever remember; due to it being rather near an elderly relatives house.

RetroReviews: N1124 Tom Taveys

I ended up watching this debacle in this pub, with some Legia fans - they thought that they could get tickets on the gate; and we thought we could watch it in McDowells.

The game was actually sold out - and in Tallaght - so they weren't getting in; and McDowells was closed so we all ended up here instead.

Despite not being Pats fans, they bought us a round after they won (there were only two of us, for refere,ce). Which also happened after Legia beat Dundalk in the Aviva - Premium is not officially segregated so we had Legia fans sitting beside us inside the ground. Legia have a bit of a negative reputation; but so far its just been beneficial to me!

RetroReviews: N1111 Black Lion Inn

As with the previous post, Inchicore generally means football for me - and this was often the only pub doing food in the area (1014760 T Kinsella, the Village Inn as-was had signs up for food, but didn't actually sell it for many years before it closed), I would often end up here for dinner if going to an evening game straight from work.

RetroReviews: N1109 McDowells

As is often the case with a pub I've been to quite a bit, there's not going to be as long a post here as for a single visit - its hard to remember every detail, and even if I could the post would end up being pages long.

This is the St Pats "home" pub - it is directly in front of their ground - and as far as I know is actually owned by the club, albeit leased out rather than run directly. I've only ever been here for football related matters, either before or after games; both as a neutral and as an away fan; or to watch a St Pats away or neutral domestic venued European game which I could not get tickets to. 

The pub has spent substantial amounts of time closed in recent years; although I believe it was open until COVID at least.

RetroReviews: 1014760 T Kinsella

This is out of sequence as I forgot it had changed licence number when re-appearing...

Formerly the Village Inn - and very briefly the Richmond Gastropub when it initially reopened - this was a quite grim boozer when I had my solitary pint here, in 2007 or so. I walked in and ordered/paid for a pint before asking for the food menu, as advertised outside; before finding out they didn't actually sell food.

Pint sculled, and across the road to the Black Lion then!

The new operation does sell food and has been significantly refurbished.

RetroReviews: N1099 Sackville Lounge

This tiny pub has probably caused more heartache for the pub aficionados/Pintmen of Dublin in the past few years. My first visit to it was probably only in 2015 or so, but its been a regular since - an experience shared with many others who go and want to go back.

The pub has closed, reopened, closed for COVID like everywhere else, and then published a statement that it was not reopening that has since been refuted but got significant media coverage, much of it never updated to reference the refutation. New owners, who operate other premises in the city are apparently prepared to reopen it immediately on it becoming legally possible.

A "one-manner", the entire pub area is about the size of a large dining room in a 70s or 80s suburban house; with the gents toilets in the basement and the ladies an utter afterthought upstairs; and used to be decorated with a full set of GAA jerseys. 

Prior to its first closure in January 2017, you could get the standard range of auld lad pub pints here, along with toasties - stored pre-made in a tiny fridge behind the counter; just as they should be in this kind of pub; but when it reopened in September 2019 there were some slight modernisations to the offering of drinks, and the toasties took a few weeks to come back. Despite the reopening being flagged for some time, there were plenty of people who were unwilling to believe it had happened and I had to send people photos from the pub when I managed to get in a few days after they opened the doors again!

I'm looking forward to returning here when it reopens again. As a public plea to the new operators - the slight rework before the 2019 reopening was sufficient (except maybe some further works to the toilets - but there's only so much you can do with Victorian fittings) - don't do anything else!

RetroReviews: N1074 Madigans North Earl Street

This pub is rather anonymous and as such I can't really remember anything - my Google Timeline says I was here though!

RetroReviews: N1070 Nealons

Oh Nealons. Saved from what appeared to be certain closure, but ruined in the process - showing how much of a pubs atmosphere is actually the staff.

I used to go to a regular meetup here. We went back after the new owners came in; for a single month, before moving up the street to N0084 The Black Sheep instead.

Its a beautiful pub internally; but its not what it was when Eddie was holding shop.

RetroReviews: N1062 The Flowing Tide

I've been here both under my own steam; and also when my sister got convinced that the band we'd just seen in The Academy may come in afterwards; as that is what they used to do after gigs. Realistically, they were now too old and boring to go on the lash after a gig and anyway, the metal cachet of the Flowing Tide isn't quite what it used to be (see reviews on that link claiming it was gone by 2010)

RetroReviews: N1061 Madigans Abbey Street

I know I've been here; and I can even tell you when - June 16th 2007 (was going to a gig in The Point) - but I can't remember anything else. 

RetroReviews: N0593 Downeys

"Make sure you don't go to Cabra after" was the command issued by my friends wife before we headed in to a game in Dalymount.

We did head to Cabra, as all the pubs in Phisboro were rammed and we wanted a quieter pint. As far as I remember the pub was fine, as was the chipper next door. I think she probably meant "don't go to Matts" though.

RetroReviews: N0304 The Harp / Carnegie Court Hotel

As previously mentioned, I worked in Swords a Very Long Time Ago, and this was our usual after work spot. It was the second-closest to the office but won our trade with the finger food.

Basically, when the kitchens closed in the evening they would fire any finger food that was left out to the regulars. Could end up being nothing depending on the day, or it could be a feast.

If you relied on getting a free dinner,  you could end up wobbling down to the chipper (remember, the kitchen has closed) - and this could be after hours of drinking if you were on a 4pm finish; which is something I'd never advise anyone to do now; but we were all young then.

September 2020 Licence Update

As has been the norm recently, licence files are being released with little of note in them

The only relevant change is a potentially significant removal of a pub which is known to be doomed to development, and I believe has not been trading since March despite having kitchens (and space), but I'm not going to say for certain that its not reopening - N0623 Bradys Castleknock Inn

RetroReviews: N0301 The Betsy

My visits here were two incarnations ago, when this was The Slaughtered Lamb - it has been Empire in between. 

I worked nearby, it was fairly normal on Fridays to go to The Harp after work; but it didn't have pool tables, which is where the Lamb came in. It was 2006, I can't really remember much more than that!

RetroReviews: N0241 Halfway House

I used to work with someone who was from a slightly earlier era of road warrior - that which predated there being hot delis in every petrol station. He had his personal list of what he considered to be the best carveries in every area of the country.

As a result, if I was working with him anywhere near Ashtown; we had to have lunch here. 

I'm not a huge fan of carveries. 

RetroReviews: N0213 Frank Ryan's

I've only been here once I think, which actually surprises me a bit. 

The event was a colleagues leaving party, and he picked here as they had Galway Hooker on tap which was his preferred drink at the time - this was quite some years ago, so there wasn't huge market penetration by any Irish craft producers yet. 

I'll go back, I'm sure - I've an outstanding Tekken Tag rematch in Token to play.

RetroReviews: N0191 Pantibar

Now a sufficient fixture on Dublin's gay scene that even Enda Kenny turned up there as a PR event; I was rather sceptical when it opened. GUBU, its previous incarnation, which I'd visited, hadn't done well enough to stop it being planned to be turned in to a CafeBarDeli (not that that chain lasted), the economy was definitely sniffling and Panti had no obvious experience running a bar. But I went early on regardless and have been there multiple times since.

Its still there 13 years later, which is basically geriatric in the lifespan of Dublin gay bars other than The George - there were some that lasted entire months in the early-mid 00s, with five months being how long Paddy McKillen Jr kept one open for in the 2010s. So I was very, very wrong. 

Its changed a bit over time - there's been multiple different setups downstairs mainly - but is overall much the same as in 2007. A sister venue, 1015498 Penny Lane, opened across the road in mid-2019.

RetroReviews: N0175 The Autobahn

I went to a friends 40th here. He's now over 50.

I really can't remember very much about it!

RetroReviews: N0145 Fagans

"Berties local", or so its claimed. I believe he now drinks in N0123 Beaumont House instead though.

I was in here once, in about 2005. Well, it was actually twice - in the same day. We were looking for somewhere to watch a football match, and Fagans claimed their satellite dish was "broken"; so we ended up watching it in Kennedys instead.

However, either Kennedys food menu didn't appeal or didn't exist that day for whatever reason, so we ended up in Fagans for food afterwards. Where they were showing another match. I did ask the barman how much the Saturday afternoon dish realignment cost!