1011186 Hynes

I had worried that this would be a meme-pub, considering how much was made at the time of their re-opening of this having been the local of Paddy Losty, "the Pintman" of recent internet lore fame. 

Despite having a large mural dedicated to the faux mythology built up about Paddy, the pub is otherwise quite sensible. On the night of my visit, there was a table quiz going on which, as far as I could tell, was free. I had intent to do more pubs so we didn't hang around for it. The decor is very normal, modernised traditional Dublin pub.

There's a good range of drinks on tap, and a weekly first pint discount should you order as gaelige - unfortunately the day of the week was wrong for any discount on my dhá pionta Scraggy Bay, le do thoil.

A younger crowd frequents this place than the other bars in the area, which I'm sure the memeification has not hampered; but the balance of the old and the modern should be attractive to younger drinkers anyway - or so I'd hope!

N0187 Kavanaghs

One of the strangest looking pubs in Dublin, with an interior that sort-of tries to get there too - although a turret outside may make you think the interior would be faux gothic, you instead get murals. And a payphone, which I forgot to check for a dialtone - there can't be many of these left functional in Dublin's pubs!

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Outside, the payphone theme continues as the pub supplies the power and CCTV coverage to a replica phonebox containing a community defibrilator (which has recently been appealing for funds)

A nice community local, this was the quietest of the pubs I've visited in this part of the city - but I was there earlier in the evening, and on a weekday; so I don't think this is the norm.

There is a function room upstairs which hosts a variety of regular events; something becoming quite uncommon in pubs across the city - kitchens, restaurants, music bars, guest rooms and other consumers of space within pubs have taken over a lot of the function rooms that existed.

October register update and 2021-2 Year-on-Year licence comparison

Revenue very helpfully provided a 30th September register this year, which lets me do the year on year comparison now, albeit knowing my luck there will be more new files in a later October release.

As it a register of renewed licences, the file gets very small in November as many premises do not get their licence renewed at the first sitting (they are still legally trading in this case), or are closed and wait til later in the year, etc.

There were 953 renewed licence in the final file for 2021/2, and 969 for 2022/3 - new premises and reopenings after COVID closures accounting for this relatively big hike. Including removals, there were 996 total licences in this time period - but some will be duplicates for one premises due to renumbering, or holding a theatre and a bar licence.

Month on month changes:

Renumbered:

1019279 Maldron Merrion Road, formerly S1088 Tara Towers Hotel - rebuilt on same site.

Year on year removals:

Removals (excluding those that I know to be trading and may be an administrative error)

1003456 The Shipwright, Ringsend - closed with a rent dispute and has not yet reopened
1015162 Hogs & Heifers, Airsde - this has moved in to the former TGI Fridays next door, which has re-appeared on the register. (been here but no writeup)
N0072 The Chancery, Inns Quay - up for sale in 2020, not reopened
N0589 The Cabra House - closed for redevelopment
N1107 Coffeys, Inchicore - closed for years, relicenced briefly, possibly to allow licence to be sold
N1352 The Foxhound, Kilbarrack - closed currently
N1993 Hollystown Golf Club - closed down
N2760 Koh, Jervis Street - I think this is closed? Google and Tripadvisor both agree.
S0041 Neds of Townsend Street - closed some time ago, replacement hotel has opened. Was likely on the register to allow licence to be converted
S0214 Ryans Arbour House, Windy Arbour - I believe this is closed
S0215 Corner House, Windy Arbour - long closed
S4201 The Beacon Hotel, Sandyford - closed

These removals bring my live register-based total back from being within touching distance of pub 650 - but I'll get there! It isn't as destructive as last years changes, at least.

Revisted pubs - September 2022

September had a bit of travel (to the UK and Donegal) and hence less Dublin efforts:

[Whatever its numbered now] The Fallow, Dublin Airport - in the space the Slaney used to be; and with slightly less ridiculous breakfasts

N0082 McGraths - because this will appear every month until I either change jobs, or DART+ opens and gives me ten minute train frequency

1014989 Isabelles

I had to check my own map to remember what this place was even called, due to the repetitive naming convention of Press Up venues. Paddy McKillen Jr may have misplaced his 'little book of girl's names' recently, based on some of the more recent venues, but the naming regime was so strict I forgot which premises I was in.

A fairly standard Press Up premises, food driven, laid out like a restaurant but with a full pub licence and I don't think they'll turn away drinkers when its quiet. This was the first time the food actually met what the menu was promising (well, the embedded Wowburger branches in some also do this consistently) though, with well executed, restaurant style pizza.

Blue dot surrounded by green on my personal done/not done map changed over, reason to go here again dealt with. But as I'd tried to get in here twice before, to find it too busy, I don't think they need my trade!

N2211 Wrights Cafe Bar

I had never been here before, as they didn't let me - the one single time I ever tried. Which was after a 2006 Christmas party in the then pre-Wetherspoon'ing Old Borough across the road

In one of those cases where a bouncer might have just been trying to engage me in conversation to see if I was sober enough, a "have you had a few already?" question was enough for me to decide to bail back home, to where my local had much lower standards for regulars.

There were no bouncers on when I arrived this time, and with all of two pints taken I don't think I'd have had much trouble getting in anyway. 

Much to my surprise, they had arranged for me to experience that lost taste of 2006 inside, or at least of some year much in the past - two pints including an often 7.50+ Lagunitas came to 'only' 12.20, every track played was from the early 2000s and it was obvious from the stool and huge rolls of blue tissue in the toilets that they either still had, or pined for the days of having, a toilet attendant. 

The decor is a little dated, but in perfect condition; almost as if it's actually new and I *am* in 2006. I rapidly checked to see if my smartphone had similarly regressed or if my hair had re-dyed itself blond; but neither had happened. So no, I was still in 2022 - and a check of the prices for food would have confirmed this. Also I suspect that Lagunitas was not easily, if at all, available here on draught prior to Heineken investing in the 2010s

Coincidentally, the bus that turned up to bring us back to the city was also from 2006 - a rare enough sight now, with few buses of that age left in service. 

Revisited pubs - August 2022

August '22 provided many more new ticks than revisits:

N0082 McGraths - bus arriving just after a train had left, and a 29 minute wait

S3908 The Well - last visited as Dandelion, albeit I did once have to run an ISDN line from the shopping centre basement on the floor here when it was derelict.