The pubs of Dublin

Some that we didn't go into:

Near Christchurch Cathedral.

In Temple Bar

Also in Temple Bar.

And some that we did:

We have four different versions of this photo of us

outside of Mulligan's,

one from each of the four times we've been to Dublin.

You might think it's hype, but we sampled Guinness

all over Dublin, and Mulligan's really does

pour the smoothest pint.

The old-fashioned back room was quiet the afternoon we were there.

The light was lovely.

Slainte!

This is the gorgeous International Bar,

where the 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour starts.

More on that later.

Doheny and Nesbitt is one of three great old pubs

very near St. Stephen's Green.

The other two are Toner's, and Kehoe's.

We visited all three.

Kehoe's was very busy on the weekend,

but had a much more

relaxed ambience during the week.

They burn a peat fire in the fireplace

and I stood outside

and just sniffed and sniffed the air.

This is the view from inside the snug at Kehoe's.

Snugs are small rooms

that were originally for women,

who were not allowed at the bar.

They have windows with sliding doors and a shelf;

when the woman was done with her pint she would

slide the window open, place her empty glass on the shelf,

and the publican would whisk it away and bring her

another pint. Very convenient.

The back wall at Doheny and Nesbitt.

Toner's was one of our favorite places and would be

our local if we happened to live in Dublin,

along Upper Baggott Street.

Toner's used to be a grocery store/pub, a long time ago.

The publicans and barkeeps in Dublin are professionals

and take their jobs very seriously. They wear dress shirts

and ties, and they work very hard.

Doug made a little movie

of this guy, which I will post later.

If you look closely into this mirror, you can see two

Midwestern Americans.

The Duke, one of the only pubs we could find that

served Harp. Most of the pubs have Heineken

and Carlsberg on tap, but not Irish Harp. Go figure.

(When I asked a bartender why, he just

gave me a long look and didn't answer.

One of the guide books says that Irish people

refer to Harp as "tinkers' piss."

So that might explain it.)

O'Donoghue's, near St. Stephen's Green,

quite famous for their traditional music.

The music was not particularly good this night,

and we left after one drink.

On a previous trip, the music was wonderful

and the place was full, primarily of German tourists.

After playing one Irish tune after another,

the band suddenly launched

into "Country Roads, Take Me Home,"

and the entire bar sang along.