Best of old skool Dublin!

dublinmayflower

There's lots of places in Dublin from my childhood and teenage years that don't exist anymore. Forte's cafe on O' Connell street for an icecream sundae when we were being super good! And also anyone remember the DA club, thats from my teenage years, sometimes bad but mainly good good times! Anyone with any more?

HydeRoad

The Mayfair Grill on O'Connell Street (is that Ann Summers now?) for the sausage and chips. All the waitresses were ould dears who looked like they'd been in the job since the war! There was one really doddery one in particular, who was always forgetting things, and getting the orders wrong. She'd take your order, then potter halfway down the aisle and stop, and stare vacantly into space, with a bewildered look on her face...!

Kintarō Hattori

Wasn't Forte's and the Mayfair the same place? I used to love going to that place, they did the best hamburger in town. It's only gone a few years but the cafe that was on George's street, where the tapas place is now. I can't remember how much the irish breakfast was but it was an absolute bargain. A real working man's kinda place.

Oh and incidently this should be in the dublin city forum before anyone says anything!

Pighead

Pighead comes from a land were childhood memories involved frollicking across the sun drenched open meadows skipping merrilly past the friendly inviting cows and woolly flirtatious sheep

We'd climb trees till our wee knees were red raw or until we heard the dinner horn sound which told us that our Mamas and Papas wanted us home to enjoy a family meal around the solid oak table. We'd eat drink and be merry and thank the lord above for our simple yet fulfilling lives. We'd listen to our grandma play the fiddle before heading out out to the meadows again for a game of kiss catch or maybe hide and seek.

What wonderful days.

Dubs memories=Stuffing their faces with chips sausage and beans followed by a messy dollop of gone off ice cream.

As the late great(ish) John Denver said "Thank God Pighead's a country boy"

dublinmayflower

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Wasn't Forte's and the Mayfair the same place?

Yes it was, it was really dark and musty inside too... I loved it!
And they had lollipops on the counter to take when you were going.

Red Hand

De wife an' child beating dat me Da used to dish ou' when he came home pissed from da pub, wha'?

Chislers running around wi' de patches on their trousers, wha'?

Goin' next door to old Missus Hanely wi' me Ma for a cup o' sugar, a nather and syringeful o' heroin, wha'?

Dem day-yez is gone, old Mr Brennan.

DublinWriter

Pighead wrote: »

As the late great(ish) John Denver said "Thank God Pighead's a country boy"

Other memorable John Denver quotes include "Mountain? What mountain?".

As a boy, we were brought to the country once, but all I remember is an old man saying "you sure got a purdy mouth, city boy" and hearing the sound of dueling banjos.

Ah yes, the a-Zoo. You weren't a true Dub unless de auld mother-hubbard brought you there as a 'chisler' to see the Ronnie Drew enclosure, then off to Fortes/Borzas/Macaris to have a 50-50.

Collie D

Pighead wrote: »

Pighead comes from a land were childhood memories involved frollicking across the sun drenched open meadows skipping merrilly past the friendly inviting cows and woolly flirtatious sheep

We'd climb trees till our wee knees were red raw or until we heard the dinner horn sound which told us that our Mamas and Papas wanted us home to enjoy a family meal around the solid oak table. We'd eat drink and be merry and thank the lord above for our simple yet fulfilling lives. We'd listen to our grandma play the fiddle before heading out out to the meadows again for a game of kiss catch or maybe hide and seek.

What wonderful days.

Dubs memories=Stuffing their faces with chips sausage and beans followed by a messy dollop of gone off ice cream.

As the late great(ish) John Denver said "Thank God Pighead's a country boy"

Maybe we were an unhealthy lot in Dublin but at least none of us grew up with that God-awful Dundalk accent. Grating is an understatement

DublinWriter

Collie D wrote: »

Maybe we were an unhealthy lot in Dublin but at least none of us grew up with that God-awful Dundalk accent. Grating is an understatement

I find it amazing how they use at least five syllables to pronounce the word 'now' .

Dufresne

About 25 years ago I used to go for pints in places like The Ivy Rooms at the top of O'Connell St/Parnell St. to see bands, or sometimes to trendier pubs like Pygmalion (The Pig) or Bartley Dunnes. They're all long gone now. I must be getting old.

humberklog

Dufresne wrote: »

About 25 years ago I used to go for pints in places like The Ivy Rooms at the top of O'Connell St/Parnell St. to see bands, or sometimes to trendier pubs like Pygmalion (The Pig) or Bartley Dunnes. They're all long gone now. I must be getting old.

Ivy rooms (get off the ramp) is now and has been for 20years Fibbers. Still doing the do. (smurfland then la mirage downstairs though have gone). Bartleys (my own personal favourite) is demolished and bebuilt as break for the border.
I miss scoops The Chinaman. Ye'wide?

arybvtcw0eolkf

Ok, I know I'm crossing a border here.

But I miss, and I'm sorry my children are missing -MOSNEY camp.

I loved that place, what was the pub - Dan Lowerys? it had a show on every night, and bingo during the day. And the chalets (and riding young one's in 'em )

The mini golf course and freezing your bollix off in the out door swimming pool.

Back in Dublin, I loved Santry forest and would spend hours in it. We even had great craic in 'The Flats - (Balcurris Rd for me). Under the flats we had "the sheds" and "the dark alleys".

Collie D

Mairt wrote: »

Ok, I know I'm crossing a border here.

But I miss, and I'm sorry my children are missing -MOSNEY camp.

I loved that place, what was the pub - Dan Lowerys? it had a show on every night, and bingo during the day. And the chalets (and riding young one's in 'em )

The mini golf course and freezing your bollix off in the out door swimming pool.

Back in Dublin, I loved Santry forest and would spend hours in it. We even had great craic in 'The Flats - (Balcurris Rd for me). Under the flats we had "the sheds" and "the dark alleys".

MOSNEY? Only the boggers called it that Butlins

Oh, and I kind of went off the outdoor pool, after someone had a dump in it. Was like the scene from Caddyshack

arybvtcw0eolkf

Collie D wrote: »

MOSNEY? Only the boggers called it that Butlins

Oh, and I kind of went off the outdoor poo, after someone had a dump in it. Was like the scene from Caddyshack

I was going to call it Butlins, but didn't for fear of being corrected

humberklog

Mairt wrote: »

I was going to call it Butlins, but didn't for fear of being corrected

I know exactly what you mean. I'd call it Butlins but for anyone who didn't go they always called it Mosney. Great place for the holliers. Boating lake, snooker tables, pitch and putt and bowling green were my favourite day time activity. Disco, cinema and trying to score with loose norniron wimmins was top night time activity. My family still have glasses from Dan Lowry's. Big bitter glasses with handles.

arybvtcw0eolkf

humberklog wrote: »

I know exactly what you mean. I'd call it Butlins but for anyone who didn't go they always called it Mosney. Great place for the holliers. Boating lake, snooker tables, pitch and putt and bowling green were my favourite day time activity. Disco, cinema and trying to score with loose norniron wimmins was top night time activity. My family still have glasses from Dan Lowry's. Big bitter glasses with handles.

I'd forgot about the boating lake..

Yeah, Butlins. I think its a centre of cultural excellence now

Portmarnock has retained the old Dublin feel to it.

I walk on the beach there alot, its fantastic. And the koisks still sell 'buckets & spades' - beach balls & ice creams.

humberklog

Mairt wrote: »

Portmarnock has retained the old Dublin feel to it.

I walk on the beach there alot, its fantastic. And the koisks still sell 'buckets & spades' - beach balls & ice creams.

Just took a stroll along it the other week. Beautiful old feel to it. Spanking clean and well behaved. Did you see the beach volleyball nets up? Great idea and being used properly. I stayed looking for quite a while. Those east europeans are fit, fit, fit. Then a nice pint outside Tamangos. But your right Mairt it does seam to have retained a slightly old Dublin spirit.

arybvtcw0eolkf

humberklog wrote: »

But your right Mairt it does seam to have retained a slightly old Dublin spirit.

I think thats due, in part by a lack of developement in the area (apart from the apartments on Station Rd).

I haven't been to Tamangos in years, but occasionally have a drink the 'The Golf Links' pub (it used to be Dwyers) - the worlds most boring pub and worst bar staff ever, but the pint isn't bad.

humberklog

A pub that retains that bit of real decent, intelligent, irreverent northside attitude is Gills on NCR. Family owned, they now only open on match days and events in Croker but even so it's still worth a look see to feel the atmosphere. It's a credit to the Gill family how they've maintained the place. Basic but inviting. The daughters a brilliant (and not un-pretty)barkeeps. Good stock as they'd say.

Dub13

Mairt wrote: »

I think thats due, in part by a lack of developement in the area (apart from the apartments on Station Rd).

I haven't been to Tamangos in years, but occasionally have a drink the 'The Golf Links' pub (it used to be Dwyers) - the worlds most boring pub and worst bar staff ever, but the pint isn't bad.

The one thing Portmarnock is missing is a decent pub,I agree its a great area only up the road from me so I am out there a lot.

Dufresne

Used to buy my records in Sounds Around near O'Connell Bridge or for secondhand ones went to Freebird-the one that used to be upstairs in Grafton St. near where McD's is now. Shopping for clothes in No Romance top of Aungier St. - we used to think that was miles up - ha!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Dub13 wrote: »

The one thing Portmarnock is missing is a decent pub,I agree its a great area only up the road from me so I am out there a lot.

Sorry, I don't like to get away from the topic of the convo. But if your looking for a decent pub in the area try Campions on the Malahide Rd. Its a thrown back to when pubs where pubs, you can still buy some groceries in the bar, there's no doorstaff and your served by locals with a bit of banter thrown in.

Oh, and its my local haunt too

trout

Is there still a pitch & putt course out the back of Campions ?

I haven't been there in years ... if it's still there, I might wander over some Sunday ... I'll stand you a pint.

arybvtcw0eolkf

trout wrote: »

Is there still a pitch & putt course out the back of Campions ?

I haven't been there in years ... if it's still there, I might wander over some Sunday ... I'll stand you a pint.

Its still there alright.

And I owe you a pint first. I'm up there most Sunday evenings, in fact I'm there a few nights of the week if you ever fancy backbiting a few boards users :P

trout

Cool ... I'm getting the kids ready for school today ... but next Sunday looks like a pitch & putt & pint kind of day

arybvtcw0eolkf

trout wrote: »

Cool ... I'm getting the kids ready for school today ... but next Sunday looks like a pitch & putt & pint kind of day

It might be a private members club?.

Woden

hmm I recall the soda fountain in the Ilac centre and then the cafe out the back on moore street hallons was it? Then rainbow rapids out in dun laoghaire and picking up c64 games in paddy barretts toymaster.

humberklog

Woden wrote: »

hmm I recall the soda fountain in the Ilac centre and then the cafe out the back on moore street hallons was it? Then rainbow rapids out in dun laoghaire and picking up c64 games in paddy barretts toymaster.

The Ilac for footwear. Simon Hearts for the tassled loafers (or Oxblood George Webbs) then out to Moore street for the 18hole Docs (or indeed Boxing boots). Feel the bis and slag off JUJU lips on her tomato stall.

trout

humberklog wrote: »

... Feel the bis and slag off JUJU lips on her tomato stall.

As a kid, I used to have nightmare about her. I'm sure she was a lovely lady ... but she was scary looking. :eek:

gogglebok

Collie D wrote: »

Oh, and I kind of went off the outdoor poo, after someone had a dump in it.

Disturbing typo of the week....

I miss the Lancer in Rathmines. Not the most salubrious place, and I saw one very scary fight there between two army guys, but there was a good friendly crowd most nights.

Collie D

gogglebok wrote: »

Disturbing typo of the week....

Fixed but the original was quite apt in the circumstances

leiwand

hanging out in the coffee inn on south anne street i think it was called .one cup of tea lasted at least two hours.people watching outside hmv grafton street.

the wonderful 3 o'clock gigs in mcgonagles instilled a deep and abiding love for live music.garden hasn't changed much,golden horde, guernica and something happens.

attending the grove in raheny ,knacker drinking in st annes park,asking 20 women up to dance!!

william tell,my fake usit card and the gorgeous women inside..........

arybvtcw0eolkf

Programming Sinclair ZX80 home computers for hours, only to find there's a code error and you've to wait for next months magazine to get a correction.

Being blown away by the power and speed of the Amiga 500

boneless

Actually walking home from school! Do kids still do that? And taking shortcuts home that actually took you miles out of your way and involved the canal or some patch of waste ground...

I also miss The Bunch of Grapes pub on Clanbrassil Street; some of my first legal pints were had there .

humberklog

Having fields of crops and cows within 2miles of the city.

Watching punks getting mohawks in the barbers (think it was called the A1) upstairs on the corner of Mary St. and Caple st and being AMAZED!

CJH arriving by helicopter to open new parks for gluebags and bootboys.

Bonfires that included the prish priest's morris minor.

Dub13

Speaking of Bonfires,does anybody remember them on roads...?There used to be loads on the roads around Donnycarney.Absolutely crazy and very unsafe.

humberklog

Dub13 wrote: »

Speaking of Bonfires,does anybody remember them on roads...?There used to be loads on the roads around Donnycarney.Absolutely crazy and very unsafe.

Ha! Donnyer...it was Father Quigley's Morris minor I was thinkig of too! About '79-'80. The same PP was on Ripley's 'believe it or not'(Jack palance doing it back then) claiming he saw a monster whilst out fishing on a lake. When they ran outta PPs cars the Bollards could usually be relied apon to fan the flames with an electric milk float from Premier Dairys. (Only kidding...the place was fort knocks on hollo'een). It was left to the Reilly's to get it!!

P.S. The hardest, toughest ever monicker held by a human being must go to Stum Bollard. Quite an ok guy now but what a name!

arybvtcw0eolkf

humberklog wrote: »

Watching punks getting mohawks in the barbers (think it was called the A1) upstairs on the corner of Mary St. and Caple st and being AMAZED!

.

The Classic Barbers. I got my first skinheads there..

I looked like this fella >>>>

boneless

Mairt wrote: »

The Classic Barbers. I got my first skinheads there..

I looked like this fella >>>>

The Classic did a great flat top too !! I had my one and only mohawk done there... the Company Sergeant had a fit when he saw it but couldn't do a thing about it. He had me barred from the NCO's mess though until it grew out :mad:!

Degsy

Just for the record lads.Americans called them Mohawks,everybody in ireland called them mohicans.
I was more a pole-spikes sort of person.
Get booze in Baggot st Superquin then drink them in stephen's green before heading to the Last Resort which was upstairs in the Plough in abbey st.
It was a mental place,i dont know how they ever made money,people would go in with flagons down thier trousers,and weirdos would be dishing out strange tablets to all and sundry.

boneless

I always called them mohawks because I just left a one inch wide number two strip on top as in the 101st Airbourne combat cut.

humberklog

I'm with Degs on the Mohican too (although my original post said Mohawk. Been so many years). The Classic! that was it. Flat tops and tennis balls for the nippers. Mohicans for the grown ups.
The plough was a cracking under-age spot but thought it'd a different name upstairs when I was drinking there than The Last Resort.

Back to OP... A kicking from someone that went to THE TECH left a lot more marks for a lot longer...and they all did something called The Group Cert. Some fecking group(all shoulda been certified alright).

Degsy

The neptune Lounge.That was a great pub in its day.You could smoke joints there,drink your on booze anything,unless of course you were caught and barred by grumpyhole Paddy who worked there.
Nowadays its hardly open once a week and the life has gone from the place,along with the pint-nicking priest!

Degsy

boneless wrote: »

I always called them mohawks because I just left a one inch wide number two strip on top as in the 101st Airbourne combat cut.

Okay audie Murphy its all over now

humberklog

Degsy wrote: »

The neptune Lounge.That was a great pub in its day.You could smoke joints there,drink your on booze anything,unless of course you were caught and barred by grumpyhole Paddy who worked there.
Nowadays its hardly open once a week and the life has gone from the place,along with the pint-nicking priest!

<SNIP> if I recall. He'd been de-badged(ahem)years and he still wore the collar. He was one dirty skinny little mickey-fiddler. But he made for a richer enviroment in a more complex tapestry.
They started running comedy there a while back on a Friday (battle of the axe, run by the odious and repetitive <SNIP>).
Upstairs is still well kept and Laura ain't bad on the eye.

Is the Goalpost still serving these days? A good pub for the smoke was The Suffolk lounge, where Thing Mote was and now presently O'Donoghues re-deux on Suffolk St. Bikers and tokers all welcome. I hadn't got a bike but plenty of the other.

<SNIP> Gone!? Or at least not mentioned in years.

Degsy

humberklog wrote: »

<SNIP> if I recall. He'd been de-badged(ahem)years and he still wore the collar. He was one dirty skinny little mickey-fiddler. But he made for a richer enviroment in a more complex tapestry.
They started running comedy there a while back on a Friday (battle of the axe, run by the odious and repetitive <SNIP>).
Upstairs is still well kept and Laura ain't bad on the eye.

Is the Goalpost still serving these days? A good pub for the smoke was The Suffolk lounge, where Thing Mote was and now presently O'Donoghues re-deux on Suffolk St. Bikers and tokers all welcome. I hadn't got a bike but plenty of the other.

<SNIP> Gone!? Or at least not mentioned in years.

As far as i know the priest's name was father <SNIP>.He was forever mastrurbating in the bogs and sneaking around the place stinging drinks and cadging off people.I actually never met anybody who liked him.
Another well-known face in there in those days was < the convict cum poet who was diagnosed with AIDS and later killed himself.
Saturday nights would often have live music,ie two bird with guitars doing cover versions or a bloke with a beard reading peotry.Different times.
The comdey club was initially run by the odious <SNIP> but he figured coming in to work was too much hassle so stepped down.
Before that they'd attempted to turn the Nep into a Piano bar..ie a guy with a hammond organ and no customers.
upstairs is not bad but not a patch on the glory days of teh neptune.Pete the barman is now a key-jangler in one of the state penetentiaries!

<SNIP>

humberklog

Degsy wrote: »

As far as i know the priest's name was father <SNIP>.
The comdey club was initially run by the odious <SNIP>

<SNIP>

Think you're right on F.<SNIP>
Who's <SNIP>? Is it the guy with the slicked back brown hair,30's wears black and sees himself as a kinda Bill Hicks/Richard Lewis of Dublin?
Soapbar my arse.

Degsy

humberklog wrote: »

Think you're right on F.<SNIP>
Who's <SNIP>? Is it the guy with the slicked back brown hair,30's wears black and sees himself as a kinda Bill Hicks/Richard Lewis of Dublin?
Soapbar my arse.

Thats him,he's got a haircut like Denis Waterman in Minder..going bald on top,attempt to grow it long at the back.He usually could be found downstairs sitting to the bar.Usually sports a cheap-looking leather jacket and has a smig.
Soapbar's all thats around unless you're in the serious know!

humberklog

Degsy wrote: »

Thats him,he's got a haircut like Denis Waterman in Minder..going bald on top,attempt to grow it long at the back.He usually could be found downstairs sitting to the bar.Usually sports a cheap-looking leather jacket and has a smig.
Soapbar's all thats around unless you're in the serious know!

That's the <SNIP>! I'd words with him about a year ago outside <SNIP>. He got angry with the audience because he wasn't funny and I buried him with a heckle. He got arsey outside having a fag and I nearly threw'm back down the stairs. Only that <SNIP> (barmaid) was about I didn't finish the job. Painfully I'd to sit at a table with him about 6month later as it turns out we'd acquaintances in common ("serious know" aquaintances). He'd the cheek to ask for a drink to make up!? I don't wanna make up! A hateful twat. Yep that's the guy, gank leather jacket and disguising baldness.

Wishbone Ash

OK lads - no more names of people or venues associated with illicit activities!

Please use the PM function instead.

Punchbowl

gogglebok wrote: »

Disturbing typo of the week....

I miss the Lancer in Rathmines. Not the most salubrious place, and I saw one very scary fight there between two army guys, but there was a good friendly crowd most nights.

Is this now the Rathmines Inn?