Famous Dublin pubs that are no more

Chalk McHugh · 13-05-2020 9:37pm

cson wrote: »

Right after College, three of us moved into a gaff on the Clonliffe and decided it'd be a great idea to do a 12 pubs into town via Ballybough & Summerhill. Think it was 2011 Christmas.

Our route;

1. Clonliffe House
2. The Ref
3. Lowry's
4. Bridge House
5. Sunset
6. The Strand
7. Lloyds
8. Mullets
9. Cleary's
10. Graingers
11. Confession Box
12. Coppers (of course)

Started early enough and took our time so we didn't wreck ourselves, got a few looks for sure from locals but not a bit of bother. Some lad in The Ref was having a going away to prison party (presume he was handing himself in the next day?).

Loved living in that area, some great spots - Gaffney's for a pint, the Flaming Wok was a cracking chinese. Great buzz about the place on match days even if it was a bit annoying from time to time when you live in the area.

Good session that, lad. Cant argue with that pub crawl. A much maligned area, but i wouldn't want to be anywhere else for a bit of fun and mischief.

BonnieSituation · 13-05-2020 9:38pm

cson wrote: »

Right after College, three of us moved into a gaff on the Clonliffe and decided it'd be a great idea to do a 12 pubs into town via Ballybough & Summerhill. Think it was 2011 Christmas.

Our route;

1. Clonliffe House
2. The Ref
3. Lowry's
4. Bridge House
5. Sunset
6. The Strand
7. Lloyds
8. Mullets
9. Cleary's
10. Graingers
11. Confession Box
12. Coppers (of course)

Started early enough and took our time so we didn't wreck ourselves, got a few looks for sure from locals but not a bit of bother. Some lad in The Ref was having a going away to prison party (presume he was handing himself in the next day?).

Loved living in that area, some great spots - Gaffney's for a pint, the Flaming Wok was a cracking chinese. Great buzz about the place on match days even if it was a bit annoying from time to time when you live in the area.

Was Mullet's called Mullet's even back then? I felt it was a more recent name! :O

Cleary's the best of the lot there. Old Confession Box was something else too. Lin Kee on the Strand for the Chinese.

I used to live off the Clonliffe myself and am an avid Dubs match attender. So have darkened most of those.

My mate moved to Summerhill Parade, right across from Lowry's back in February and we had planned a crawl from Meaghers down to the Bridge/Little Tree and then this all hit.

Hopefully most will open back up come August.

Chalk McHugh · 13-05-2020 9:42pm

Mullets is run by the two red headed brothers known as Podge and Rodge. All the local Sinn Fein and republican mob have their own area just to the right of the entrance known as the 'Mary Lou corner'.

Chalk McHugh · 13-05-2020 9:47pm

cson wrote: »

Right after College, three of us moved into a gaff on the Clonliffe and decided it'd be a great idea to do a 12 pubs into town via Ballybough & Summerhill. Think it was 2011 Christmas.

Our route;

1. Clonliffe House
2. The Ref
3. Lowry's
4. Bridge House
5. Sunset
6. The Strand
7. Lloyds
8. Mullets
9. Cleary's
10. Graingers
11. Confession Box
12. Coppers (of course)

Started early enough and took our time so we didn't wreck ourselves, got a few looks for sure from locals but not a bit of bother. Some lad in The Ref was having a going away to prison party (presume he was handing himself in the next day?).

Loved living in that area, some great spots - Gaffney's for a pint, the Flaming Wok was a cracking chinese. Great buzz about the place on match days even if it was a bit annoying from time to time when you live in the area.

One you missed was the 74 Talbot, used be known as Mother Kellys. Thats one of my more frequented ones. Mad aul spot.

Molloys and The Celt too.

But no doubt you had your bellies full with the other 11 pubs around the NIC.

cson · 13-05-2020 10:07pm

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

Good session that, lad. Cant argue with that pub crawl. A much maligned area, but i wouldn't want to be anywhere else for a bit of fun and mischief.

Tell you what, I'd take it any day over bouncing around those pretentious cocktail bars on Dawson St.

I also remember watching a few Arsenal games upstairs in what was Kate's Cottage back in the day (Brew Dock now).

Chalk McHugh · 13-05-2020 10:11pm

cson wrote: »

Tell you what, I'd take it any day over bouncing around those pretentious cocktail bars on Dawson St.

I also remember watching a few Arsenal games upstairs in what was Kate's Cottage back in the day (Brew Dock now).

100%.

L1011 · 13-05-2020 10:31pm

Went in to Mother Kellys sort-of by mistake looking for someone showing a Championship match - was in Brew Dock and Graingers was closed (though I'm not sure they even show matches now)

Absolutely mental event.

Was two of us so got two pints when we went in. Went up for my second - the other lad didn't want another - but by the time I got to the bar there were two poured for us. Had to give hand signals from the queue the next time lest we end up with a total backlog.

One bar woman keeping the entire shop going, even though its really too big for that.

Lad was going around trying to sell bottles of Smirnoff from an unknown source, saying he was just out of the 'joy and needed the cash. Was ordered from behind the bar to sit down and shut up; which he did

Jacks were half an inch deep in "water"

I didn't go back!

Bozo Skeleton · 14-05-2020 12:25am

The Ref was the Blind Ref? I ask because I was recently trying to remember exactly where it was (or still is, I lived in the north inner city for years, but never had a pint in that pub ) It was bugging me where it was. Part of me was thinking it was down on the quays, but I'm pretty sure I'm confusing it for another place.

cson · 14-05-2020 12:30am

Bozo Skeleton wrote: »

The Ref was the Blind Ref? I ask because I was recently trying to remember exactly where it was (or still is, I lived in the north inner city for years, but never had a pint in that pub ) It was bugging me where it was. Part of me was thinking it was down on the quays, but I'm pretty sure I'm confusing it for another place.

Yeah it's The Blind Ref, its in the middle of Ballybough.

Bozo Skeleton · 14-05-2020 12:33am

The place on the quays I'm thinking of was a pub on the quays at the Bridgefoot Street/Oliver Bond area. It's no more, It wasn't the Blind Ref (I think), but a similar kind of name. It'll come to me

Bozo Skeleton · 14-05-2020 12:37am

cson wrote: »

Yeah it's The Blind Ref, its in the middle of Ballybough.

Ta. Knew I had it confused. Came to me. The Deaf Judge was the one on the quays!

Bozo Skeleton · 14-05-2020 12:54am

One of the regulars in Bakers on Thomas Street told me the place had been sold. No idea if that's true. God knows what'll turn in to if so

Chalk McHugh · 14-05-2020 6:49am

L1011 wrote: »

Went in to Mother Kellys sort-of by mistake looking for someone showing a Championship match - was in Brew Dock and Graingers was closed (though I'm not sure they even show matches now)

Absolutely mental event.

Was two of us so got two pints when we went in. Went up for my second - the other lad didn't want another - but by the time I got to the bar there were two poured for us. Had to give hand signals from the queue the next time lest we end up with a total backlog.

One bar woman keeping the entire shop going, even though its really too big for that.

Lad was going around trying to sell bottles of Smirnoff from an unknown source, saying he was just out of the 'joy and needed the cash. Was ordered from behind the bar to sit down and shut up; which he did

Jacks were half an inch deep in "water"

I didn't go back!

Ha very good

Place got a nice overaul. Pretty swank inside now. Have an upstairs too which open on weekends and big matches (Liverpool games esp.).

Unfortunately the jacks never got a makeover. The last time i was there there was no jacks roll and a filthy pair of underpants floating in the toilet bowl. The residant plumber earns his corn the one day a year he turns up.

Chalk McHugh · 14-05-2020 6:55am

Bozo Skeleton wrote: »

The Ref was the Blind Ref? I ask because I was recently trying to remember exactly where it was (or still is, I lived in the north inner city for years, but never had a pint in that pub ) It was bugging me where it was. Part of me was thinking it was down on the quays, but I'm pretty sure I'm confusing it for another place.

The lads were caught drinking in it two weeks ago. Ex Lord Mayor Niall Ring was one of the few caught on a Friday evening but he owns the office next door and by the time the garda got into the ref all the lads were drinking a bottle in his office. Reasonable doubt. I believe they got away with it. This ex Lord Mayor likes a drink or ten. He racked up massive bills for alcohol in the Mansion House where half the North Inner City were wined and wined. Gas man.

Hotblack Desiato · 14-05-2020 2:45pm

^ Gas man, no, just a self-entitled pr1ck and this is far from the first evidence of that.

L1011 wrote: »

"Invalid carriage" as you'll see mentioned on the list of things not allowed on motorways.

I thought those horrible little yokes were strictly a UK thing, never remember seeing one in the flesh. Don't know why they bothered putting them on the motorway sign really, as we didn't have any motorways until well into the 80s (Naas bypass, 1983)

L1011 wrote: »

Up to 24h licencing with the council deciding (with an appeals system should the council have some Pioneer grasp control and close everywhere at 9) would be most sensible.

Far too sensible for Ireland

Birneybau · 14-05-2020 2:55pm

Yeah, wouldn't be gone on Nial (where's the other L Nial) Ring. If he wasn't from Dublin, he'd be seen as a gombeen man.

Muahahaha · 14-05-2020 3:09pm

Strumms wrote: »

Any updates on Conways of Parnell St since the last time I asked? From what I’m reading it’s now closed 12 years and nothing being done... a few bob thrown into it, a decent food menu, music upstairs again and it could make a fortune... beautiful old unique and iconic Dublin pub...

Yeah bizarre its been closed that length of time. Who even owns it now, I know Eddie o'Donoghue of the Hairy Lemon had an interest circa 2001 but not sure after that.

Also doesnt a pub have to open up one day a year to maintain their license, has Conways done that?

L1011 · 14-05-2020 3:36pm

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

I thought those horrible little yokes were strictly a UK thing, never remember seeing one in the flesh. Don't know why they bothered putting them on the motorway sign really, as we didn't have any motorways until well into the 80s (Naas bypass, 1983)

Some users found it impossible to pass the car test (they have motorbike controls) so they survived in tiny numbers until the 2000s in the UK - I'd expect some carried on here after '83 too but we did copy that sign I think.

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah bizarre its been closed that length of time. Who even owns it now, I know Eddie o'Donoghue of the Hairy Lemon had an interest circa 2001 but not sure after that.

Hammerson. Its all part of the Carlton site redevelopment plan.

Muahahaha wrote: »

Also doesnt a pub have to open up one day a year to maintain their license, has Conways done that?

Urban myth. You do need to provide either a fire safety cert or an affidavit saying you won't trade without one; but there have been licences attached to ruins or even empty patches of land in Dublin recently.

Conway's licence is valid and renewed for this year with Dublin Central GP Limited as the licence holder. This is a Hammerson company.

ollaetta · 14-05-2020 6:55pm

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

Oh right thanks. Wasn't sure. Now that you mention it i know it. As you're coming from Harolds Cross over the canal bridge heading into town it was just in there on the left. Nice car outside anyway.

Here's the same pub a few years earlier.

Hubertj · 16-05-2020 9:14pm

Does anyone remember anything about the Premier Bar back in the 80s? It was on either Francis or Meath St? My cousins and his wife managed it and lived above, not the best profession for a couple of alcoholics. I remember Dad brining me in a few times. I was under 10 so don’t remember much about it.

jippo nolan · 16-05-2020 10:24pm

Hubertj wrote: »

Does anyone remember anything about the Premier Bar back in the 80s? It was on either Francis or Meath St? My cousins and his wife managed it and lived above, not the best profession for a couple of alcoholics. I remember Dad brining me in a few times. I was under 10 so don’t remember much about it.

Meath street, beside engine alley, worked beside it in 1970.
One of my first pints in it!

L1011 · 16-05-2020 10:26pm

The Irish Times claimed the licence from the Premier was moved to South William Street at some stage in the 1990s; doens't specify a venue but there were a few new pubs there then.

SheroP · 16-05-2020 10:33pm

Don’t know if it was mentioned already , but does anyone recall Rumpoles on parliament at ?? Nice joint at the time !!

fleet_admiral · 17-05-2020 1:53am

L1011 wrote: »

Went in to Mother Kellys sort-of by mistake looking for someone showing a Championship match - was in Brew Dock and Graingers was closed (though I'm not sure they even show matches now)

Absolutely mental event.

Was two of us so got two pints when we went in. Went up for my second - the other lad didn't want another - but by the time I got to the bar there were two poured for us. Had to give hand signals from the queue the next time lest we end up with a total backlog.

One bar woman keeping the entire shop going, even though its really too big for that.

Lad was going around trying to sell bottles of Smirnoff from an unknown source, saying he was just out of the 'joy and needed the cash. Was ordered from behind the bar to sit down and shut up; which he did

Jacks were half an inch deep in "water"

I didn't go back!

I used to drink in the strand house at the five lamps the odd time. I nicknamed it the North strand shopping centre.
You could get 'anything' in there. A security guard from a nearby tesco used to sell the meat he stole, he went by the name of rashers.
I could be here all night with stories from that pub

Dyr · 17-05-2020 9:07am

L1011 wrote: »

Conway's licence is valid and renewed for this year with Dublin Central GP Limited as the licence holder. This is a Hammerson company.

Hammerson in financial trouble recently from what I heard

imme · 17-05-2020 5:08pm

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

The lads were caught drinking in it two weeks ago. Ex Lord Mayor Niall Ring was one of the few caught on a Friday evening but he owns the office next door and by the time the garda got into the ref all the lads were drinking a bottle in his office. Reasonable doubt. I believe they got away with it. This ex Lord Mayor likes a drink or ten. He racked up massive bills for alcohol in the Mansion House where half the North Inner City were wined and wined. Gas man.

"Gas man" you say.

No, he's a chancer of the highest /lowest order, a poor man's Bertie Ahern.

Spanish Eyes · 17-05-2020 5:18pm

Anyone remember the ChinaMan on Golden Lane.

Mad place altogether. I worked nearby and it was a weird, strange place, but it didn't stop me from going either. Mad craic sometimes.

https://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/102-chinaman

Esel · 17-05-2020 10:47pm

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Anyone remember the ChinaMan on Golden Lane.

Mad place altogether. I worked nearby and it was a weird, strange place, but it didn't stop me from going either. Mad craic sometimes.

https://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/102-chinaman

A legendary pub!

Walter Sobchak III · 17-05-2020 11:23pm

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Anyone remember the ChinaMan on Golden Lane.

Mad place altogether. I worked nearby and it was a weird, strange place, but it didn't stop me from going either. Mad craic sometimes.

https://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/102-chinaman

The first and last time I was in The Chinaman was the night Ireland beat Romania in the penalty shoot out in Italia90. I was working at a big EU meeting next door in Dublin Castle.

Bozo Skeleton · 18-05-2020 1:07pm

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Anyone remember the ChinaMan on Golden Lane.

Mad place altogether. I worked nearby and it was a weird, strange place, but it didn't stop me from going either. Mad craic sometimes.

https://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/102-chinaman

I used to go there to get hash when I was 16 or 17

quaalude · 18-05-2020 1:22pm

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Anyone remember the ChinaMan on Golden Lane.

Mad place altogether. I worked nearby and it was a weird, strange place, but it didn't stop me from going either. Mad craic sometimes.

https://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/102-chinaman

I went to go there with a slightly older bold friend once when I was 15, but it was closed for some reason. I was so relieved, but had to be all like "Ah bollox" to seem cool.
I remember people used to call it "The Old Chinaman", or was that a different place?

Joe_ Public · 18-05-2020 1:27pm

The old chinaman was the name of the pub, or was it "auld". Memory could be playing tricks! I recall it as a place you could get a late drink round late 80s/early to mid 90s without going to a club. Which wasnt an easy thing to find then. Chicago pizza pie place on the green was another and there was a place on parliament st, across from porterhouse too, but forget name of that one.

Bozo Skeleton · 18-05-2020 1:56pm

I remember they had a big mural painted on a wall of Deko Dachau (a Dublin punk guy who has been around forever). I think they put on gigs downstairs? I didn't go to any of them.

Bozo Skeleton · 18-05-2020 2:01pm

If there was a downstairs. I remember there was a pool table up above. And I remember a burly looking barman with loads of tattoos (this would have been the late 80's/ early 90's, when tattoos weren't as common place as they are now. He didn't seem like a man to be fúcked with, by his appearance anyway!

BeerNut · 18-05-2020 2:28pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

there was a place on parliament st, across from porterhouse too, but forget name of that one.

Isolde's Tower? Latterly The Czech Inn and now Lundy Foot's.

MOH · 18-05-2020 3:53pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

The old chinaman was the name of the pub, or was it "auld". Memory could be playing tricks! I recall it as a place you could get a late drink round late 80s/early to mid 90s without going to a club. Which wasnt an easy thing to find then. Chicago pizza pie place on the green was another and there was a place on parliament st, across from porterhouse too, but forget name of that one.

Turk's head?

Joe_ Public · 18-05-2020 6:24pm

MOH wrote: »

Turk's head?

It's the one mentioned above, Isoldes Tower. I dont actually recall the name at all but it's definitely the spot i went for a late drink a few times. Looking at pics the exterior doesnt appear to have changed all that much.

21-05-2020 11:19am

When I was trying to think of the story, the Chinaman first came into my head but I think it was actually Mulligan's on Hill Street (which also had punk gigs in the early 1990s) where Scottish band Oi Polloi were playing and a fight broke out between two Traveller families in the bar downstairs. The story goes that one fella left the pub, broke into a van parked outside which belonged to the rival family, set it on fire and rolled the down the hill straight at the pub!

Bozo Skeleton · 21-05-2020 9:26pm

1968 wrote: »

When I was trying to think of the story, the Chinaman first came into my head but I think it was actually Mulligan's on Hill Street (which also had punk gigs in the early 1990s) where Scottish band Oi Polloi were playing and a fight broke out between two Traveller families in the bar downstairs. The story goes that one fella left the pub, broke into a van parked outside which belonged to the rival family, set it on fire and rolled the down the hill straight at the pub!

My memory is a bit hazy on the name. It was opposite Stoney's on Hill Street? They used to put on punk gigs there. It was called something like the Fox and Rabbit, except in the Irish translation, at some stage?
Anyway, what I do remember is it closed down. I was walking by it one sunny afternoon, about 2 o'clock I guess. The lads from the flats across the road had broken in to it and were passing out crates of beer along a chain of people in a line across the road and back in to the flats. In broad daylight. There was a couple of the Stoney's regulars standing outside the pub watching it going on. I had to smile about it all. This was early 2000's, maybe 2002. True story.

Bozo Skeleton · 21-05-2020 9:43pm

Bozo Skeleton wrote: »

My memory is a bit hazy on the name. It was opposite Stoney's on Hill Street? They used to put on punk gigs there. It was called something like the Fox and Rabbit, except in the Irish translation, at some stage?
Anyway, what I do remember is it closed down. I was walking by it one sunny afternoon, about 2 o'clock I guess. The lads from the flats across the road had broken in to it and were passing out crates of beer along a chain of people in a line across the road and back in to the flats. In broad daylight. There was a couple of the Stoney's regulars standing outside the pub watching it going on. I had to smile about it all. This was early 2000's, maybe 2002. True story.

I knew a guy who hung out there, amongst other places, called Dave. Also known as Acid Dave, Roadhouse Dave, and Dodgy Dave. Never figured out where the Roadhouse Dave name came from

L1011 · 21-05-2020 10:09pm

This was across and down the road a bit from Stoneys. Not sure when it closed or its last name:

http://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/166-pj-crowleys

Bozo Skeleton · 21-05-2020 11:08pm

L1011 wrote: »

This was across and down the road a bit from Stoneys. Not sure when it closed or its last name:

http://www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/166-pj-crowleys

Not the place I'm thinking of, though it was just up the road, if I'm thinking rightly. Is that Parnell Street on the right? Is it the same place as the Nigerian bar that popped up in the 90's that had an infamous row with the Blue Lion?

tricky D · 21-05-2020 11:53pm

Hill St is on the right and Grenville St is the street name on the plaque above the pub name.

Thrashssacre · 22-05-2020 11:21pm

I know it wasn't with us for all that long but I miss the gypsy rose on Aston Quay something fierce, nothing really replaced the atmosphere of that place since. Use to head in after work alot and on weekends with mates the odd time.

L1011 · 22-05-2020 11:23pm

Bozo Skeleton wrote: »

Not the place I'm thinking of, though it was just up the road, if I'm thinking rightly. Is that Parnell Street on the right? Is it the same place as the Nigerian bar that popped up in the 90's that had an infamous row with the Blue Lion?

Its on Hill Street. The pic is quite old.

There was no other pub (other than Stoneys) on Hill Street in the time period you're talking about that I'm aware of.

The Nigerian bar is now the standalone offo on Parnell now. Still has a pub licence.

tricky D · 22-05-2020 11:39pm

L1011 wrote: »

There was no other pub (other than Stoneys) on Hill Street in the time period you're talking about that I'm aware of.

Called Tony Burkes until some time in the 90s when the owner got caught with his trousers down with the au pair and the soon-to-be ex-wife forced him sell up.

Dyr · 22-05-2020 11:49pm

Bozo Skeleton wrote: »

My memory is a bit hazy on the name. It was opposite Stoney's on Hill Street? They used to put on punk gigs there. It was called something like the Fox and Rabbit, except in the Irish translation, at some stage?

The Fox And Pheasant? Aka the poxy peasant

L1011 · 22-05-2020 11:52pm

The Fox and Pheasant was on Great Strand Street (opposite Pantibar) in the 90s

(well, there are often two pubs with the same name)

Beechwoodspark · 22-05-2020 11:58pm

Thrashssacre wrote: »

I know it wasn't with us for all that long but I miss the gypsy rose on Aston Quay something fierce, nothing really replaced the atmosphere of that place since. Use to head in after work alot and on weekends with mates the odd time.

Still there under a diff name I think?

BonnieSituation · 23-05-2020 3:58am

Thrashssacre wrote: »

I know it wasn't with us for all that long but I miss the gypsy rose on Aston Quay something fierce, nothing really replaced the atmosphere of that place since. Use to head in after work alot and on weekends with mates the odd time.

I have to agree with ya. The Viperroom before it was great for a schnakey late one as well. Door staff and bar staff were brilliant.

---

Speaking of, this has been doing my head in for years and I have no reference to even search for it; what was the bar called before Peadar Kearneys on Dame St? It was another one of those spots you would never darken the door of for a normal drink but was a haven for a late one.

Famous Dublin pubs that are no more

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