From the street you can hear the tune of The Irish Rover, one of the most famous traditional Irish songs, a true anthem for the nation. The music comes from inside Oliver Saint John Gogarty’s Pub, in the very heart of Dublin’s Temple Bar area. The music subjugates unsuspecting sailors like a siren song.
The building is beautiful and imposing, with three floors, with large windows, glass-enclosed stands and crowned with flags. As soon as you enter, you feel at home, in a strange familiar environment, something that often happens in Irish pubs, and not precisely because of the effect of alcohol in the blood. The affable character of the people, their closeness and charisma, are responsible for this feeling. It is common for them to invite you to sit on one of the bar stools and start a friendly conversation. They are curious and love to know where you come from and what has led you to visit their precious island.
Music is an element that cannot be missing in a good Irish pub, be it through a concert on stage, a spontaneous player who takes out his guitar in the middle of the pub or the always helpful a cappella choral song. But you’re going to listen to music, that’s for sure. Aside from the guitar, which is pretty ubiquitous, the sound of the violin will also sweeten your experience. We must forget about the idea that we have, as a harmonious instrument and of the classical scope. Here he is given a more cheerful life. Listening to a violin solo up close, while the performer accompanies the rhythm by tapping the sole of his foot, is an unforgettable experience.
Ireland is a land of great novelists and they are remembered with all honors: Bram Stoker, Samuel Beckett, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde and of course James Joyce are some of the best known. The Old Store House is a classic pub, with wooden coffered ceilings, dark varnished wooden tables and chairs, and dozens of photographs on the walls. In many of them images and texts of these priests of literature appear, who, in their time, frequented this place.
Not far from the Old Store, facing the waters of the River Liffey, stands J. R Mahon’s, one of the most incredible pubs on the planet. Its interior is reminiscent of the Harry Potter film saga: spiral staircases, sculptures of mythological animals carved in wood, passageways that seem to transport you to another parallel reality.
On the ground floor there is a glass vault, made with colored glass that is reminiscent of the famous Palau de la Música in Barcelona. The indirect lighting, which seems to emanate from the shelves themselves, creates an atmosphere of mystery. There are chandeliers made with Swarovski crystals, century-old niches and a linteled bar with chiseled wooden pilasters with fascinating cabinet work. Everything is exquisite and magical. When going up the stairs, -there are three floors- the astonishment seizes the newcomer. The party continues with rooms for chatting, sofas with period design and again dozens of photos, portraits and paintings hanging on the walls, as a living tribute to its most illustrious figures.
To make a stop along the way and recharge our batteries, we stopped at the Wilde Restaurant, inside the Westbury Hotel, another cult of classic and elegant flavour. The interior of the premises develops in a perennial spring. There are roses that climb the columns, vertical gardens between the tables, elegant crockery and table linen from yesteryear. The food is exquisite, with a classic interpretation of meat and fish, where quality and respect for the raw material prevail. The grilled lobster with butter is highly recommended, perfect to accompany it with a rosé wine, or its fabulous beef carpaccio.
A visit to the pubs of Dublin must make a stop at Temple Bar, which takes its name from the area in which it is located. Its red façade with black and white signage is part of the country’s identity. It is the most photographed place, through which hundreds of people pass every day. Despite this, it is not easy to access the bar and order a beer. The beer pumps line up one after the other, like bayonets in a platoon. Deciding which one you want in this Garden of Earthly Delights can be a bit infuriating. In reality, the solution is easy and does not accept last-second doubts: a pint of Guinness, the national drink.
It is common for black beer to generate a certain suspicion, but the truth is that -affirming the cliché- in Ireland, its country of origin, it tastes different. It is lighter than the traditional ones, with a touch of chocolate, sweet, playful and refreshing. In the realm of hops and malts, the variety of lagers and ales is endless. It is best to let yourself be guided by the wisdom of your waiter. This mythical bar is another great destination to try Irish whiskey, with more than 100 different labels.
On a small stage in Temple Bar, a couple of musicians play traditional folk songs. She plays the violin with verve and confidence, he sings with a high, enveloping voice. There are barely a few centimeters away from the public, the emotion of live music can be felt. The patrons listen, crowding around him, all with a pint in hand, mostly Guinness. The murmur typical of bars is heard, which struggles with the musical notes. There are Japanese, Scandinavian, French tourists, but above all Spanish.
Entering the elegant neighborhood of George’s Street, not far from Temple Bar, we find The Long Hall, a pub that stands out for its beauty and classic charm. Since opening in 1766, it has maintained its original aesthetic, with an impressive carved wooden bar, hanging chandeliers, ornate mirrors, and shotguns and paintings of country scenes on the walls. Inside, where the color red prevails, covering walls, ceilings and soft sofas, it evokes a scene from a David Lynch movie.
Mulligans has a more austere atmosphere, less baroque, it feels more popular and genuine. It was inaugurated, nothing more and nothing less, than in 1782 and the years that have passed are felt on the walls. It is a pub much loved by Dubliners, as it has been closely linked to the arts, politics and journalism. It was very close to the old Theater Royal, on Hawkins Street, and many of the stars used to meet here. To this day you can see an old photograph of Judy Garland autographed by her. The fact that it is mentioned in James Joyce’s short story Counterparts and that it was the setting for the Daniel Day Lewis film My Left Foot helps expand its legend.
