Oldest Historic Dublin Pubs
Exploring my favorite traditional historic and oldest Dublin Pubs is the ideal alternative when you tire of the bustling crowds in popular tourist areas like Temple Bar.
Discover Dublin’s traditional and oldest pubs in the City Center – here are my Top 10 Historic Pubs off the tourist’s usual beaten path.
“Good puzzle would be to cross Dublin without passing a pub”
So thought Leopold Bloom in James Joyce’s Ulysses.
My Top 10 Historic & Oldest Pubs in Dublin, Ireland (Beyond Temple Bar) worth a visit!
These are handpicked as my favorite older historical drinking pubs in Dublin from my visits home over the years. Great places along with some great memories.
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“Paris has its cafe culture, Dublin has its pubs” (Colm Quilligan)
Beyond Temple Bar
Boomer Alert:
Temple Bar is a popular place promoted as Dublin’s cultural center. The area has a vibrant mix of pubs, trendy bars, and live music venues, as Dublin is a popular European entertainment “weekend breaks” destination.
From discussions with friends and family living in Dublin, I believe very few local people go for a pint to Temple Bar these days. Not only because of the potential crowds but the prices seem to be set at “tourist prices” – this is measured by a comparative price of pint of Guinness. The price of a pint of Guinness in Dublin city pubs (March 2024) can vary from around 5 Euros upwards to 9.50 Euros.
If you are looking for suggestions on where to enjoy the best Dublin City Center drinking pubs, here is my list for the Top 10 best pubs beyond Temple Bar in Dublin town center. Check out the reasonably priced hotels in the city on Booking.com.
Exploring my Top10 of Dublin’s Historic Traditional Drinking Pubs
This list is not in any particular order or competitive preference, performance superiority or paid promotion. These are my favorite historic drinking pubs that come to mind from my visits to Dublin and many pints over the years. John Cullen
Historic drinking Dublin pubs still have a character of their own. They are usually endorsed by locals saying “yeah, it has a good pint,” or recommending it as meeting place. I enjoy these old traditional pubs for their history, ambiance, and the individual character of each. Beyond a good pint, they are mixed with subdued conversations, storytelling, wit, and laughter but also with the respect for solitude.
These historical pubs in Dublin are drinking pubs (i.e. compared to sports bars or music venues) and have a distinct regular clientele on a normal day (i.e. without rugby, soccer, or GAA events).
Maybe people are there to quench the thirst. Maybe for some contemplation, or escape, or maybe to catch up on the news or racing results.
Many times it’s just for friendly conversation with friends, the person they sit beside at the bar, or “yer man” pulling the pints behind the bar.
The Brazen Head
The Brazen Head claims to be Ireland’s oldest pub there has been a hostelry here since 1198, the present building was built in 1754 as a coaching inn and a testament to Dublin’s rich history.
I remember visiting the Brazen Head in the mid 1970’s when the lady owner Mary Cooney was there. To my surprise there was no draught Guinness (only bottled), and in the half empty pub the wooden beer crates were used as stools by long haired locals playing trad (traditional) music.
“The Brazen Head was unique in Dublin as the only bar in the 1980s that had kept with a tradition of selling exclusively bottled-beers – as may be seen from the crates behind the bar. For many years this kept the draught-beer swellers out – much to the delight of the lovers of live traditional music, as only musicians and listeners seemed to frequent the pub. A visit to the Brazen Head was a like trip in a time machine”. Colm Keating
Photo below: Mary Cooney, owner of the Brazen Head, with musician Alph Duggan, at the Bar in the early 1980’s.
The Brazen Head is beamed with low ceilings and ancient wood, complete with cozy alcoves and a warm atmosphere. You can listen to traditional Irish music in the pub’s historic atmosphere. Despite being refurbished, this old, iconic establishment will give the feeling of stepping back in time.
The Long Hall
If you’re looking for a pub that has retained its original 19th-century decor, you have found it in The Long Hall. With its ornate Victorian bar, high ceilings, and mirrored walls, the Long Hall pub is a charming and elegant gem and a favorite of Bruce Springsteen when in town. The Long Hall has been serving patrons since 1766.
“The pub’s elaborate interior matched the socially aspiring image of George’s Street in the 1880’s, as opposed to working class pubs such as Mulligan’s or Toner’s, popular in the same period.” Public House
John Kehoe’s Pub
Kehoe’s Pub is a 200-year-old pub which has retained its traditional charm, and comes complete with its original Victorian features and a welcoming atmosphere. Kehoe’s is known for an extensive selection of craft beers (and spirits), making it a favorite among beer enthusiasts.
John Kehoe’s is a popular venue just off Grafton street with a mix of locals and tourists.
Mulligan’s
John Mulligan’s pub had been a shebeen (an unlicensed drinking place) before it went legal in 1782. This makes it one of the oldest establishments in Dublin City, complete with a rich literary history. Inside you’ll be carried back to a time when Dublin was a hub of creativity and inspiration. The pub is mentioned briefly in James Joyce’s short story, Counterparts. The literary set of journalists, poets, and writers often drank at Mulligan’s during the twentieth century, including staff from the Irish Times.
“Throw a stone into any pub in Ireland and you’re sure to hit a poet.” Brendan Behan
The Palace Bar
The Palace Bar on Fleet Street (across from the The Westin Hotel and a short walk from Trinity College) is another one of Dublin’s literary pubs since 1823. Beyond famous writers, The Palace traditionally attracts hurling teams and rugby squads. The bar has an impressive whiskey collection with over 300 varieties to choose from and, also serves a great pint.
“‘Untainted, unspoiled and unperturbed by the passage of time ……. The Palace Bar one of Dublin’s best-loved original Victorian pubs…..
Irish Times staffers in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s would come into the snug and back room to compose articles and meet “sources”” Dublin Town
Toner’s Pub
James Toner’s Pub is located on Baggot Street, away from the tourist crowds, and across the road from Doheny & Nesbitts. It is a traditional pub, with a cozy snug, and has been a favorite among locals for over 200 years. Toner’s has an old-world charm feel and another great pint!
Trivia: Toner’s Pub plays predatory bird noises in its garden to keep seagulls away.
McDaids
McDaids pub has a special atmosphere filled with stories of famous past customers like Brendan Behan and Patrick Kavanagh.
It’s close to the statue of the musician Phil Lynott , and is a perfect location when we stay at The Westbury across the road. McDaids is a classic Dublin no frills drinking pub, no trad music here. Here people expect & appreciate “a good pint”, and it’s a great place to meet or listen to some Dublin characters.
“Throw a stone into any pub in Ireland and you’re sure to hit a poet.” Brendan Behan
O’Donoghues
O’Donoghues pub is probably the most well known “trad music” historic pubs in Dublin. It became famous for the nightly traditional Irish music sessions and by the popularity & presence of the Irish folk group, The Dubliners who formed their band in the pub.
One time (back in the 90’s) I was in the back Lounge at O’Donoghues with a business colleague having a pint. When in walks Ronnie Drew the lead singer of The Dubliners and set up in the corner of the room and entertained us all while filming a documentary. What an evening. Great craic!
Dohney and Nesbitt
Doheny & Nesbitt is located on Baggot Street opposite Toners, is a popular starting point for sports fans (particularly rugby supporters) walking to the Aviva stadium.
Dohney and Nesbitt’s pub is a short walking distance from the historic Shelbourne Hotel (a favorite hotel of mine back in my international business days) on St Stephens Green. Along the way between The Shelbourne and D&N is the Huguenot Graveyard where French Protestant families buried.
The Gravediggers / Kavanaghs
The Gravediggers pub is beside the Glasnevin Cemetery. This historic pub has been serving gravediggers, funeral mourners and visitors since the 1830s, making it a true Dublin institution. It remains a cash only bar to this day.
Kavanaghs gains its nickname The Gravediggers from its location next to the Glasnevin cemetery, gravediggers used to knock on the back wall of the pub to ask for a pint. They were then be served through the railings that linked the pub and the graveyard.
There are strict rules to follow at The Gravediggers, there are no TVs in the pub, and singing, dancing, and phone calls are forbidden.
Anthony Bourdain praised the Gravediggers and the food during his visit while filming an episode of one of his “LayOver” series. “Bourdain loved the place and has been quoted as saying the northside bar was “one of his top-five places to drink in the world” for the Guinness, but also the traditional Irish food – namely Dublin coddle and slow-cooked, cider-simmered, pig’s feet”. (No food served on Sunday)
Dublin / Irish Pubs Trivia
Why do Irish pubs have family names over the doors
Legislation passed in 1872 meant that it was a legal requirement for the owner of the premises to have their name over the front door. Irish Post
Pubs were once allowed to store dead bodies
Pubs were often temporary storage places, or even morgues, for dead bodies. There is a pub where I have enjoyed a pint in Templeogue, in Dublin actually called “The Morgue”.
A computer algorithm solved James Joyce’s Dublin pub puzzle
Leopold Bloom, the central character in James Joyce’s modernist masterpiece Ulysses, famously said it would be a good puzzle to walk across Dublin without passing a pub. The solution was found by software developer Rory McCann, using a computer algorithm. Irish Times
Until 1973, Dublin City Pubs were not open on St Patrick’s Day
St Patrick’s Day, falling as it does in the middle of Lent, was once a day of abstinence. The only place alcohol was available was in the members’ lounge at the Royal Dublin Dog Show. Patrick Kavanagh reputedly once rented a dog to get in. Irish Times
Dublin Pubs References
These are books I have enjoyed about Dublin Historical Pub Culture:
Dublin Pub Life and Lore (an Oral History) by Kevin C Kearns
Dublin Literary Pub Crawl (a Guide to the pubs of Dublin) and the writers they serve by Colm Quilligan
Irish Times article on Anthony Bourdain’s visit to The Gravediggers Pub