Looking for a private gentlemans club in Dublin

delad

Cienciano wrote: »

Unless you have no problem with skangers in there, that's expected. Remember that picture of skangers going around with walking sticks? Probably loads of scummers like that who would join.

Somehow I doubt there are many skangers out there willing to fork out 2k per year for membership of a bar which has men sitting in armchairs drinking whiskey and reading the financial times.

The very nature of the place also dissuades a lot of other undesirable clientele from joining, such as celebs, models and wannabes because none of that crowd would want to go to a quiet sophisticated establishment. All of them would much rather go to the likes of residence/kyrstle/odessa etc

Piliger

Cienciano wrote: »

Yeah, I know a member (hibernian club) and he's loaded. Lives in georgian townhouse in D4 which cost about €5m, and is from a wealthy family. I doubt they allow plebs like OP in. No offence op, I mean it's rich folk only.

I have been a guest to both of the main places mentioned here on a few dozen occasions over the last 25 years. It's mainly self made well off business people and there is a huge amount of cross pollination of business and contacts and referrals. I made some of the best business contacts ever there, and won contracts through these clubs. The image among the reverse snobs couldn't be further from the truth. I was on a waiting list at one stage for about 7 years but changed career and went another direction.

Miguel_Sanchez

Piliger wrote: »

The image among the reverse snobs couldn't be further from the truth. I was on a waiting list at one stage for about 7 years but changed career and went another direction.

The only image I have of them is you have to have money and they're picky about who they let in. Seems pretty accurate from your description.

Piliger

Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »

The only image I have of them is you have to have money and they're picky about who they let in. Seems pretty accurate from your description.

You're abs right. But among the members there is very little evidence of a class thing. I found working class guys and ladies there, who had built businesses from scratch, as well as people who came from family money and continued success. All kinds.

donaghs

delad wrote: »

Sounds good to me!

Actually after a quick look on daft it seems we don't even need to lease the place, we coud buy it.

I think this could be the ideal location for the club, we wouldn't even need to change it much:

http://www.daft.ie/searchsale.daft?id=624901

Convenient location, luxurious. We could probably get it for 850k. So if we had 300 members paying 2k, we could put a downpayment of 600k on it and then take out a loan for the remainder, which we would pay off the next year. Then the place would be ours forever!

If I'm not mistaken, that building is an old stable/coach house. Very fitting!

Tabnabs

Piliger wrote: »

You're abs right. But among the members there is very little evidence of a class thing. I found working class guys and ladies there, who had built businesses from scratch, as well as people who came from family money and continued success. All kinds.

Go on, you can tell us, it was Bill Cullen wasn't it

Piliger

Tabnabs wrote: »

Go on, you can tell us, it was Bill Cullen wasn't it

Actually ... seeing as how you mention it ........ ¢§#¢§ ¢§ˆ ¡€#¢§ˆ #¢§ˆ¶¨ §ˆ¶ §ˆ¶¨ª

Dublinate

I just wanted to make some clarity here and, as I'm an insider on this subject, I feel I can clear the fog:

There are several private members clubs in and around Dublin and throughout Ireland, these include golf course clubs like The K Club, the Royal Irish Automobile Club, casinos etc.

In Dublin city centre there are only two exclusive private members clubs in the old gentleman's club style: The SGHC and The Kildare Street Club (The KSC).

Residence, although a beautiful bijou club, is not strictly a exclusive private members club, as anyone can go in to some of the areas with a prior reservation; their 7 day liquor licence prevents them from being exclusive and it has a major disadvantage in having no bedrooms.

A little background: The SGHC and The KSC have long histories and were founded around the start of the 19th Century. 100 years ago there were some 35 private members clubs in Dublin, over the years these have closed and amalgamated into the two main ones that survive today. These clubs were set up so gentlemen of means, education and standards could socialise in peace and without scandal.

The SGHC is viewed as the club for business men, ex-military and the Irish establishment and is generally considered to have republican leanings although a very pale version of republicanism.

The KSC is the club for the professional class, old money and the aristocracy and is considered to have unionist leanings.

Both clubs operate a strict dress code of jacket and tie for gents and similar suitable formal wear for ladies, this is sometimes relaxed at the weekends and during warm weather; jeans are a major no no, be warned!

Of the two The KSC is the most like the 'Phillias Fog' vision of an old time gentlemen's club with walls adorned with old oil paintings of former members, but both Dublin clubs are smaller than many overseas clubs.

The SGHC is the most recent amalgamation, this between the Hibernian United Services Club and The Stephen's Green Club; an amalgamation with more to say than you'd think; the founding members included The Duke of Wellington for the HUSC and Daniel O'Connell for The SGC.

The exclusive nature of these clubs means that not just anyone can be a member; but in these more restrained times membership standards have been relaxed and widened, even ladies can be members! :-p

Money is not the mark by which you are judged fit to be a member.

These clubs draw their membership from many different backgrounds including from the banking industry (when it was held in good hands and high regard) and the legal profession; so if you are applying and you have any kind of dodgy background, they will find out.

The SGHC counts many civil servants as members (both retired and still serving) as well as politicians, diplomats and ex-presidents of Ireland.

The KSC is the city home of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy.

As for celebrity; most celebs crave attention and they don't get that in a private club where everyone is treated equally, so many of the "names" quoted are never seen, and high profile politicians would rather not be members, it don't look good to the voters. Instead these clubs attract the powers behind the thrones, the ones you don't see coming, the ones that don't appear on the Sunday Times rich list...but should be in the top 100.

The advantages of club membership are not restricted to the networking possibilities or finding people with common interests and good conversation (sometimes) or a game of snooker at 3 in the morning (gambling is not allowed in most clubs). Reciprocal rights give you the opportunity to stay in other exclusive clubs around the world like the Algonquin Club in Boston or The Reform Club in London.

From the description of the two Dublin clubs you can readily gauge that each and every club has its own unique character; some are welcoming and engaging, others are more reserved and cool, others still are more family orientated, some, like the Groucho club draw their membership from particular backgrounds and industries.

It is true that membership of these clubs brings a shared ownership, but it is an ownership held in trust and so cannot be readily liquidated for obvious reasons. Membership cannot be bought or sold and some of the most exclusive clubs are found in The US. I know of one club that limits its membership to only 450 people, sons and daughters are lined up and can only join when the parent dies, the annual fee is in excess of 450K, yet its a relaxed laid back beach front property with no dress code full of surf bums...go figure, but that's California for you.

The OP seems to think that throwing money around is the way to ensure exclusivity, it is not. He would be better off spending his money in hotel bars where prices tend to keep out the poor hoi polloi...(but not the rich hoi polloi).

Private members clubs are not for everyone's taste; but that's why they exist and why they are exclusive; the membership process should be seen as saying not that they don't want you as a member, but more as "you won't like us and you wont fit in so please don't waste your money".

frag420

Dublinate wrote: »

I know of one club that limits its membership to only 450 people, sons and daughters are lined up and can only join when the parent dies, the annual fee is in excess of 450K, yet its a relaxed laid back beach front property with no dress code full of surf bums...go figure, but that's California for you.

Must start saving...................sounds ideal!!

Happyman42

Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »

I want to join your club Sir.

So do I....tell me kind sir, will there be kerfuffling?

frag420

Also will there be space to stable Archibald my polo stallion?

él statutorio

Dublinate wrote: »

I know of one club that limits its membership to only 450 people, sons and daughters are lined up and can only join when the parent dies, the annual fee is in excess of 450K, yet its a relaxed laid back beach front property with no dress code full of surf bums...go figure, but that's California for you.

I'm very curious as to where in California this particular club is, would you be will to tell us the city in which it's located?