The Smells of Dublin

RATM

We're all familar with the smells that come out of Guinness when they go on a brew. Sometimes in the evenings the entire city centre can be covered in a smell of hops and malted barley. I love it, others I know hate it but either way it makes Dublin unique.

Other smells around the city I like are those coming from the Bewleys roast house at Malahide Road Clare Hall junction. The whole area can smell of freshly roasted coffee on a good day. In fact for those of us who have eagle eyes you'll have noticed that the Bewleys factory have painted a gigantic Bewleys logo on their roof with the idea being that it can be clearly seen from the many airplanes that pass over the factory they're lining up a landing at the airport- clever move by their marketing department.

Perhaps the smell I like the most is the Manhattan Peanut factory on the St.Margarets Road in Finglas. I've never gotten a smell of peanuts from it which is a pity but about once every 2 weeks they do a run of Manhattan popcorn and the whole area smells of fresh popcorn for a few hours, when it does my nose just can't get enough !

So what other smells are around Dublin that you like or dislike ? Do we have a chocolate factory anywhere ?

tony 2 tone

Do we have a chocolate factory anywhere ?

Cadburys out in Coolock.
I used to go to Colaiste Dhulaigh years ago and remember getting the 27 up to Northside and the smell of chocolate from one side and the smell of crisps from Tayto on the other. Fantastic!

I haven't gotten the Guinness smell for ages now and I live close by, is it just me or is there a lack of that lovely smell on the breeze lately?

enda1

I love that Guinness smell. I work near a malting works in the UK and smell is heavenly too. Though some don't like it in the office.

az2wp0sye65487

I'm from Finglas so I know the Manhattan popcorn smell.

I used to pass by Superquinn every morning on the way to school when I was small, and the smell of freshly baked bread used to be lovely!

Recently, while walking or running through the Phoenix Park I've noticed a really 'garliccy' smell. Must be from whatever plants/flowers are growing there.

Can't think of any others off hand though.

Edit: I've been told there is a lovely coffee smell from the Java Republic factory between Finglas and Blanch too at times, but I've never experienced it myself!

uch

The smell of the Marsh in Booterstown in the summer, generally Rank but I'm from there and It makes me feel at home

JustAddWater

smell of doughnuts on O'Connnell st is only the best

kylith

I live near Guinness and I love the smell of it, though my OH doesn't agree that it's lovely. I get a chuckle out of the tourists holding their noses all around Thomas St.

What isn't lovely, though, is the smell of urine around Guinness' from the horses outside. On days like we've had this week it reeks something horrible. There's also a rotten sour smell down at Ma's Pump House on Watling St.


I miss the smell of the Player's factory. It was a lovely sweet, toasty smell that reminded me of breakfast cereal for some reason.

dan1895

I've a terrible sense of smell but I have gotten the smell of Popcorn up in Finglas once. Used to live down by Guinness and couldn't smell anything except the Liffey when it was particularly low.

stanley1

keefes glue factory in blackpitts, man that was some pong.

hardCopy

When I went to school in Raheny you'd occasionally get an awful smell if the wind was right when they turned the compost at the Green Waste centre in St. Annes. Rotten stuff, literally.

spurious

The smell from Lush almost makes me sick every time I pass. Overpowering.

harry Bailey esq

RATM wrote: »

We're all familar with the smells that come out of Guinness when they go on a brew. Sometimes in the evenings the entire city centre can be covered in a smell of hops and malted barley. I love it, others I know hate it but either way it makes Dublin unique.

Other smells around the city I like are those coming from the Bewleys roast house at Malahide Road Clare Hall junction. The whole area can smell of freshly roasted coffee on a good day. In fact for those of us who have eagle eyes you'll have noticed that the Bewleys factory have painted a gigantic Bewleys logo on their roof with the idea being that it can be clearly seen from the many airplanes that pass over the factory they're lining up a landing at the airport- clever move by their marketing department.

Perhaps the smell I like the most is the Manhattan Peanut factory on the St.Margarets Road in Finglas. I've never gotten a smell of peanuts from it which is a pity but about once every 2 weeks they do a run of Manhattan popcorn and the whole area smells of fresh popcorn for a few hours, when it does my nose just can't get enough !

So what other smells are around Dublin that you like or dislike ? Do we have a chocolate factory anywhere ?

you mentioned the Manhattan factory,i think the buttercrust bakery trumps that

spurious

hardCopy wrote: »

When I went to school in Raheny you'd occasionally get an awful smell if the wind was right when they turned the compost at the Green Waste centre in St. Annes. Rotten stuff, literally.

That reminds me, Raheny Library used to put some class of vomit-smelling stuff on their flower beds. It was foul.

The Hill Billy

Thread of the year until it went beyond Guinness, Tayto, Manhattan & Cadbury's.

I remember the massively strong smell when Guinness were malting barley back in the 70's. That & the smell when Bewley's roasted coffee back in the day will be my savage memories of Dublin.

Also, the smells from the Pick 'n' Mix in Roche's & Woolworth's! The heady scent of sawdust & chicken blood in Geraghty's poultry butchers on Marlborough Street.

Jaysus I feel old.

daddyorchips

Probably the only one here but I remember going to my grandads flat in James's street every Saturday and smelling jeyes fluid on the steps loved it, still do.

Ole Rodrigo

You cant beat the bakeries

January

There's the not so nice smells when you used to pass Burger King on Grafton St (top end near Trinity) and again passing Tower Records on Wicklow St.

discus

Love the Guinness smell too. A truly authentic, years old smell which has been smelled by Dubliners for decades!

Sam Kade

There must be a fair stink from the Liffey these days

HungryJoey

Java republic roasting coffee up by Ballycoolin/Blanchardstown. Depending on the direction of the wind, you can smell it a good distance away!


edit: Just saw this

Jamir Scarce Tiling wrote: »

Edit: I've been told there is a lovely coffee smell from the Java Republic factory between Finglas and Blanch too at times, but I've never experienced it myself!

Gaspode

Loved the smell from the yeast factory in Finglas (now gone)

Neeson

Ever get the smell of rubbish in the early morning around Talbot St/North Earl St/ Amien Street? A pungent, almost sh1tty-like smell

Paulzx

When they first opened the Ringsend water treatment plant about 8 or 9 years ago the smell from it was rank. It permeated the city center during the summer months and seemed to be a constant lingering smell.

Thankfully the problem was eventually sorted

A Disgrace

January wrote: »

There's the not so nice smells when you used to pass Burger King on Grafton St (top end near Trinity) and again passing Tower Records on Wicklow St.

Yeah, what is that? Particularly the one outside Burger King - it's been there for years

January

January wrote: »

There's the not so nice smells when you used to pass Burger King on Grafton St (top end near Trinity) and again passing Tower Records on Wicklow St.

I can't believe someone has said this, it's the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title!

It seems to have dissipated since the corner place was done up.

JupiterKid

Not strictly in Dublin but years back in the 80s as a kid passing the Leaf sweet factory in Kilcock, Kildare on the way to Athlone there was a lovely bubblegum smell throughout the town.

Of course Leaf also made Mr Freeze.

face1990

Santry, between Omni and the flyover, often has a smell of sewerage lingering in the air.

Donneycarney on a hot day smells of gone off milk (I think this may be from the primary schools? I've only smelt it during the school year)


Oh and funderland which reeked of diesel & candyfloss with a subtle hint of vomit!

Inbox

If the wind is blowing in a certain direction we get the smell of the country in Raheny. I think there's a farm in Drumcondra!