What's the roughest pub in Dublin city?

Thelonious Monk · 18-12-2020 1:32am

I used to live in a place called Streatham Hill in London and the amount of depressing absolute kips there was crazy. There were many old Irish alcoholics that frequented them and you'd get all sorts and some of the sh*t I've seen in those places...
They know how to make rough pubs in Britain.

The Mulk · 18-12-2020 10:22am

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I used to live in a place called Streatham Hill in London and the amount of depressing absolute kips there was crazy. There were many old Irish alcoholics that frequented them and you'd get all sorts and some of the sh*t I've seen in those places...
They know how to make rough pubs in Britain.

I'd agree, there are some great pubs in the bigger cities, but some awful kips. always just around the corner.

Just noticed the Daily Fail couldn't get a decent picture for a pub in the UK in their story about lockdown, so used the Temple Bar
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9064219/Coronavirus-UK-Tier-3-rules-mean.html

Hotblack Desiato · 18-12-2020 12:44pm

fleet_admiral wrote: »

I worked in Eugene's back in the mid 90s. It was an absolute hell hole. Some of the stuff I saw going on there would turn your hair white

Spill! :cool:

Dual wheels · 18-12-2020 12:50pm

Big Back Clock wrote: »

Yep, the greyest, dreariest, most depressing holes you could set foot in. Had a few stags in Newcastle and Manchester, what kips.

Spent a good bit of time in the East Midlands, don’t get me started on Derby. Not one establishment of what you and I would call a pub in the whole place

Couldn’t agree more, the north of England in particular is one big kip, absolute sh1tholes of council estates full of scum and layabouts who only get out of the scratcher to go to the local sh1thole pub which keeps its doors open off taking the dole off the locals
Any time I’ve been in any of those pubs in England they are always cold, smell of domestos and fart homeless looking lads at the bar drinking pure p1ss water, filth everywhere there must be no health inspectors in these places
People in the north of England live a grim existence

Thelonious Monk · 18-12-2020 1:41pm

In saying that there are countless beautiful charming pubs with great food and drink all over Britain

Dual wheels · 18-12-2020 2:40pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

In saying that there are countless beautiful charming pubs with great food and drink all over Britain

Yes there are but mainly in rural or south of England, suburban areas in the north or England are the type of place the likes of paddy Doherty would frequent

Thelonious Monk · 18-12-2020 3:17pm

Dual wheels wrote: »

Yes there are but mainly in rural or south of England, suburban areas in the north or England are the type of place the likes of paddy Doherty would frequent

The north has great ones, parts of the north are quite posh, towns in Yorkshire, parts of Manchester and its surrounds etc.
Some of those sink estate pubs are good craic, I've had a few belters in them.

dd973 · 19-12-2020 2:35am

Dual wheels wrote: »

Couldn’t agree more, the north of England in particular is one big kip, absolute sh1tholes of council estates full of scum and layabouts who only get out of the scratcher to go to the local sh1thole pub which keeps its doors open off taking the dole off the locals
Any time I’ve been in any of those pubs in England they are always cold, smell of domestos and fart homeless looking lads at the bar drinking pure p1ss water, filth everywhere there must be no health inspectors in these places
People in the north of England live a grim existence

Really? Have you heard of or been to Alderley Edge, Wilmslow, Hale or Harrogate?, your post is like saying the whole of the North (our North) is one big 70's Belfast, when vast areas of it were relatively untouched by paramilitaries, poverty or sectarianism.

Do all the Man Utd and Liverpool players live in 2 Bed terraced houses with an outside jacks and a pigeon coup?

Strumms · 19-12-2020 1:10pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

The north has great ones, parts of the north are quite posh, towns in Yorkshire, parts of Manchester and its surrounds etc.
Some of those sink estate pubs are good craic, I've had a few belters in them.

The North of England has some seriously nice and picturesque places. I’ve friends in Sheffield and spent some time with them... the drive from Sheffield to Bradfield is stunning as is Bradfield itself.
Love ‘The Old Horns’ pub and another I forgot the name of....the views...

https://images.app.goo.gl/dJXAN84Q2Zd1nRev9

Beats ‘the blacker’ any day of the week.

Jizique · 19-12-2020 1:14pm

Strumms wrote: »

The North of England has some seriously nice and picturesque places. I’ve friends in Sheffield and spent some time with them... the drive from Sheffield to Bradfield is stunning as is Bradfield itself.
Love ‘The Old Horns’ pub and another I forgot the name of....the views...

https://images.app.goo.gl/dJXAN84Q2Zd1nRev9

Beats ‘the blacker’ any day of the week.

There’s a bit of Johnny Foxes about that

Strumms · 19-12-2020 1:55pm

Jizique wrote: »

There’s a bit of Johnny Foxes about that

Truth, summer it’s stunning. People are sound too.

thebronze14 · 20-12-2020 10:56pm

machaseh wrote: »

If I would take me mate on a Bad Pubs of Dublin tour, I'd choose the following ones. Mind you I have only been living here for 2 years, so my experience is a bit limited.

- Kiltipper Inn, Kiltipper Tallaght. It's actually not too bad of a pub I like it but there's some rough people with tracksuits there. Also being extremely far out of town makes it quite unique to visit, most dubliners would never come here if they werent from the area.
- Swiss Cottage has sadly closed but it was quite a rough pub.
- Lloyds on Amiens street near conolly station
- Molloy's Pub near conolly station
- Berkeley Inn on Berkeley Street (I even suffered discrimination there)
- Donaghmede Inn, better known locally as the Donaghmede Bin. It is truly the worst pub in Dublin I'd say. Absolutely no atmosphere, just a grey block of concrete in a suburban shopping mall. Fights or people tampering with the ATM are not uncommon.
- Dicey's, not really a pub but yeah...
- River Bar. I wouldnt even dare to enter.

The Swiss was my nearest pub when I lived in Santry...Went in regularly enough. Had an edge to it but never encountered much hassle. Some amount of strange people would come up for the chat but I kinda liked it as you could go into it with the tracksuit bottoms and seem dressed up! Sad to see it go. Bottom or top (can't remember) of the Hill in Finglas about the worst I've been in. Work near Summerhill so been to a few dodgy ones near there. Avoided the Sunset House which is now closed though. Monday club in Tom Taveys in Inchcore was some craic. Absolute head the balls in there while I was there for a match. Would love to do a crawl of some of the roughest pubs in Dublin. They are often the best craic!

Cienciano · 21-12-2020 11:49am

Dual wheels wrote: »

Couldn’t agree more, the north of England in particular is one big kip, absolute sh1tholes of council estates full of scum and layabouts who only get out of the scratcher to go to the local sh1thole pub which keeps its doors open off taking the dole off the locals
Any time I’ve been in any of those pubs in England they are always cold, smell of domestos and fart homeless looking lads at the bar drinking pure p1ss water, filth everywhere there must be no health inspectors in these places
People in the north of England live a grim existence

That's a ridiculous generalization. I regularly go to yorkshire. Cities like Leeds and York are great places, bigger towns like Harrowgate are very nice too. Smaller towns like Skipton and Ilkley, Hebdon bridge, Knaresborough, Shipley are cool places to go too. There's countless villages too that wouldn't look out of place on a postcard. I've been to a good few pubs that are out on their own too, like this: https://goo.gl/maps/kvAQtLpEAieGVhbr8 and there's not many better places to have a pint outside.

I do agree that there's a higher percentage of shíthole pubs in England, and the chain pubs have ruined pub food, but to class the entire north of england as a dump is crazy.

Ush1 · 21-12-2020 9:32pm

Going back probably 10 years but The Saggart Arms used to be very lively.

Used to be fellas playing trad music while bottles flew past their head.

not yet · 21-12-2020 9:52pm

fleet_admiral wrote: »

I worked in Eugene's back in the mid 90s. It was an absolute hell hole. Some of the stuff I saw going on there would turn your hair white

Madigans and the nearby dusty bin were 5 star hotels compared to Eugene's

Worked there myself in mid 90s and thought it was grand, the odd scrap or do as you likie getting fcuked out was the height of it.

11-01-2021 12:26pm

Lovinguinness wrote: »

I am surprised no one mentioned "The Corduff Inn." Out in Blanch that could be rough.

While "The Blacker" has a rep in coolock most of the serious nutters drank in Kyle's but never caused an issue there.

Saints and Sinners, near Constitution Hill, not mentioned either had it moments.

The Blind Ref could be dodgy. The Auld Triangle was an old "Stickie" bar (official IRA). Clearys under the Bridge was an old Provo place.

Madigans kilbarrick had its moments too, the locals call it madbins.

Bit like others said, unless you went in looking hassle none were mad rough.

Interesting about the Auld Triangle. It has had a 1981 Provo hunger strikers mural on the wall outside since 2012.

https://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/22090

So are you saying it was a stick pub back the 70s/80s? Only five minutes walk from Gardiner Place so that have been a factor?

The Saints and Sinners was known to hose IRSP/INLA functions in the 2000s so make of that what you will. Also heard the same about Bo Derrols in 1990s which used to be opposite the Cobblestone.

discodiva92 · 11-01-2021 12:28pm

I read Conor McGregor has taken over a pub
Surely gonna be scumbag central

L1011 · 11-01-2021 12:30pm

1968 wrote: »

Interesting about the Auld Triangle. It has had a 1981 Provo hunger strikers mural on the wall outside since 2012.

https://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/22090

So are you saying it was a stick pub back the 70s/80s? Only five minutes walk from Gardiner Place so that have been a factor?

I was under the impression that OSF did their heavy drinking in their own members clubs, not actual pubs generally. However its well before my time to have actually been there.

The Auld Triangle seems a lot less dodgy inside than you might expect. Not sure I'd want to go back, but I've been in shadier places.

11-01-2021 1:39pm

L1011 wrote: »

I was under the impression that OSF did their heavy drinking in their own members clubs, not actual pubs generally. However its well before my time to have actually been there.

The Auld Triangle seems a lot less dodgy inside than you might expect. Not sure I'd want to go back, but I've been in shadier places.

Yes, I say they did most of their socialising and drinking in ‘Club Uí Chadhain’ in the basement of 28 Gardiner Place (two doors down from their main offices). Although I did hear today that Burke's (later Stoney's) on nearby Hill St was the most popular pub in the area for the WP.

ShyMets · 11-01-2021 3:10pm

Apologies if its been mentioned before but Carrs now Leonard's Corner on the SCR use to be pretty salty back in the day

Wishbone Ash · 12-01-2021 9:46am

Dublin Spur wrote: »

The Honey Pot (gone)
The Welcome Inn (gone)
The Blue Lion (gone)

rough as f**k

God yea, The Honey Pot! Went into it once back in the 1980's when Gardiner Street was a wasteland. The pub itself seemed to be ready to fall down at any minute. Had a fairly swift pint and left without making much eye contact with anyone.

(The roughest pub I was ever in was in Dundalk - boarded up windows and a cage around the TV. A fight broke out while I was there and the bar man hopped over the counter and threw a few punches to break it up. Back in the 1980's also).

theteal · 12-01-2021 9:48am

discodiva92 wrote: »

I read Conor McGregor has taken over a pub
Surely gonna be scumbag central

The Blackforge, t'was hardly nice beforehand.

12-01-2021 9:51am

Can anyone help a country boy with a memory. I was in a snooker hall somewhere in Dublin city center back in nineties. It was an after hours drinking den, wall to wall packed with inner city hardmen, drug taking was rife and open. They served cans through a hatch where you would normally get pool balls etc.
I only got away with been in there by talking crap about the RA.

robbie67 · 12-01-2021 10:04am

The Cabra House is gone now as far as I know they are trying to sell it for Apartments

Drumorig · 12-01-2021 11:08am

6541 wrote: »

Can anyone help a country boy with a memory. I was in a snooker hall somewhere in Dublin city center back in nineties. It was an after hours drinking den, wall to wall packed with inner city hardmen, drug taking was rife and open. They served cans through a hatch where you would normally get pool balls etc.
I only got away with been in there by talking crap about the RA.

That would be the mint https://www.irishtimes.com/news/snooker-hall-owner-denies-selling-beer-1.203732?mode=amp

12-01-2021 12:21pm

Drumorig wrote: »

That would be the mint https://www.irishtimes.com/news/snooker-hall-owner-denies-selling-beer-1.203732?mode=amp

Thanks. I genuinely felt concerned for my safety in there.

humberklog · 12-01-2021 12:51pm

Just on the Honey Pot, Tommy Smith (joint owner of Grogan's who sadly died this time last year) used to own that. It was his first pub in Dublin and as far as I can remember him saying he let it go when himself and Paddy Kennedy took the keys of Grogan's in '73.

On another half related thing- I've been trying to find out more about an assault with a baseball bat that ended in death in or around The Honey Pot in about '71- ''74 but haven't turned up anything other than flakey 2nd hand gossip, if someone on here knew anything resembling that story I'd appreciate a PM.

L1011 · 12-01-2021 1:07pm

humberklog wrote: »

Just on the Honey Pot, Tommy Smith (joint owner of Grogan's who sadly died this time last year) used to own that. It was his first pub in Dublin and as far as I can remember him saying he let it go when himself and Paddy Kennedy took the keys of Grogan's in '73.

On another half related thing- I've been trying to find out more about an assault with a baseball bat that ended in death in or around The Honey Pot in about '71- ''74 but haven't turned up anything other than flakey 2nd hand gossip, if someone on here knew anything resembling that story I'd appreciate a PM.

If someone died in or due to an incident in a pub anywhere in Ireland, it is usually on this blog:

https://dyingforapint.blogspot.com/

I'll do a newspaper archive check, can't guarantee anything.

edit: nothing jumping out. Racehorse called Honey Pot racing around the same time is not helping! Pub was also called "Kennedy & Smith" for some of that time period

humberklog · 12-01-2021 1:25pm

That's interesting they called it Kennedy and Smith. Both Paddy and Tommy always refer to it as The Honey Pot.

Ah I wouldn't put too much time into the baseball bat incident. I'm putting it down as loose talk as I wasn't able to come up with anything.

L1011 · 12-01-2021 1:30pm

Its still down as "The Honey Pot (Kennedy & Smith)" in 1986 directories even though it was sold in '73!

The 73 sales ads exclusively call it Kennedy & Smith.

Birneybau · 12-01-2021 2:56pm

Drumorig wrote: »

That would be the mint https://www.irishtimes.com/news/snooker-hall-owner-denies-selling-beer-1.203732?mode=amp

Quality spoofery from the 'proprietor' there

griffin100 · 12-01-2021 5:22pm

Drumorig wrote: »

That would be the mint https://www.irishtimes.com/news/snooker-hall-owner-denies-selling-beer-1.203732?mode=amp

I used to frequent that lovely establishment weekly for a couple of years in the late 1990's, usually after a session in Fibbers, to play snooker. Never felt unsafe, it was rough but there was no messing, any hassle and you were out. I only ever seen one fight. Used to be full of taxi drivers playing poker with huge amounts of cash sitting on the table. If I remember correctly they had a large fridge which was positioned with its door tight into the wall and three sides of the unit were wallpapered to disguise it, when you wanted a beer they had to pull the fridge away from the wall to access the cans.

mvt · 12-01-2021 10:33pm

ShyMets wrote: »

Apologies if its been mentioned before but Carrs now Leonard's Corner on the SCR use to be pretty salty back in the day

Really?
Was in it a fair few times during the '80,s when Christy & Eddie Carr were running it & seemed to be a good place.

The Headline had more of a reputation, at least among the people I was drinking with

Gavin "shels" · 13-01-2021 10:45pm

mvt wrote: »

Really?
Was in it a fair few times during the '80,s when Christy & Eddie Carr were running it & seemed to be a good place.

The Headline had more of a reputation, at least among the people I was drinking with

Was just asking my mam about Carrs funnily enough... it was rough enough back in the day according to her but you're talking 30+ years ago. My nan used to go up as far as the Harold House to avoid Carrs - she'd literally have to walk past Carrs to get to the Harold!

I used to drink in the Headline a bit before it go all renovated, etc... when Cork John ran it. Was a grand spot then!

BonnieSituation · 14-01-2021 1:45am

Gavin "shels" wrote: »

Was just asking my mam about Carrs funnily enough... it was rough enough back in the day according to her but you're talking 30+ years ago. My nan used to go up as far as the Harold House to avoid Carrs - she'd literally have to walk past Carrs to get to the Harold!

I used to drink in the Headline a bit before it go all renovated, etc... when Cork John ran it. Was a grand spot then!

13 months since I got to go to the Harold.

Cienciano · 14-01-2021 1:42pm

BonnieSituation wrote: »

13 months since I got to go to the Harold.

We need a separate thread for old school quality pubs like The Harold House.

ShyMets · 14-01-2021 4:03pm

mvt wrote: »

Really?
Was in it a fair few times during the '80,s when Christy & Eddie Carr were running it & seemed to be a good place.

The Headline had more of a reputation, at least among the people I was drinking with

Apologies for the late reply. I drink there a bit in the mid 90's shortly before it became Leonard's Corner. Maybe I'm mis-remembering. But there always seemed to be a few ropey characters in the place and a bit of a vibe.

Funnily we use to drop into the Headline the odd time as well and heard a few interesting tales about Carr's from the barflys. But maybe they had jut been barred:)

Bozo Skeleton · 14-01-2021 4:32pm

Somebody quoted a mention of The Welcome Inn on Parnell Street a couple of pages back. Ah, here, that was a great spot back in the 90's. A good crowd used to drink in it. John, the guy who ran it was sound, and kept a clean shop. Which was no mean feat. He would occasionally lose the head altogether and shut down the bar, haha. But it was a great spot, and not in any way rough. It was my regular and favourite bar back in the day.
It ended up closing because of family fueding over the parents will. Sad.

BonnieSituation · 14-01-2021 4:34pm

Bozo Skeleton wrote: »

Somebody quoted a mention of The Welcome Inn on Parnell Street a couple of pages back. Ah, here, that was a great spot back in the 90's. A good crowd used to drink in it. John, the guy who ran it was sound, and kept a clean shop. Which was no mean feat. He would occasionally lose the head altogether and shut down the bar, haha. But it was a great spot, and not in any way rough. It was my regular and favourite bar back in the day.
It ended up closing because of family fueding over the parents will. Sad.

It was an absolute gem. Last time I managed to darken its door was the end of May 2009. Great shop.

Bozo Skeleton · 14-01-2021 8:09pm

BonnieSituation wrote: »

It was an absolute gem. Last time I maned to darken in ts doo was the end of May 2009. Great shop.

Spot on. It was a gem of a pub. It was my regular and favourite Dublin pub from the early 90's up til when it closed. The last couple of years of it he was in legal wrangles with a brother and sister over it and it got to the stage where he didn't bother opening more and more. Or he'd just close over the door and hand out the ashtrays to those inside (this was long after the smoking ban

)
It was a gem of a place, especially in it's heyday. I don't know how somebody could think it was a rough pub. It most definitely was not. Maybe they walked in one night when John was having an epic "fúck this, the bar is closed!" nights?

Bozo Skeleton · 14-01-2021 8:56pm

The Blue Lion just down the road from it on the other hand...

That was a pretty mad shop. The (true) story of the Nigerian guys going in there looking for protection money is one of those stories of Dublin pub's legends.
I remember there was a laminated poster, for the tourists mainly, I suppose. It was pictures of Dublin's oldest pubs. Similar to the Victorian doors of Dublin poster. The usual places, Brazen Head, Conways, etc. One of them was the Blue Lion. I used to wonder if American tourists would say, "honey, let's check out this quaint old bar on the poster, the Blue Lion."

BonnieSituation · 14-01-2021 9:20pm

That would be this one with "Spock" on it:

Bozo Skeleton · 14-01-2021 9:32pm

That's the poster! Jaysus, it's making me nostalgic for a pint of Guinness

BonnieSituation · 14-01-2021 9:39pm

Same. I just had a forlorn look thinking of the last time I was in any of them.

kravmaga · 14-01-2021 10:09pm

I used to drink in The Towers pub in Ballymun in the late 80's,early 1990's.

They had a load of bouncers, guard dogs, outside floodlights.

It was like going into a prison, no windows lol

The bands were fab though, that was the main reason for going there.

Seen many a fight in there, you would have to hide under the table go the amount of pint glasses been thrown lol

At closing time they used to turn on an old VCR cassette tape at full volume.

Come on now ladies and gents, finish off your drinks and make your way to the nearest exit, this went on for about 30/40 mins before they got everyone out, hehe

kravmaga · 14-01-2021 10:14pm

Bozo Skeleton wrote: »

The Blue Lion just down the road from it on the other hand...
That was a pretty mad shop. The (true) story of the Nigerian guys going in there looking for protection money is one of those stories of Dublin pub's legends.
I remember there was a laminated poster, for the tourists mainly, I suppose. It was pictures of Dublin's oldest pubs. Similar to the Victorian doors of Dublin poster. The usual places, Brazen Head, Conways, etc. One of them was the Blue Lion. I used to wonder if American tourists would say, "honey, let's check out this quaint old bar on the poster, the Blue Lion."

Would I be right in saying that The blue lion had a fair few shootings over the years?

not yet · 14-01-2021 10:16pm

kravmaga wrote: »

Would I be right in saying that The blue lion had a fair few shootings over the years?

Correct.

Sultan of Bling · 14-01-2021 11:40pm

kravmaga wrote:

I used to drink in The Towers pub in Ballymun in the late 80's,early 1990's.

kravmaga wrote:

They had a load of bouncers, guard dogs, outside floodlights.

kravmaga wrote:

It was like going into a prison, no windows lol

The penthouse had a worst reputation i believe.

but1er · 14-01-2021 11:45pm

Piorswood in Clonshaugh/darndale the place is spilt in two one half for travelers one half for regular folk. Quality Guinness tough

Birneybau · 15-01-2021 1:11am

but1er wrote: »

Piorswood in Clonshaugh/darndale the place is spilt in two one half for travelers one half for regular folk. Quality Guinness tough

Doesn't everywhere do quality Guinness? Actually, not getting into it. Not being snarky.

What's the roughest pub in Dublin city?

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