Writers Like To Dangle Their Participles In A Frothy Guinness

For a writer, a trip to Ireland wouldn’t be complete without a literary pub crawl, visiting all the places made famous by sublime Irish authors like James Joyce, W.B. Yeats, Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Seamus Heaney, et al. Since I’m leaving for Ireland on Saturday for a week-long trip, I had to weigh the benefits of taking a literary tour of famous Dublin pubs or constructing a do-it-yourself crawl.

After some hemming and hawing, I decided that paying $40 to spend two-and-a-half hours drinking with loud strangers from Nebraska who keep asking for Coors Light while someone reads passages from “Portrait of An Artist As a Young Man” wasn’t how I want to spend my vacation. I had taken a free tour of Chinatown during a recent visit to San Francisco, but beyond learning some amazing facts about Gerard Depardieu and his instrumental role in the founding and building of America’s first Chinatown, I imagined taking the tourist group that was on that tour with us and transporting them to a series of Dublin pubs. That cemented the decision for me.

So after doing some research, I came up with these five pubs that I’ll try to make it to during my couple days in Dublin. Giddyup.


Davy Byrne’s Pub
Address: 21 Duke Street, Dublin 2
Phone Number: 01 6775217
Directions: Head to main shopping street: Grafton Street; Duke Street is off Grafton, halfway up; no parking; pedestrian area.
Hours: Monday thru Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Thursday and Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Saturday: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Sunday: 12:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Summary: Mentioned extensively in James Joyce’s “Ulysses.” Highly popular on Bloomsday and for tourists who want to re-enact Leopold Bloom’s gorgonzola sandwich and glass of burgundy from the novel.
Wikipedia link
Official site
Menu page


Mulligan’s Pub
Address: Poolbeg Street, Dublin 2
Phone Number: + 353 (0)1 6775582
Directions: From O’Connell Bridge: Stand with your back to O’Connell Street; you’ll be facing intersection of Aston Quay, Burgh Quay, D’Olier Street and Westmorland Street; walk to end of bridge, cross street (Burgh Quay); you’re now outside “Q Bar”; walk down Burgh Quay until you come to a turning to the right (Hawkins Street); turn right here, then take next left onto Poolbeg Street; walk 200 yards and you are outside.
Summary: One of the best pints of Guinness in Dublin. JFK was a regular in 1945, while working for Hearst newspaper chain. Popular with students, journalists and artists. Judy Garland also frequented while performing at nearby Theatre Royal. Also featured in Joyce’s “Ulysses.” Official site has a city guide and other tools. Asking for a “pint” means you’ll automatically get a Guinness (prolly applies to everywhere in Ireland).
Wikipedia link
Official site


The Brazen Head
Address: 20 Bridge Street, Dublin 8
Phone Number: + 353 (0) 1 6779549 or + 353 (0) 1 6795186
Directions: Located five minutes from the Guinness Storehouse, The Jameson Distillery and Christchurch Cathedral. From O’Connell Bridge: head down the left quay toward Heuston Station; go past the Dublin Corporation offices; go past the Four Courts; turn left at the fourth bridge (Merchant’s Quay) onto Bridge Street. 10 minutes from Grafton Street.
Summary: Reputed to be the second-oldest pub in Dublin (it claims to be the oldest). Established in 1198 (!). A “James Joyce Pub,” it was also mentioned in “Ulysses.” Boasts a rich musical history, a lively past and a robust clientele.
Dublinks.com link
Official site


The International Bar
Address: 23 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2
Phone Number: + 353 1 6779250
Directions: Corner of Wicklow Street and William Street South.
Summary: CAUTION: Now a comedy bar. Daily walking tour of the 1916 Rebellion begins here. I would not put this on a list of “must-sees,” honestly. I don’t want to run into the Irish equivalent of Carrot Top doing a magic show with a talking shamrock and a leprechaun in his pants.
Dublinks.com link
Official site


Grogan’s (Castle Lounge)
Address: 15 South William Street, Dublin 2.
Phone Number: 677 9320
Directions: South William Street, near Grafton Street in the city centre.
Summary: Considered a throwback pub in the middle of town since so many other pubs have been renovated, modernized in this area. Haven for artists and writers. Not a “must-see,” but might be a nice stop for a break since it’s in the middle of town and within the shopping district.
Dublinks.com link
Frommers.com link