Ireland pub guide: Kavanaghs in Dublin

By Jonathan Goodall in Dublin 300PM GMT twelve March 2010

Comments 2 |

A great nonplus would be to cranky Dublin but flitting a pub," wrote James Joyce in Ulysses. But I disbelief you"d event on Kavanagh"s, tucked afar in Prospect Square in the north of the city. Beside Glasnevin cemetery, it"s additionally well known as The Gravediggers, and there are tales of wakes so "emotional" that coffins were left outward the beer hall for days.

Ireland Pub Guide The Palace Bar, Dublin Belfast Pub Guide The Crown Liquor Saloon Wales Pub Guide The Crown in Pantygelli Wales Pub Guide The Ship Inn, Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey Cornwall Pub Guide The Gurnard"s Head, St Ives Cornwall Pub Guide The Pandora Inn, Restronguet Creek, nearby Falmouth

This is a beer hall of dual halves one for eating and one for drinking. In the drinkers" half a small front territory is partitioned off from the cavernous club room behind. This small front room, with wooden drawers and potion cabinets still at the back of the counter, was a grocer"s emporium and the assign was put there "so Mum could do her selling and not see Dad on the lash", according to property owner Eugene Kavanagh.

The dim interior with the plain timber panelling is the things of celebration legend. It has elementary dais seating and a roof colour most appropriate described as "nicotine".

It feels similar to the inside of a hulk wooden humidor, or below-decks on an 18th-century man o" war. At the back is a big black iron grate beckoning boozers to the comfortable embrace.

It"s the ultimate of Irish pubbiness with Guinness-assisted bonhomie oozing, it seems, even from the woodworm holes. If you don"t similar to Guinness there"s Smithwick"s Superior Irish Ale and an endless preference of blockade chasers together with Paddy, Bushmills and Powers.

"We have no TV or piped music," Eugene says. "The party here is conversation. Will it be yer usual, Paddy?" he asks of a gent perusing the racing pages. Friendly chaff flies about, even on a stormy Wednesday lunchtime when we call in.

Eugene"s children, Anne and Ciaran, run front-of-pub and kitchen, respectively, creation them the eighth era of the family to run the place. Ciaran honed his in progress skills operative as a cook in Italy and serves a robust tapas menu, most appreciated by the regulars.

The Gravediggers is a dark gem of a beer hall off Dublin"s knocked about track. A cab competence be the most appropriate approach to find it and it could be the most appropriate approach to leave.

Kavanagh"s, 1 Prospect Square, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland (00 353 1 830 7978) Find some-more beer hall reviews with the UK Pub Guide