In the Land of Guinness and Whiskey
One dedicated journalist's drinking tour of Ireland.
I like to consider myself a pretty well-traveled guy. I’ve explored much of the U.S. and its neighbors to the north and south. I’ve been around the block in Western and Eastern Europe, country-hopped in Southeast Asia, bounced around islands from Cuba to Fiji, and eaten with reckless abandon in Japan and Korea. But I’d never been to Ireland, a country that—according to social media—everyone else has already visited.
I was starting to develop a complex. So I went. For the culture and cooler weather and, maybe most of all, for the drinks.
In Ireland, the pub still serves as the country’s beating social heart. It’s a gathering place in good times and bad, and every neighborhood seems to have an anchor pub on the corner serving pints and provisions. If you want to hunker down among dark woods and sip a properly poured Guinness or a native whiskey, perhaps while a live band provides a bit of craic, the pub provides. But Ireland evolves just like everywhere else, which means that a rising cocktail scene, modern wine bars, and new craft breweries and distilleries now live alongside centuries-old bars and historic hotels. And while it’s obviously impossible to capture an entire country during one trip, it’s this merger of tradition with innovation that stood out during my 10-day bar crawl across Ireland.
Dublin: Where Old Meets New
The science hasn’t quite caught up with the anecdotal evidence, but years of experience have confirmed that nothing kickstarts your system after a long flight quite like a cold pint. Food doesn't hurt, either, but you have to be careful not to eat yourself into a post-flight nap when the sun’s still out.
For my first drink of the trip, I went to Ireland’s oldest bar, The Brazen Head, to enjoy Ireland’s most famous beer, Guinness. In the U.S., anything over the century mark qualifies as very, very old, but that doesn’t scratch the surface in Europe. This pub was purportedly founded in 1198—a mythical time that was after the dinosaurs but before the plague. The arched stone entrance confirms that this place is indeed old, but don’t worry—they’ve updated things a few times over the past 800-plus years. Enter through a patio that, with some luck, might even be sunny, then explore the cozy confines within. Check out the 1750s-era fireplace flanked by framed photos, and the bric-a-brac—vintage beer steins here, an old suit of armor there—stashed around the bar. Once you’ve settled in, fill your table with pints and plates, sticking to traditional serves like the beef stew or fish and chips with homemade tartar sauce, and consider all that’s transpired within these walls.
Other top-notch pubs include John Kavanagh the Gravediggers, which is situated next to a historic cemetery, hence the name, and The Palace Bar, which has fed and watered Irish writers and intellectuals since it opened in 1823 (Irish poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh described it as “a most wonderful temple of art”). It also happens to stock one of the city’s best whiskey selections. Then there’s Temple Bar, a bright-red pub adorned with flowers that draws visitors from all over the world for pints and photo opps. Each is worth a stop to soak in the culture, and the Guinness—yes, it really does taste better in Ireland. (According to locals and a Guinness Brewery staffer, the prevailing theory for this is freshness (it’s made down the road) and a high turnover rate, so there’s always a new keg ready to go. Also, Irish pubs take pride in cleaning their tap lines—something American sports bars could stand to replicate.)
When you’re ready for a cocktail, try Bar 1661. It’s named for the year that Ireland’s native spirit, poitín, was banned (it was legalized again in 1997). Poitín, pronounced “pot-cheen,” is a high-proof, un-aged spirit made from grains or potatoes that’s like a precursor to Irish whiskey. Sample a couple at Bar 1661, then turn to its cocktail menu, where you’ll find the city’s most interesting drinks. Case in point: the Sanbokan Sun, made with poitín, rum, fino sherry, apricot, butternut squash, fenugreek, tea, lime, coconut, and marmalade bitters. Other fine cocktails can be had at 1661’s sibling bar, The Sackville Lounge, and at Sidecar, a good-looking spot with creative drinks and Art Deco style. None would feel out of place in London or New York, but each brings its own sense of Irish hospitality and local flair.
If you’re pressed for time and want to hit multiple spots under one roof, check out The Shelbourne, a historic hotel located just off St. Stephen’s Green that houses several great bars on the premises. I can confirm that the batched freezer martini works equally well as an aperitif and a nightcap.
Galway: Where Music and Drinks Flow Freely
This charming waterside town is highly walkable and primed for pub crawls. Start at The King’s Head, which sits in an 800-year-old building and has multiple bars and a full-service restaurant across its three levels. The pub hosts free live music seven nights a week, so stick around to see a show. Or skip over to Tigh Neachtain, a mere infant at just 130 years old, but one of the best bars in Galway to see traditional Irish music. The Crane Bar and O’Connell’s Bar are two more worthy additions to your list, both offering good pints and music.
Galway’s cocktail scene can’t compete with Dublin’s, but should you require a properly made mixed drink, that can be arranged. I enjoyed the cocktails at Rúibín, which also happens to be one of the city’s better restaurants, so that’s an easy two-birds-one-martini situation. The food is contemporary Irish, with lots of local proteins and seasonal produce dressed up with chef-y touches. And the drinks match—I’m still thinking about the clarified punch made with kombu-infused rum. Buddha Bar serves fun and creative drinks, though you have to like puns to get through the menu, and Hyde Bar has one of the city’s best gin selections. Ask to see the Gin Bible, and you can browse through 500 bottles from around the world.
The Aran Islands: Where Rough Seas Require Stiff Drinks
Taking a ferry to the Aran Islands seemed like a pretty foolproof plan, but the waves had other ideas. The boat swayed and dipped aggressively in the rough waters, and many (many) passengers got sick on the way. It was not a pretty sight, but I managed to narrowly escape such a fate. Once we arrived on Inisheer, the smallest and most eastern of the Aran Islands, I thanked the mercifully stable ground, steadied my resolve, and set out for a few drinks.
I tell you, nothing tasted better than that first post-ferry Guinness. Except maybe the local Spiddal River ale, or that glass of Aran Islands whiskey. Or that second post-ferry Guinness. Get a drink and a hearty stew at the Inis Oírr Hotel, or a drink and a sandwich at Tigh Ned. Then make a small prayer to your preferred sea god—that would be Manannán mac Lir, if you want to praise local—before getting back on that boat.
Small Town, Ireland: Where More Pubs Await
Irish author James Joyce wrote in his novel Ulysses: “The sacred pint alone can unbind the tongue...”
After 10 days in Ireland, I know relatively very little, but a lot more than I did going in. And much of what I learned came with a pint in hand while seated beside a friendly local. So it’s worth venturing outside the major hubs of Dublin and Galway and visiting a few other cities and small towns as time allows. Maybe you’ll hit Cork, Killarney, Waterford, Kilkenny, or Kinsale. Maybe you’ll head over to Dingle, or drive up the coast to see what Donegal is all about. Whatever your itinerary, leave some room for beer-related side quests, because Ireland is best experienced via pub.
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Split the G Kev!!!!