228) Grainger's/The Fountain of Meath Street, D8

Now Permanently Closed. In the heart of the Liberties lies this ordinary decent pub. Not much to reveal here except its location on Meath Street which is also by the end of Gray Street. It’s this later street which is well known for the copper-domed canopy that shelters a Sacred Heart of Jesus statue that we call: ‘The Dude under the Dome.’ This monument was once a public water fountain and is within viewing distance of The Fountain pub itself, which is presumably where it takes its name. The statue is strategically placed at the intersection of Gray Street and Reginald Street making a crucifix out of the streets where Jesus stands at the heart. On a good day one can relish the scent of fresh Guinness wafting up from the nearby brewery, and it was the Guinness company who originally funded the building of the fountain.

Once, whilst sitting at a table near the front door and gulping on a Guinness, we were approached by a gaggle of kids at play who engaged us in confident conversation and were a great source of entertainment. There’s a distinctly familial atmosphere which is present here and common to the larger Liberties.

Update as of 2019: Grainger’s is up for sale. Watch this space…

The Dude under the dome

Update as of 2023: The Liberties now has its own (deep breath) L G B T Q I A + pub (the Q is for Queer/Questioning) which quite possibly claims the prize of the worst pub name in the capital - “allmyfriends” - written like a tweet it’s just missing the #. Good luck to them.

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