199) Jimmy Rabbite's Speakeasy of Lower Camden Street, D2

Despite being a new pub [1] (and on the grounds of the old Camden Palace) this space commands an older atmosphere. It forms a small part of the new super massive Camden Deluxe [2] complex and there’s a secret door at the back of the pub which leads directly into the enormity of it. (It’s like jumping from a lifeboat back onto the Titanic). The name Jimmy Rabbite is in reference to the famous character in Roddy Doyle’s novel The Commitments – and fittingly enough, scenes from the 1990 film were also shot here, long before it became a pub. As one enters, one will find a frillion postcards affixed to the rafters and a series of unique pictures framed on the walls. Old style curtains at the back lead out to the laneway-cum-smoking area. Most remarkably, at the front of the pub sits an authentic snug, it’s closed off from prying eyes and is connected directly to the bar. It’s posing as ‘traditional’ and it ticks many of the boxes. 

Update as of August 2019: the beer garden has been cleverly renovated so as to appear as a collection of several different pubs (past and present). Like a mini-village with pubs aplenty the following false façades can be seen: Murray’s, The Long Stone, Fibber Magees, The Hill 16, The Living Room, The Three Pigeon, The Camden, Lundy Foot, Daly’s and Isolde’s Tower. The walls of the laneway are covered in graffiti which includes portraits of Irish musicians: the Dubliners, Christy Moore, Rory Gallagher and U2.  

FOOTNOTES

[1] In recent times a trend has started where larger establishments (The Camden Deluxe) create smaller side bars and give them a different name (Jimmy Rabbite’s) in an effort to attract more custom. Other examples include Bourke’s (of Whelans), The Crafty Fox (of Opium), The Dingle Whiskey Bar (of The Porterhouse), The Temple Bar Whiskey and Tobacco Shop (of The Temple Bar), Helys (of The Mercantile).

[2] A new and massive multipurpose venue containing a cocktail bar, a restaurant, the largest indoor screen in Europe, a private speakeasy bar, a private cinema, Jimmy Rabbite’s, and the Five Lamps Brewery.

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