220) The Old Royal Oak of Kilmainham Lane, D8
One of the best pubs in Dublin. Opening hours are extremely mysterious and possibly subject to the owner's whim and a relaxed license with special privileges. For a long time it was considered to be our 'Holy Grail', owing to our inability to ever find it open, always seeming lifeless and dead to the world. We speculated that perhaps a secret policeman's knock on the door was required. When finally we did get in, it did not disappoint.
Fine old wood and refreshingly un-tarted-up. Mouldering photographs on the walls convey the sense of a long and storied history. Very small and intimate. A great pint at a great price. The entire pub nests inside just one room woven with charm. An old-style gas heater [1] from the 70’s, similar to one found in one’s granny’s parlour, warms the room. An authentic snug with a hatch to the bar is accessible via a short flight of stairs and can be booked for private parties. Traditional music sessions occur with jaunty and informal regularity. Lock-ins may be plenty. A small beer garden sits outside on the fork of two lanes. It is also merrily dog-friendly, and was fowl friendly at one time, too. There’s a photo on the wall of an old man holding a live chicken [2] with its head firmly inside a pint of Guinness stout, gobble-gobble.
Andrew Stephens regards this pub as one of his favourites in all of Dublin. It’s found at the very heart of Kilmainham - a historic, hilly and mazy suburb in Dublin 8. On the day we found it open we came to it via the Old Kilmainham Road onto Kearn’s Place, crossed a small bridge over the stony green shallow Camac, curled around Rowerstown Lane, and ascended a steep flight of steps leading all the way up to The Old Royal Oak. Sitting perched atop this vertical - the building becomes noticeably taller. Dee Costello, the pub’s manager, and daughter of the owners, describes it as like something one would ‘find down the country up a mountain.’
Update as from 2019: It seems the hours have become more regimented. It usually opens Monday-Friday from 4pm, and Saturday-Sunday from 12:30pm. A new and longer pub sign has been installed and is a fitting addition along with a smaller sign on the side which includes the family name of ‘Costello’ and the year the pub was established ‘1837.’ It has been family run for over 180 years, 48 years by the Costello family, and thanks to Dee, will remain so. A true jewel. Long may it live, and may any budding publican look no further than here for an example of what a great pub should look like.
Raconteur laughs at his own joke but his audience isn’t so convinced
FOOTNOTES
[1] ‘Superser’ with a gas cylinder.
[2] This isn’t the first time a chicken has been caught in the act. The following video was NOT taken in The Royal Oak, it was taken in an unknown Irish pub and will do as a substitute. A witness can be heard crying to a live chicken at the bar “Go on you boyo put your nose in that pint! We’re after spending €4.40 on that pint, come on… drink up and be merry! What’s the name of that cock?” A massive roar can be heard after the bird takes her first sip and someone cheers for the chicken to: “pick up your porter!” Follow the link for a laugh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dQmB_ou8po
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