A late-opener on Fridays and Saturdays. A onetime favourite of Sean O'Rourke – dyslexic busker Adrian Matthews (see Sweeney’s) is also a regular and has played many gigs there. Many customers would appear to be staying in the Upper Cross Hotel, of which this pub is an offshoot. The interior has a low ceiling and can get quickly cramped and crowded out.

In the snowbound midwinter of 2010, 'Jean-Claude Van San’ (see: Lanigan’s for more) informed one of their half-price-for-students deal, which led to our getting pleasantly and cheaply stocious together before walking all the way in the snow to Mountjoy Square for a house party. The roads being icy and slippery, and young Jean-Claude tipsy to boot, he fell frequently on the way. It was funny because he was fat. Ah, Claude! A chubby prodigy in the green of youth, unaccustomed in the ways of wine, a veritable virgin of the vine. He slimmed down subsequently and was quite the prolific Lothario, luring many a lady back to his lodgings – but we digress unduly and unnecessarily.

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