405) Tailors’ Hall of Back Lane, The Liberties, D8

‘Tailors’ Hall has been part of the fabric of Dublin since the 1700’s, playing host to craftsmen, rebels and revellers alike.’ This is a nice instance of a fine historical property, long left neglected, getting a nice new dose of life. It is not a cheap outing by any means - scarifying food prices are evident on the menu, not least the costly chips (which are almost the same price as the chowder - in our book this equals = ABSOLUTE SCAM), while Guinness vends at six euros, which is perhaps reasonable enough once you cross the road to Temple Bar and nose out the competition.

There’s a gorgeous subterranean setting, laden with history and lore and dust and smoke and soot, established 1706. Loads of deers antlers are evident, as is a hung hog on the wall. You could easily stage a scaled-down opera in the fireplace, a wee Wagner or pint-sized Puccini or mini-Mozart would not be entirely amiss. We came on a Monday afternoon, at which point there was nobody there but ourselves for about twenty minutes - whereupon swam in an absolute stampede of merrymakers and tourists, prompting the wry comment of the bouncer on our exit: ‘Yiz had a good back.’

Andrew noted that the Guinness was notably worse than our previous last stop (Roe and Co. up the road) - maybe it was the first poured and hence worst of the day. One notes with relish the period beams on the roof, the comely pillars all so well restored, the plentitude of candles, such dainty delicacies as water the mouth and arouse the senses to enjoy the atmosphere. An ornate wooden staircase is visible to the eagle eyed. We spent some time in the smoking area-cum-beer garden, and very much enjoyed the said time we spent (it’s within spitting distance of the former Mother Redcaps), and this said smoking-area-cum-beer-garden will certainly be a music-festival marvel come the hot summer of 2023, and well worth sitting and soaking in (our sojourn in January was a shade on the jittery side).

P.S. One of Dublin’s most mysterious characters, Hatface, was recently spotted in this very pub. An image of the said rapscallion was discovered online…

Here’s Hafact! Mothers, lock up your daughters

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