123) The Oarsman of Bridge Street, Ringsend, D4
A fine building with architecture largely unchanged since 1816. It stands opposite St. Patrick’s Church on the foot of Ringsend Bridge over the River Dodder. O how it stands out from the crowd with its impressive façade in the stucco style. Over the entrance, high up, is a wonderful pediment containing three symbols of Ireland: a round tower, a Celtic high cross and an Irish wolfhound. It was fashioned by the Stuccodores Burnet and Comerford (also responsible for O’Meara’s Irish House [1]. Across the way is the busy little chipper ‘Ferrari’s’ if one fancies some of Dublin’s finest fish and chips for soakage (they’re better than Burdock’s). You can’t beat Ringsend ray!
Pediment containing three symbols of Ireland: a round tower, a Celtic high cross and an Irish wolfhound
Inside this pub you’ll find some fine old clocks and a vast mirror hangs high and overlooks the bar below. Out back there’s a small smoking area and if one climbs a flight of stairs one will find an even smaller and very intimate beer garden. Mentioned a multitude of times in Ulysses under the name of Tunney's, at a time when it doubled as a grocer's and was seemingly the late Paddy Dignam's go-to local. This celebrated Raytown pub is home to a false snug (a ghost of the former glorious snug what dominated the front of the bar) no longer authentic as there’s no door for privacy or hatch to the bar. In an effort to stay afloat by moving with the times, the pub has lamentably morphed into yet another trendy gastritis bar and restaurant. So on entry, if one feels a little droplet falling upon head or hat, the origin is on high, for Ireland’s wolfhound is weeping.
FOOTNOTE
[1] The Irish House pub on the corner of Winetavern Street and Wood Quay which had a masterpiece for a façade that was shamefully, unforgivably demolished by the Dublin Corporation in 1968. See entry for Bride's of Mount Pelier Hill, D.19 for more footnotes leading to more information via a series of links.
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