Art & Heart at Grogan’s Castle Lounge, Dublin

Grogan’s is near several speciality shopping centres; including the Westbury Mall

The Literary Pied Piper

The sign outside notes Grogan’s – or more officially, ‘J.Grogan’ / ‘The Castle Lounge’ to have been established in 1899, but in fact it is much more recent history that has been pivotal in shaping the unique atmosphere for which Grogan’s has become renowned. In 1972, the well-known barman Paddy O’Brien came to work in Grogan’s, having left his role in nearby McDaid’s pub. Paddy had tried to purchase McDaid’s and on being unsuccessful, severed all ties, in due course joining the team at Grogan’s. Paddy was quite a legend within the Dublin pub scene, serving and regaling a host of McDaid’s regulars and genius literary types including Patrick Kavanagh, Brendan Behan, Flann O’Brien, J.P. Dunleavy and Liam O’Flaherty.

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Tynan’s Bridge House offers a Bridge to the Past

We never did find out why Tynan’s was star-spangled-bannered on the weekend of our visit

Prime location

By the banks of the River Nore in medieval Kilkenny City, in the shadow of the dominant Anglo-Norman Kilkenny Castle, Tynan’s Bridge House Bar sits perched at the southerly edge of John’s Bridge. It’s an easy pub to spot given its prime location and bright blue facade, so it’s hardly a secret to recommend it, but on the off-chance you might choose to keep walking past, do yourself a favour and drop in. Tynan’s is Kilkenny City’s oldest pub, having been established in 1703, albeit originally as a grocer-pharmacy. In 1919, Michael Tynan took over the premises and converted it into a bar.