During the summer of 2021, Ireland’s “6 ft apart” floor sticker and hand sanitizer game was strong. The discipline around Covid protocol was beyond impressive – and taken so seriously by most of the population. Regulations extended to pubs of course – bartering for their reopening sans music/entertainment. But, it was one step towards normalcy and the practicality of Ireland adapted – opting for early closing times and drinks outdoors. Of course soon after we departed, the music ban was lifted, but looking back, it definitely made for a strange visit frozen in this strange moment in time. But, in a time when being abroad was a renewed blessing, going without music was a small sacrifice to start to feel “normal” again.
We started off in Dublin – visiting the usual haunts, exploring our Northside reliables Tommy O’Gara’s (19 Stoneybatter), The Cobblestone (77 King St N, Smithfield), John Kavanagh The Gravediggers (1 Prospect Square, Glasnevin), central icon International Bar (23 Wicklow Street), plus a dignified afternoon tea at The Lord Mayor’s Lounge at The Shelbourne Hotel (27 St Stephen’s Green).
A direct train journey from Dublin to Cork, situated in the southwestern Munster province, will take around 3 hours. Cork is easily walkable, snaking around the River Lee. Start the day at the Crawford Art Gallery (Emmett Place) – a gorgeous ex-custom house from 1724 housing 3,000+ works of Irish and European art. Dining al fresco in the gallery’s cafe garden and enjoying a traditional breakfast with cups of tea nestled in vintage porcelain was peak Irish charm. Charlie’s Bar (2 Union Quay, Ballintemple T12 A376) would normally be a showstopping music bar, but it had charming outside seating along the Quay to make up for the loss. A sprawling ex-apothecary found new life as a cocktail bar at Arthur Mayne’s Pharmacy (7 Pembroke Street) – the perfect stop after chomping on sausage sarnies at the winding and historical English Market (Princes Street). As it gets later, planning your night on the tiles along Barrack Street is a wise choice. The street is dotted with many an old man boozer and makes for a fun crawl. Start at Mr. Bradley’s, then Tom Barry’s, O’Sho, and finally, head down to Sullivan’s Quay, make a right at Mary Street, and pop into The Laurel Bar, a discreet spot that feels very locals only – where you should not ask the bartender to make you a Long Island Iced Tea. Trust me. Food was not a centerpiece of this trip. Maybe it was still the lingering Covid effect of dining indoors and feeling out-of-sorts with restaurant culture again, but ham and cheese toasties and munching on McDonald’s under the Cork night sky was a charming and memorable part of what was a very strange summer indeed.
elbows on the table 