Pubs of Dublin

I have been told that the only way to visit Dublin is by visiting its pubs. But I didn't expect to find this to be true. We had hardly landed, checked into our hotel on St Stephen's Green, when my brother texted me to meet him at the Hairy Lemon.  This named seemed a wee bit unusual compared to British pub names, and I was surprised to find that this was in fact the name of the pub and it was quite a popular venue. Named after a Dublin character whose head resembled a lemon, the place is a maze of rooms and seating areas.  The website said it could hold up to 150, but I really don't know where they would all fit in.  My brother had found us a cozy alcove with a table for four. We ordered oysters and drinks.

Well, when in Dublin...  I felt like I had checked something off my list of  'must's'.  Wandering on, we came across the busy Temple Bar Area down by the river.  The streets were already full of people and it was barely three o'clock.  Jon went to have a closer look and was pushed through the door by a lively crowd. We found restaurant seating upstairs and decided to order another meal.  The place was packed with people waiting for tables at the bar. The food came almost immediately: hot Irish stew and Guinness pie, and more drinks. We didn't feel rushed, but comfortable in the bustling, noisy pub.
The next day we wanted to try to get in on some of the live music venues.  Most of the pubs advertised music for at least part of the day, so we headed out early. The Temple Bar Pub seemed the most popular. A musical duo was playing in a back room. It was standing room only. I managed to film the banjo player on my phone above the crowd. We sampled the local Guinness and waited for someone to leave.  It became apparent that the crowd was just getting bigger and there would not be any available seating. We sang along and bumped elbows with others enjoying the Irish music.

On a roll, we tried another pub called The Quay, just a block away and with its own leprechaun greeter. The musicians had set up right by the door with guitar and fiddle. After another round of drinks, and nowhere to sit, we decided to stand just feet from the music. Suddenly a man next to us approached the "stage", put down his drink and started to sing a lovely Irish ballad. I was not the only one with my phone out. After his song he thanked the musicians and left.  Could he be moving on to the next pub?
We visited another pub later that evening for a meal. This one was an old Victorian called Doheny and Nesbitt.  It took as a while to find our party in a room behind the bar with wooden paneling and its own door. We had shepherds pie and more oysters.  We helped bus our tables by pushing the dishes through a hatch into the bar.  I nearly got lost looking for the toilets which were down in the basement.  I walked through another room where a group were watching football on TV, and noticed a man sitting at the bar with a pint and a book of poems.

Each pub was different, unique in its layout and decor. Some were louder than others, more full of people, but all full of life. It could have been because the weather was cold and gray, or because it was near New Years, but I got the feeling that Dublin pubs are well frequented all year round. They provide good food, drink, music, a place to watch the game or use the facilities, warmth and a quiet nook to read a book. I left Ireland with a fondness and a calendar of at least 12 Dublin pubs.