An Irish Pub Crawl Through Rugby-Crazed Dublin

An Irish ballad, sung by thousands, resounds beneath a crisp gray sky. Salt wind, straight from the adjacent Irish Sea, invigorates the singing crowds. The crowds, too, are a sea of green… adorned in Ireland’s color for the rugby match.

This is the Aviva Stadium in Dublin during any home match for Ireland Rugby.

The anticipation had been building all day. Fans packed the trams… and the pubs. Their chatter echoed through the streets, and green jerseys flooded Lansdowne and Shelbourne Roads as Ireland supporters made their way toward the Aviva.

I’d been to the Aviva once before to see Ireland play Australia. I’d belted out “Ireland’s Call,” the team’s unofficial anthem, alongside the 80,000-plus supporters…

Together standing tall, shoulder to shoulder, we’ll answer Ireland’s call!

… and I couldn’t wait to join them again.

Here’s how to make the most out of a Dublin matchday.

Getting to the Big Game

Dublin is divided into 24 postal districts of varying size and shape. Odd numbers are to the north of the River Liffey, which divides the city in two; even numbers are to the south.

The Aviva is in the Ballsbridge neighborhood in Dublin 4. (Quick quiz: What side of the river is that on?^∗) It’s a touch over a mile from the city center to the Aviva, and a little over two and a half from Croke Park, the principal national stadium of Ireland.

Dublin isn’t laid out in a grid, like most American cities, so a GPS is a must. If you don’t feel like walking—or you get tired on the journey over—you can hop on a train or bus out to the stadium. (Information on Dublin public transit, including maps, timetables, and fares can be found here.)

Both the DART and Southwestern Commuter train lines stop at Landsdowne Road, opposite the southwest corner of the Aviva. Dublin Bus (cash only, no change) also has a Landsdowne Road stop, but that one’s several blocks away from the stadium.

I recommend walking along with the crowds of green jerseys, though. After all, there are plenty of pubs for rest along the way…

Where to Stay, Drink, and Eat on Matchday

During my last trip to Ireland—when I’d attended the always-anticipated Ireland versus England match—I’d stayed in Phibsborough in Dublin 3. The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) has its headquarters here in Croke Park, and it’s a good neighborhood to stay in for a rugby weekend. Generally, the closer you are to the city center and Temple Bar, the more expensive and crowded your hotel will be… so choose wisely.

The neighborhood offers easy bus access to Croke Park, but it’s far enough away from the city center that the ratio of tourists to locals is decidedly in favor of the locals. That said, if there’s a GAA match at Croke Park, even this out-of-the-way neighborhood will be packed.

At 28 Dorsett Street, you’ll also find the Auld Triangle. This watering hole makes for quite a fine pint (or three). The pub is named after Dick Shannon’s 1952 song about life in the nearby Mountjoy Prison, where a triangle was rung daily to mark the passage of time.

True to form, there’s a copy of the 1916 proclamation, declaring Ireland’s independence from England during the Easter Rising, hung on the pub’s walls. It’s accompanied by a mural commemorating the victims of the 1981 hunger strikes and plenty of pictures of GAA games past.

Most importantly: there’s also a television. So if you don’t have a ticket to the match, odds are they’ll have it on the TV.

The Celt

A bit farther south, and tucked away near the east end of Talbot Street, is The Celt. The street has a few modern bars and clubs along it, as well as a number of Chinese restaurants, so it didn’t seem like the place for a traditional pub. The facade is simple: a door next to a couple Jameson barrels, and gold lettering spelling out The Celt above.

As soon as I walked in, I knew I was home. Exposed brick, low arches, small alcoves, and a worn bar. Along the walls, shelves holding memorabilia of all sorts: a couple of license plates from Minnesota, old flags, a picture of JFK, a hurley (stick used in the Irish sport of hurling) from the 1998 All Ireland Final (think of it as Ireland’s Super Bowl), an old Wanted poster declaring a £10,000 reward for Michael Collins, Commander-in-Chief of the Free State Army during the Irish Civil War, dead or alive.

To pour a proper pint of Guinness, the barman fills the glass three quarters full, then after the foam has settled, he tops it off. It takes time to pour a proper pint, and according to the barman I met here, it’s best when it’s been flowing all day. (The same is true with conversation.)

Out back, you’ll find a sprawling beer garden with a projector and screen where the venue shows rugby and GAA. The Celt also hosts live, traditional music regularly… ask the barman what’s on that night.

Mulligan’s Pub

Outside of the madness (and prices) of Temple Bar, but still close to the city center, is Mulligan’s Pub. Located on Poolbeg Street in Dublin 2, the pub has been selling alcohol since 1782 and has been a local favorite for generations.

I came across Mulligan’s as I was heading toward the stadium after leaving The Celt. Seeing the green jerseys of Irish supporters outside, it seemed the logical place to stop in.

I sat down at the bar and ordered a pint of the black stuff. One or two deep (a lot of beers were consumed that day, so there’s no telling which one I was on at this point) and conversation started with a gentleman from County Mayo who had been coming to that pub for many years, whenever he made the trip to Dublin. I introduced myself as a soon-to-be fellow loyal attendee of Mulligan’s.

Slattery’s D4

Just north of the stadium, on the corner of Grand Canal Street and Shelbourne Road, is Slattery’s D4. The original Slattery’s opened in 1812 on Chapel Street in Dublin 1. Its Dublin 4 location opened in 1989, the day before Ireland’s infamous faceoff with New Zealand’s team, which performed—as it does to this day— the traditional Māori challenge in a pre-match ritual. It’s something that should absolutely be witnessed in person.

The pub has since been a pre-match tradition for many a rugby fan and fills up fast, so be sure to arrive early. On days with multiple matches taking place across Europe (e.g., The Six Nations, the storied competition between Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Italy, and France), the venue will show the games on multiple TVs, indoors and on their enclosed patio.

So long as you’re okay with being packed in rather tightly, it’s a really fun place to watch some rugby… before going to watch more rugby.

The corner of Shelbourne and Bath, right outside Slattery’s D4, is where I like to purchase a game day scarf. You can find flags, hats, and all manner of small mementos at the pop-ups here… the vendors know they’ll catch the crowd making their way to the Aviva.

Don’t Forget to Grab Some Grub…

Once you’ve pub-hopped your way closer to the Aviva, it’s time for traditional grub to fuel you through the game. You’ll find that at Presto Chipper, across the road on South Lotts Road.

As you might gather from the name, this is a greasy fish and chips shop—a chipper—selling fried fish, chips (French fries), chicken burgers (fried chicken sandwich), and sausage.

Just make sure you know what you want by the time the owner shouts, “Yes please!” in your direction.

That’s your cue to order, and if you don’t know what you want, he’ll just skip to the next person in line. (I prefer the chicken burger, but you really can’t go wrong with anything on the limited menu.)

… and Strike Up a Conversation or Two

Pub-hopping on game day is one of the best ways to learn a city and its people.

At JJ Bowles, Limerick’s oldest pub, I met the owner and ended up going to a match with his brother a few months later in Dublin.

It was also here that a group of friends took it upon themselves to find me a ticket for the local team, Munster, that night at the famed Thomond Park.

So chat up a fellow supporter… and follow the green.

^∗Quiz answer: the south side.