{"id":21564,"date":"2024-05-02T12:02:18","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T12:02:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.battleface.com\/blog\/?p=21564"},"modified":"2024-06-26T12:49:54","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T12:49:54","slug":"temple-bar-dublin-the-best-night-out-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.battleface.com\/blog\/temple-bar-dublin-the-best-night-out-ever\/","title":{"rendered":"Temple Bar, Dublin \u2013 the best night out EVER?"},"content":{"rendered":"Approx read: <\/span> 4<\/span> mins<\/span><\/span>

Cram all the vibrancy of Dublin \u2013 pubs with lively Irish music, art galleries, street buskers, great restaurants, Guinness and a cracking atmosphere \u2013 into a few electrifying blocks, and what do you get?<\/h2>\n

Welcome to the Temple Bar district.<\/h3>\n

Guinness, glory, and a reunion that rocked<\/h4>\n

Ahh\u2026 Dublin in late January. The cold air cracks with a rawness that demands a good layer of clothing \u2013 NOT! Because the first thing I did was dump my overcoat and hand luggage in a hotel room and sprint to a meeting point at a bus stop on the Quay.<\/p>\n

Months of \u2018should-have-called-sooner\u2019 guilt dissolve into the damp Dublin air after the first man-hug is done. This weekend’s all about a reunion with one of my best friends. A fun-fuelled odyssey that\u2019s long overdue; and where else to reignite this long-distance friendship than cradled in the joie de vivre of Temple Bar – the undisputed king of Dublin nightlife.<\/p>\n

\"pints<\/p>\n

The rules for black custard and craving midnight chips<\/h4>\n

Don\u2019t be funny about what to drink in Temple Bar. You\u2019re there for the Guinness. Embrace it and move on. If you\u2019re a socially-tuned animal, then you\u2019ll swiftly acquire a relationship with one of the skilled bar staff \u2013 they\u2019ll know what you need from a mere nod and get to work. A tilted glass is filled rapidly to a halfway point wherein nitrogen bubbles awaken and erupt. The glass is left \u2013 never forgotten – until the elixir settles before its topped off for a finish. A dark pint with a creamy hat awaits your attention. The barman nods. You pay, then tip generously, because providence is an Irish thing, and you\u2019re feeling good on this cold Dublin night.<\/p>\n

Though you raise your glass to acknowledge other patrons, you\u2019ve learnt the right way to consume black custard. Ditch the guzzle because Guinness is a classic slow burn. Sip it, savour the notes of coffee, chocolate, and all that hoppy goodness. Sl\u00e1inte.<\/p>\n

And the midnight chips? They\u2019re a tradition to farewell the drinking. What else do you need in the wee hours of the morning when the restaurants are shuttered, and your bed is calling? Chips man, chips! Maybe double portions, please.<\/p>\n

TradFest24 \u2013 let the good times roll<\/h4>\n

Before you get to thinking that our journey was just another pub crawl, the weekend coincided with Trad24, an annual Dublin institution that transforms the entire city into a sprawling, bodhr\u00e1n-thumping celebration of Irish folk music. And those Irish tunes are more than just pub singalongs, they’re the heart of Irish identity, a soundtrack for life’s ups and downs.<\/p>\n

From foot-stomping reels to tear-jerking ballads, Trad24 is a brilliant initiative that keeps traditions alive, connects generations, and throws a subtle peace sign to visitors that want to join in. Temple Bar became our ground zero \u2013 a chaotic wonderland where every pub morphed into a mini-concert hall, but with Guinness on tap. We kicked-off our Friday eve at the famous namesake of this section of Dublin \u2013 the first, the famous, the raucous Temple Bar Pub.<\/p>\n

\"crowd<\/p>\n

From the Temple Bar Pub to Darkey Kelly’s & everywhere else<\/h4>\n

Push your way in through a Temple Bar pub door…. Tourist? Maybe. But the Guinness isn’t the only thing with a kick. This place is alive – real craic, genuine smiles. You’re in.<\/p>\n

Just as that door slams, you\u2019re sucker punched by the noise. A singer is belting out his song. It\u2019s a voice at war, battling the fiddler and drummer and everyone else in the room. The air vibrates with the cheers and chatter of a room full of thirsty souls, each conversation a shout competing for dominance. Glasses chime a discordant counterpoint, and the smell of spilled Guinness hangs heavy. It’s sensory overload, but the kind that kicks your heart into a happy jig. You smile broadly, and you can\u2019t help it \u2013 this is the emerald heart of the pub, messy, glorious, and impossible to resist.<\/p>\n

The Porterhouse, Darkey Kelly’s, the Ha\u2019penney Bridge Inn, the Turk\u2019s Head, the Quays Bar, Bad Bobs and the Auld Dubliner. We did\u2019em all, and not one was the same. \u00a0Each pub offered up its unique flavour \u2013 some lively and boisterous, others intimate and soulful. But throughout Temple Bar the spirit of Trad 24 resonated. Young and old, locals and tourists, seemed united by the infectious rhythm of music and fun.<\/p>\n

Of pints, pilgrims and legends<\/h4>\n

More pints slammed up and down. New friends and old were toasted and our voices became ragged from belting out rebel anthems we pretended to know. As the night drew on and the crowds thinned, bartenders, with Dublin-lives etched on their faces, dished out stories of legends and dreamers who haunted the stages or sat at their bar.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo is this your first time to Dublin?\u201d they asked. \u201cTourists? Us? Nah, we\u2019re pilgrims on a quest. This is where we belong.\u201d<\/p>\n

The soul of Dublin<\/h4>\n

Sure, Temple Bar might be a tourist magnet, but that’s just a testament to its undeniable charm. It’s Dublin laid bare. It\u2019s the city\u2019s heart on a worn leather sleeve, its everything and everyone ready for a good time, song and laughter. In these few blocks strangers become friends over shared pints in cramped spaces, where a reunion weekend transforms into memories that’ll stay with you long after the last call echoes through the cobbled streets.<\/p>\n

So, is there any meaning to take away from this story of this weekend reunion in Ireland? Absolutely! If your heart ever needs the uplift of a musical adventure, head straight for the beating heart of Dublin \u2013 Temple Bar. We did, and we\u2019ll be back. Hurry up Trad25.<\/p>\n

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