The popular bar divides people on whether it is a good place to drink or not, so we’ve put it to the test – and found there was more to the area than just pubs
Temple Bar gets louder and livelier after dark(Image: Getty Images)
It seems to divide opinion like Marmite – to go or no go drinking in Temple Bar when in Dublin. The area is full of pubs keen to sell you drinks, especially Guinness, but at the highest prices in the city edging towards ten Euros for a pint.
On arriving in Dublin I was lucky enough to attend a connoisseurs session at the Guinness Storehouse and Morgan, our man serving us up a variety of VIP pints was clear to avoid Temple Bar.
“You don’t need to be going there,” he said, clear that it was a bit of a tourist trap. Most importantly, for him, that also meant it was not serving the best Guinness in the city. Morgan favoured pubs like The Lord Edward in the Liberties area and The Long Hall in the heart of the city centre. Over the river from Temple Bar, The Cobblestone is a great pub renowned for its traditional music too.
However Dublin tour guide Mary Phelan says whilst it should not be the only place you see in the city, there is no harm in going to Temple Bar for some drinks or at the very least a stroll. “Why not go and see it even if its just strolling the main street which brings you up towards Christ church,” she said.
Highlighting one pub on the edges if the area which is excellent and unusually named, she added: “Darkey Kelly’s is there too on Fishamble Street and bit less crowded than the rest. They do food and have some music. The Palace Bar is an original pub on Fleet St associated with writers and journalists as The Independent and The Irish Times newspapers used to be nearby.”
“There’s also the IFI (film institute)and you might like to see the area during the day. Merchants Arch brings you over Halfpenny Bridge and they also have an Icon Walk which is a wall giving you some info on writers and public figures.”
Temple Bar has been popular long before the pubs arrived. The Vikings set up camp there back in 795 AD, and the remains of their original defences can be found at Dublin Castle nearby.
The name of the area comes from British diplomat Sir William Temple who built a grand residence and gardens there in the early 1600s. After that the name stuck and so Temple Bar was born.
Officially the Temple Bar area is the square on the south bank of the River Liffey with streets shooting off in all directions and some narrow laneways taking you back out onto the river. By day it is less rowdy as Mary mentioned and there are boutiques and cafes which are busy as well as the pubs.
You also have Meeting House Square which has a stage for occasional screenings, and a weekly food market on Saturdays. It is surrounded by The National Photographic Archive and The Gallery of Photography (both free entry), and the Irish Film Institute.
But in truth it is in the nighttime the area comes to life, especially at the weekends. Temple Bar has the highest density of pubs of any area in Dublin, so there will be a buzz that many tourists will like and be happy to pay a premium for.
Live music and singalongs will be the norm and It will be lively, my message would be to also go further afield, it will be more authentic, better beer and also a lot cheaper.
For more information on visiting Dublin you can go to ireland.com