We’ve mentioned the Dublin neighbourhood we live in now, the Liberties, several times already. It’s home to Christ Church and St Patrick’s Cathedrals and the Guinness Storehouse, and it’s also the location of many historic and new whiskey distilleries including Powers, Roe, and Jameson, plus tenements that are gentrifying (some faster than others). And for now, it’s also the location of us! We automatically get street cred when we tell locals we live here, because it’s a neighbourhood full of genuine Dubs and beautiful buildings full of interesting things. Here are a few reasons why we love the Liberties, which is part of Dublin 8.
History
As we’ve mentioned, this was an area outside the medieval (Norman) walls, which was given to the Augustinian Abbey of St Thomas with ‘liberty’ from taxation and the central court system. From St Audoen’s Church and Cook St you can see parts of the old City Walls of Dublin, built early in the 12th century.
After the dissolution of the Catholic church in Ireland, the Liberties passed to the ancestors of the Earl of Meath. Because of its favorable tax situation, loads of industries located here, many of them alcohol-related. Speaking of which, the Liberties is also the location of the famous 1875 Dublin whiskey fire, a fire in a malt house which caused whiskey to run free in the streets. (Nobody died in the fire, but thirteen people died from lapping up the liquor.) And over the centuries the area was well-known for its silversmiths, weavers, and tanners.
Food and Drink
Yes, it’s a surprise to find us focused on food. But what are we to do? This neighbourhood has it all, from traditional pubs (loads) to Korean, Argentinian, and much more. We adore our local, O’Shea’s Merchant, which has excellent food and drinks, and live music every night but still manages to always find a seat for us. But we also have room in our hearts for Lucky’s, a local joint serving craft beers and cocktails, with a pizza place in the back beer garden (Coke Lane Pizza) for when you realize you’re too happy to move elsewhere for dinner. Spitalfields is slightly more upscale. Ditto for Variety Jones, with a Michelin-starred set Chef’s Menu (if you can get in – we’ve got a booking for later this month).
And More Drink
The Gravity Bar atop the Guinness Storehouse is a lovely rooftop restaurant with excellent food. The Teeling Distillery has a pretty wood-panelled bar. And – perhaps our favourite – the Roe & Co Distillery (in the old Guinness brewery) has the posh Power House bar set right in the midst of the distillery, with a pop-up garden and restaurants setting up shop and serving their food on Friday and Saturday nights. And, if you like your drinks with history, try the Fourth Corner just down from St Patrick’s. It was once in a notorious neighbourhood – with pubs at all four corners. But it’s taken full advantage of the poshification; there’s even a photo of Samuel Beckett.
Art
The Liberties is also the kind of neighbourhood that draws artists. Like to the Hen’s Teeth Gallery, to the National College of Art and Design (located in the former Power’s Distillery), and the BIMM school of music. Then there’s Vicar Street, one of the hottest music venues in Dublin, right here in our backyard. And Francis Street is home to many antique shops, which (still) have tons of Georgian and Edwardian treasures.
So there you are: our new neighbourhood. We might like it even more than Grünerløkka, our cool Oslo neighbourhood, if only because we can afford to eat in all of the restaurants here.
It’s wonderful to read your Dublin posts. There’s a song, ‘The Rare Old Times’ by the Dublin City Ramblers, and others, I’m sure, that mentions ‘The Rebel Liberties.” I studied at TCD my junior year of college and lived on Upper Gardiner Street, which always horrified my Irish friends when they heard that. Gardai used to volunteer to walk me home after the pubs closed! I never felt unsafe, though.
We don’t feel unsafe either, even in the grungier bits. Thanks for writing, and glad we’re bringing back memories for you!