Old Kilmainham and Inchicore Dublin's most historic district.

Old Kilmainham and Inchicore Dublin's most historic district.

John Callery of Old Kilmainham Inchicore. at 14:50:04 on 17 May 2000

PUB REVIEW.  
Donoughue's of Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8.
( The finest pub in the Home of Guinness - Dublin 8.)  
 
The last of the old Dublin pubs are still to be found in Dublin 8 and in particular the district of Inchicore and Kilmainham. If you are the discerning visitor who wishes to stray from the obligatory tourist trail / enevitable tourist pubs and wishes to seek out the atmosphere of real Dublin by drinking in pubs which real Dubliners frequent, then I have to recommend most of the pubs in Dublin 8 and in particular the pubs of Inchicore and Kilmainham. If you wish to have a quiet pint, at the same time talk with the locals and be served by the owner himself, then Inchicore / Kilmainham has got to be part of your trip.  
 
The finest local pub in Dublin 8 has to be Donoughue's on Emmet Road Inchicore ( 78 or 19 bus route ) which lies in the shadow of the back walls of Kilmainham Jail / Museum. Here you can experience what constitutes a real Dublin "local ". First and foremost you will see and meet ( essentially from 9.00+ pm ) local people enjoying their drink and each others company. This is the essence of a real Dublin pub no piped music, no gaming machines, no one arm bandits and the T.V. confined to the "back bar" - these distractions from peace and conversation will not be tolerated by the locals or indeed the owners.  
 
On entering the front door take a turn to your left. You have now entered what use to be a great tradition in all Dublin pubs "the front snug", a reside in times past for women who wished to enjoy their glass of Guinness in the company of other women in the privacy of the snug ( little room). Also women were not encouraged to enter the male preserve of the back bar. This small room is peace personified when visited in the afternoon or early evening. Sit up on a bar stool near " the hatch " ( a small opening in the wall ), another architectural feature unique to a real Dublin local. Here listen to the orders of locals asking for "take outs" and the local kids minerals and crisps. This room comes into its own come the late evening ( Thursday - Sunday 9.00+pm). Come early to witness / listen to the banter of the locals rising as the evening lenghtens and the Guinness pours freely. Incidently freshly brewed Guinness which has only travelled a short distance from Guinness's brewery just down the road in James's St to the taps in Donoughue's.  
 
Now go out the right door of the front snug and enter the "back bar" and into what is still essentially a male preserve. Here the local men discuss passionately the day's current affairs, politics, local, national / international gossip , horse racing and all forms of sport. Don't be shy and you'l soon make friends for life !!
Now proceed into "the lounge" , usually the largest area in a Dublin pub. This is where you would bring your wife or mother for a drink or generally meet the relations on a sunday evening. On sunday afternoons children are allowed on the premises but only into the lounge as they would cause a mutiny in the front snug or especially the back bar. The banter in the lounge reaches its peak come late evening, as most Dubliners like to go to the pub a few hours before closingtime. As I said it's here in the lounge that couples of all ages and groups of ladies meet and chat and would not tolerate the presence of TV or piped music.  
 
If you should arrive on a nice summer's afternoon / evening go to the back garden beyond the lounge. Sit here in the tranquility of the back garden ( in the company of your pint ) and admire the towering back walls of Dublin's Bastille ( Kilmainham Jail), now the foremost historical museum in Ireland. Kilmainham Jail is bound to be part of your itinery and how fortunate that Donoughues lies in its shadow.  
 
Incidently when on Inchicore Road ( the main entrance to Kilmainham Jail) take a stroll further up to the next bend of the road to view the beautiful but derelict Church Spire of St. Jude's. The beautiful little church that once stood beside the spire was delmolished in 1988 ( by a demolition crew in the employment of Robert Guinness and with the permission of Dublin Corporation!!) to be removed from where it was originally built in 1864.  
 
Like LEGO blocks it was "rebuilt" ( in a form in Straffen Co. Kildare) on Guinness's private lands as the "Inchicore Railway Museum" !!!, some 30 miles from Inchicore village !!! It's INCREDIBLE. St. Jude's was uprooted from the home of Irish Railways (Inchicore) only to be "reinstated" in the middle of nowhere i.e. - a non industrial / non tourist area!! The spire was saved for the area after a 6 month local campaign. There are plans for St. Jude's Spire to be the focal point of a new private dwelling and for the spire to be "wrapped in glass" thus restoring to St. Jude's some of its former dignity.  
 
Now, turn right just after St.Jude's, crossing the main road to the west, through the gates on the other side of the road and into the finest memorial gardens in Ireland - The Great War Memorial Park laid out beside the river Liffey. You now deserve a rest so retrace your steps back to Kilmainham Jail. Walk around the corner onto Emmet Road and into the front snug of Donoughue's for a well earned drink. Say hello to Brian Donoughue for me or to the other staff (Liam,Darren,Brian or Alan). I am confident that you will have enjoyed your time in Dublin's most historic district as you reflect (over your pint) on your day in this oasis of a pub in old Dublin.

I have been there

Bob Lavender at 19:49:44 on 04 Jun 2005

Hi there my name Bob you may not know me but you will know my brother in law Andrew Brslin i have been in your pub many times with Andrew and the rest of the family it is a great pub with great people,i remember your father very well,i hope to visit your pub again in the not to distant future in the meantime good luck to you all.  
 
Bob Lavender.

i have been there

Bob Lavender at 16:12:41 on 05 Jun 2005

Hi its Bob Lavender i e-mailed you yesterday i failed to tell you where i come from,i come from a small town called Hednesford in Staffordshire England our claim to fame is we juust lost to Middlesbourgh in the F.A cup a few years ago it was also well known for its coal mines many years ago Andy knows all about the place he has been here often enough thats about it for now good luck Bob

yip yip

a inchicore man at 22:28:56 on 17 Jul 2005

im from the core my dad drinks every day in the pub you speak of you give a good guide for a tourist. Liam Donoughue is the soundest barman in dublin

St Judes Parish.

Mike Flynn at 15:51:43 on 26 Mar 2008

Thanks to your site I now have some info on St Judes. My relations were from 5 Woodfield Place, NewKilmainham, according to 1911 census. Where would the church records for Judes have gone. 
Regards, 
Mike Flynn 
 
 

Re: St Judes Parish.

ennis at 18:48:31 on 25 May 2008

Just found what i think are my grandfathers details on 1911 census living in Richmond Cottages name of Ennis anyone know anything else about the cottages are there still standing?

Re: St Judes Parish.

eugene coyne at 18:16:03 on 08 Nov 2008

my great granparents also came from here. if you get any info let me know

Re: St Judes Parish.

Paul Chiddicks at 01:39:02 on 12 Nov 2008

Hi,  
 
 
 
Just seen your post with regard to Inchicore, Dublin. My grandmother was born in 7, Woodfield Place, in 1911 and her mother Lizzie Barnes (nee Daniels) lived there for some years. Maybe our ancestors knew each other very well. Lizzie Barnes originated from Dublin, but her husband who she married in Dublin in 1909, was originally born in London. He subsequently died in 1914 in the first world war. 
 
 
 
Do either of you live anywhere near the area??.........I have noticed properties for sale in the same road, I am really desperate to get hold of a picture of 7 Woodfield Place, if anybody can oblige............thanks.............if you have any other info that would help me with my family history research i would be most grateful 
 
 
 
Paul Chiddicks 

Re: St Judes Parish.

Maria Barrass (nee Henderson) at 09:26:05 on 30 Jul 2009

My Father's family came from Inchicore Henderson was their name. I seem to remember the address 'The Ranch'?? anyone know anything regarding this address? I would like to trace my Grandparents.,

"the ranch"

maureen at 17:33:56 on 06 Aug 2009

I LIVED ABOUT 5 MINS WALK FROM THE RANCH AS A CHILD. 
ITS A FEW ROADS OF SMALL TERRACE HOUSES & ITS FAIRLY UNCHANGED. 
I KNOW THERES A PHOENIX STREET, NOT SURE OF OTHER STREET NAMES. 
 
THERES ALSO A BUILDING THAT WE CALLED "THE HOMELESS BOYS" 
BUT I DONT REMEMBER EVER SEEING KIDS LIVING THERE, PART OF IT WAS USED FOR MASS. 
IF YOUR LOOKING AT CENSUS IT COULD BE ADRESSED AS BALLYFERMOT OR INCHICORE. 

Re: "the ranch"

Matthew Breslin at 15:33:17 on 05 Nov 2009

Hello Maria 
I was born in Kilmainham, to get to the Ranch you have to travel from College Green, [Trinity College] up Dame St. and follow the road to the very end, [app. 5 miles] Turn right at the pub [Black Lion] travel to the end, turn left, and you are at the Ranch. Now it is mainly an industrial area, warehouses etc,. 
 
Matt Breslin.

Re: "the ranch"

mary kavanagh at 23:46:10 on 29 Dec 2009

Hi, 
I actually lived in the Ranch,1958 to 1979.Three streets,Liffet=y Street,Park St,Phoenix St,borderd by The Avenue.Pub called The Old Pine Tree,shop called Lucy's .Known as Dublin 8.

Dardis family in Inchicore/kilmainhaim

Tina Roberts at 22:36:48 on 06 Jan 2010

My grandmother Ellen Dardis lived on Thomas Davis st in 1911, are there still any Dardis's living in the area? pls get back to me as im struggling to trace back my ancestry, tks in advance, Tina