End of an era After an incredible nine years, Dublin’s most under-the-radar spots have called it a day. Assassination Custard on Kevin Street was as “if you know, you know” as they come. The tiny 10-seater spot opened the doors to their unassuming space at lunchtime Tuesday-Friday. Its brief opening hours, no booking system or […]

2 years ago

If ever there was a time to bring this site in There have been countless articles, social posts, books and podcasts recounting the state of the Irish housing situation, with particular attention, lent to just how bad the rental situation is. If you haven’t experienced black mould, broken appliances, screaming neighbours and evasive money-grabbing landlords […]

2 years ago

Taylor Swift made an incredible donation before leaving Dublin Taylor Swift’s Dublin gigs may have helped boost the economy with thousands flocking to the city for her sold-out Aviva shows. Experts claim the shows helped bolster €300m for the local economy. However, before leaving the Emerald Isle, the singer made sure to donate a huge […]

2 years ago

There’s never a dull moment in hospitality-land Taylor Swift, Pride, and Longitude to name but a few events that took place last week, had the knock-on effect of making us feel a little flat, poor and exhausted this week. The Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse has articulated just how much spending happened last week, in […]

2 years ago

The Fête Nationale is upon us, and here’s how to celebrate in Dublin Bastille Day, or le quatorze juillet commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris on July 14th 1789, an event which came to be seen as the symbolic beginning of the French Revolution. And if you find yourself on the streets […]

2 years ago

The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever in support of Women’s Aid It’s that time of year again when Kate Bush enthusiasts are invited to return to the windy, wiley moors of Fairview Park and gather en masse for a group performance of the singer’s iconic Wuthering Heights dance routine. Inspired by the 300 Kate Bush […]

2 years ago

Getting the band back together. Music mogul Simon Cowell has said he wishes to team up with Louis Walsh to find the next big boyband in Dublin. The Britain’s Got Talent judge has historically put together some huge boybands including Westlife and One Direction. The 64-year-old’s next mission is to mine Ireland’s capital city this […]

2 years ago

One small step for NTA, one giant leap for the general population’s mental health NTA has selected a company to roll out contactless fare payments on buses, trains and trams. Spanish defence and technology company Indra which calls itself “one of the leading global defence, aerospace and technology companies” has been awarded the job of […]

2 years ago

Great to the Port’s Pumphouse put to some good use The Temple Bar Gallery + Studios will embark on a four-month residency at the Dublin Port Company [DPC] Pumphouse. The gallery will be showing two solo exhibitions from Yuri Pattison and Liliane Puthod running simultaneously called ‘Longest Way Round, Shortest Way Home’. In Dublin Port, […]

2 years ago

Plans are afoot to expand the Ringsend to Point Village Tom Clarke Bridge (the East Link), add a second bridge and a new control tower Anyone who has ever had to get over to the 3Arena from Ringsend or vice versa by foot or by wheel will attest to it being a pain in the […]

2 years ago

Taylor Swift officially wrapped up her Dublin stop on The Eras Tour on Sunday night after playing three sold-out shows at the Aviva Stadium After the show, Taylor Swift and her crew took to the Hacienda Bar in Dublin 7 for some well-deserved celebrations. The pub is known for its celebrity clientele. As a tradition, […]

2 years ago

Bray’s famous eyesore 2 Main Street is set to get a makeover Wicklow County Council [WCC] has granted permission to turn the site of 2 Main Street into a guest house. The building has been vacant since a fire broke out on the premises in 2019. WCC has granted permission to revamp the three-storey building […]

2 years ago

As anyone living here will attest, Dublin isn’t exactly a cheap city. Whether Dublin is your home or your holiday destination for the weekend, it’s always handy to have the insider scoop on the city’s best free activities. Pint prices are touching €10, coffees are venturing dangerously near the €5 mark and it sometimes feels […]

2 years ago

It’s all go here in hospitality-land Most inhabitants of the city are a-quiver at the prospect of spending this particular weekend in Dublin. Few can remember a time when so many events were taking place at the same time, a smorgasbord of Pride, Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, Longitude and the GAA quarter-finals. In the lead […]

2 years ago

Nothing like a fresh trim before your flight. Dublin Airport have announced that a new business opening will be making its return after 30 years. It has been revealed that The Grafton Barber will be opening in the airport’s Terminal One, offering those travelling to avail of a quick cut before their flights for the […]

2 years ago

Look what you made us do Taylor fever has officially hit Dublin, ahead of her three-night tour of the Aviva Stadium, with fans willing to trade in their Granny for a ticket to see her Eras tour live. The streets are nearly awash with sequins, friendship bracelets and bright red lippy. So for no real […]

2 years ago

This list is nothing to sniff (swirl or swallow) at Temple Bar’s Rosa Madre has been included in the Wine Spectator’s 2024 outstanding wine program list. The award which has been operating for over forty years aims to celebrate the world’s best restaurants for wine. With a global lineup of more than 3,700 restaurants across […]

2 years ago

The convent and part of the land it sits on has been sold and the Sisters are set to move to different locations within their order Contents of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny Convent in Killiney, South Dublin, are set to headline an auction following the order’s sale of the building. The auction […]

2 years ago

Hangar’s notoriously cheap (and feral) club nights have been reborn at last. The new club ‘SoHo’ that replaced the beloved Tramline on D’Olier Street took to their socials on Thursday to make a much-welcomed announcement. Perhaps it was the big boots they had to fill replacing Tramline and continuing it’s legacy (whether it’s a good […]

2 years ago

Why move on somewhere new when you can get both in the one spot? I don’t know about you, but when I go out for a bop, I’m going to need some sustenance. You wouldn’t expect wedding guests to perform their best “Step Up” routine without their meat or fish first would you? Frankly, the […]

2 years ago

The openers are coming in hawt Summer is most definitely in full swing this week, with the sun shining, the flowers blooming and the seagulls ripping rubbish bags apart with reckless abandon. There’s never a dull moment for hospitality in this city, and this week is no exception. This week is practically brimming with hospitality […]

2 years ago

You simply can’t beat a good chicken burger Sure when you think of burgers, most of our minds think of juicy beef burgers stacked high dribbling in cheese and sauce, or of gnarly craggy smash burgers, which hold an unholy space in our hearts and minds. But sometimes all you want is a chicken burger, a […]

2 years ago

“It has been a difficult and emotional decision for our family.” A historic pub in Wexford which first opened in the 1700s has closed its doors this week. The Thomas Moore Tavern in Cornmarket has closed after over a decade under its current owners, who said it had become “impossible to trade through the current […]

2 years ago

We are very shocked lol Dublin has unsurprisingly made it into the top 50 most expensive cities in the world. Jumping ten places from last year in Mercer’s 2024 cost-of-living city ranking to 41st, it’s a wonder how it took this long to break the top 50. Including 226 locations across the world, the index […]

2 years ago

The blaze has been brought under control Firefighters were alerted to a suspected fire at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin this morning. Staff and guests were evacuated and the road outside the famous hotel was closed to get the blaze under control. In a statement on social media, Dublin Fire Brigade said: “Firefighters were called […]

2 years ago

A total of nine orders were issued to food businesses during May for breaches of food safety legislation The Food Safety Authority of Ireland [FSAI] issued nine orders to Irish hospitality businesses, last month, including four closure orders to Dublin-based hospitality businesses. The rationale for the orders ranges from the evidence of rodent infestation, including […]

2 years ago

The remains include an 800-year-old mummy known as ‘The Crusader’ and four others dating back 400 years. There has been outcry across the capital this morning as the mummified remains of five people were destroyed in a fire. The fire took place in the crypt of Michan’s Church of Ireland, on Church Street, a popular […]

2 years ago

Say it with us now, one-two-three-four a one-two-three-four! Irish traditional music has never been better, making an evening spent belting out trad songs while an aul lad toots at a tin whistle a great way to spend an evening. Glasses are clinked, toes are tapped and if you’re lucky, someone will whip out a pair […]

2 years ago

Plane spotters assemble Dublin Airport has announced that a planning application for a brand new plane spotting facility has been lodged. The facility is set to be constructed on the popular plane-spotting area known as “The Mound” on the Old Airport Road. For years, people have travelled up to The Mound from near and far […]

2 years ago

It’s giving Marie Antoinette’s boudoir It’s been a while since we welcomed a glamourous new opener to Dublin’s fair city. In the nick of time, Floritz has opened its doors to the salubrious Stephen’s Green area. Promising “global influences, big flavours, bold energy” the space is aiming to become a destination restaurant, with a luxe […]

2 years ago

For those of you who are a little last minute.com. If your dad is anything like ours, then no gift ever makes much of an impression. Whether you choose the expensive route, the thoughtful route, the homemade route — nothing truly makes an impact. As a result, it seems the best way to spend Father’s […]

2 years ago

Marks and sparks wha UK retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced the three-year partnership with Ireland’s leading youth mental health charity, Jigsaw. Through a series of fundraising and awareness initiatives, the partnership aims to improve mental health services for young people across Ireland. M&S aims to raise €350,000 for Jigsaw over the next 3 […]

2 years ago

There’s lots of moving and shaking in pub ownership these days Two of the city’s best-known pubs, Foley’s bar and McSorley’s are set to change hands, for €7m and €5.5m respectively. Foley’s bar According to The Irish Times, Merrion Row’s after-work institution Foley’s bar is being acquired from its current owner Seamus McEnaney by Emerald […]

2 years ago

The openers are coming in hawt This week is practically brimming with hospitality news, some good, some bad, some mixed. With the Leaving Cert weather well and truly hitting our thermometers, while we feel sorry for the little LC-ers, we are content in the knowledge that those exams are behind us and we are free […]

2 years ago

Can we get a switz-swoo? There’s a new place on the Green for us to dribble over, the Townhouse on the Green a luxe new boutique hotel has juuuust opened up above Cellar 22. Set in a Georgian townhouse (number 22 St. Stephen’s Green doncha know) centuries on it remains a prestigious address. Set over […]

2 years ago

“It’s a sad day.” Customers of a popular south Dublin pub celebrated ‘last orders’ last week as it closed its doors for the last time. The Kestrel Inn in Walkinstown, Dublin 12, closed just before the bank holiday and took to social media to say goodbye. The pub, located just off the Walkinstown roundabout, posted a picture of staff and […]

2 years ago

*Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird” plays * It’s great to see so much building going on around the place with plenty of new towns popping up and more established ones being added to. After all, we are in a housing crisis and have never needed accommodation more. With all these new spots popping up, […]

2 years ago

A lovely curse for every occasion For centuries and millennia long before we all pretended we liked each other, the people of Ireland spent the long, rainy days hurling abuse at each other – and no harm to them. For swearing in Ireland is not as intense as swearing is in any other nation (we’re […]

2 years ago

Irish single malt expressions dominated the awards Call it a resurgence, Irish whiskeys have been making quite a splash in the whiskey world over the last couple of years. Going so far as to win big at this year’s New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC), with four whiskeys winning Double Gold medals. With a focus […]

2 years ago

End of an era for Cow’s Lane There will always be those spots which make a big impact on you, places that you visited when you were young, impressionable and didn’t really know the difference between a cappuccino and an americano. Queen of Tarts holds that place for me and will hold that place for […]

2 years ago

Piping hot food and drink news coming attchaa It’s been a busy week in food and drink news, with plenty of big news events hitting our desks. Another day another news of a devastating break-in hitting hospitality businesses with Dylan Bradshaw and KC Peaches both reporting incidences in their respective premises over the last few […]

2 years ago

Many will be familiar with Old Mr. Brennan’s distinctive voice in radio and TV ads over the years Joseph Brennan known as ‘Old Mr. Brennan’ founded the bakery over 50 years ago in a single room in Dublin 8 and grew it into one of Ireland’s biggest bakeries. The Irish Times are reporting that the […]

2 years ago

Gordon Ramsay was on to a winner when he called Dublin a “food city” We all have our streets that we gravitate towards when we are in search of a feed, places that are packed with every kind of grub you could want, from the cheap and cheerful to the haute cuisine. At Lovin Towers, […]

2 years ago

For when you completely forget to book Forgetting to book somewhere for dinner is the adult equivalent of forgetting to take something out of the freezer for your Mam. It leaves you feeling an indescribable sense of panic and the uncomfortable knowledge that you won’t be having any dinner. Unlike forgetting to take the chicken […]

2 years ago

Damn, even the Poolbeg Chimneys are having a summer glow up ⁠ Work has officially started on one of Dublin’s most iconic symbols, the Poolbeg Towers. The towers will soon be getting back to their red-and-white glory, with work underway to give them a fresh lick of paint. Visitors to the Sandymount and Great South […]

2 years ago

A judging panel session will be moved from the UK to Ireland Despite being considered to be a very British success story, some of the judging for the Great Taste Awards will be held outside of the UK for the first time in its 30-year history. Post-Brexit import controls on products have forced the organisers […]

2 years ago

A recent study by Preply found the most difficult Irish place names for tourists to pronounce. The online learning platform analysed search data for the spellings of over 100 Irish towns and villages all over the country. Sylvia Johnson, a language expert at Preply said: “The complexity in pronouncing Irish place names often arises from […]

2 years ago

The popular Irish music festival won’t be going ahead this year despite much anticipation. The Sligo-based music festival announced yesterday via Instagram that they have had to cancel the event this year just a week before it was set to begin. Organisers of the Wild Roots festival, which takes place every year at Hazelwood Demesne […]

2 years ago

And they’re cheaper than you’d get on ground level. While we kick back in our limited-legroom seats, think about the holiday stretching out ahead of us (unlike the seat in front). We won’t have to suffer through a warm Heineken or a gin and tonic that’s heavy on the gin, now that Ryanair has upped […]

2 years ago

Summer has officially hit our fair city Not all weeks in hospitality are created equal, and while there was a fair bit of positivity washing around the city these last seven days there was also some hard news in the form of a much-beloved arcade restaurant announcing its shock closure. With the Irish Restaurant Awards […]

2 years ago