17 of the best traditional pubs in Dublin

Whether you are over for a short time to a long time, there's always another pub to discover. While every one of these establishments is likely to have a queue out the door, they're all worth poking the head into and your time can be well spent loitering not-so-subtly near a table where the occupants look like they're nursing the end of their pints and may be departing soon.

For our lil Google Guide list of all the pubs- click here

A traditional, old-world pub housed within an impressive Victorian building, The Oval is steeped in history. Known for having been destroyed during the 1916 Easter Rising and rebuilt 6 years later, the pub's multi-storey interior is ornate and welcoming, with Rising memorabilia featured heavily. A particularly eye-catching piece is the sculpted busts of the Seven Signatures of the Proclamation - Eamonn Ceannt, Thomas Clarke, James Connolly, Seán MacDiarmada, Thomas McDonagh, Patrick Pearse and Joseph Plunkett, who gaze upon you stoically as you tuck into your pint.

When people namedrop the Confession Box as their favourite pub to you they do it with a twinkle in their eye, as if they're about to let you in on the best-kept secret in Dublin. This traditional spot has a homely vibe with smiling staff who welcome you in, and a great pint guaranteed. According to Dublin lore, the name of the pub dates back to the Irish War of Independence. During the conflict a number of men, Michael Collins included, were excommunicated from the Catholic church, and are believed to have dropped into what was then called the Maid of Erin pub to receive Communion from sympathetic priests from a nearby Cathedral. Thus, the nickname The Confession Box came to be.

It may have been knocked off its perch as the world's 22nd coolest street but Capel Street still packs a punch when it comes to great traditional pubs, with a firm fave amongst Dubliners being McNeill's. McNeills had a previous life as a music shop, and this legacy can be felt through the pub's traditional Irish music sessions 6 nights a week. Locals come and go and tourists regularly delight at the warm, welcoming atmosphere and fireside set-up - there's something for everyone, you might say.

There's live music seven nights a week at The Cobblestone, and some of Ireland's most famous trad musicians have passed the pub threshold over the years. You can expect to experience lively fiddles, Sean-nós singing and dancing, set dancing, céilidh, and you can even try your hand at a bit of Irish music yourself if you fancy - the Balaclava Sessions take place every Wednesday and see two skilled fiddle players teach beginners on a variety of instruments.

Dublin pubs don’t get much more iconic than Mulligan’s, the place that stands its ground while all around it changes. A no-nonsense spot has seen an incredibly diverse confluence of Dubliners through its wooden doors, from Trinners students, newspapermen from de Valera’s Irish Press Group next door to celebs from the now demolished Theatre Royal across the road. Its setting would almost remind you of the house in the film Up, surrounded by the old Hawkins House construction site which has been banging and drilling away for the last few years, the saying goes that once they knocked Dublin's ugliest building (all 12-storeys of it) light finally got through the window of Mulligan's! Pouring a velvety pint, with a slight iron-y taste it’s a great spot for a quiet catch-up.

The Palace Bar feels a bit like you're stepping into the inside of a crown, with filtered light glimmering through the stained glass and bouncing the multiple spirit bottles behind the bar, and rich mahogany shaping the shelves and ornate bar divides. It's an original Victorian heritage pub, which was described by poet Patrick Kavanagh as “the most wonderful temple of art”. It's grandiose, it's full of character and it boasts one of the best pints you'll find in Dublin. It's always busy, but worth waiting it out for a coveted seat at the bar.

Within spitting distance of the Guinness Brewery this spot is honour bound to pour a good pint. A classic Dublin pub, that was once situated near the ‘Four Corners of Hell’ the local name once given to a junction of four pubs in the Liberties legendary for its rowdy crowds and punch-ups. Over the years it has grown into a popular haunt for locals and visitors alike- but manners must be kept in Fallon’s who run the bar a little like a strict school teacher at times. The story goes that the narrow back-bar was built by Powers whiskey staff from odds and ends, as a thank you for letting them use the snug. On a sunny evening, there’s no better place than getting a school chair outside, enjoying a creamy pint and watching the world go by.

Time has undoubtedly not gotten through the door of this impeccably preserved boozer on Fleet Street. Once the watering hole of choice for the journalists on Fleet Street, and still known to some who pen for the nearby Irish Times, but you are more likely to find a more discerning Trinity student reading over their notes in the corner. It's also a fave spot of Bruce The Boss Springsteen - look at him here smiling away like a lil fella on his day out up to the Big Smoke for a school tour. If that doesn't sell Bowes to you, the snug in the front is also one of the best in the city. Get in if you can!

Made famous for also being one of Bruce Springsteen's favourite pubs (what can we say, the man's got taste), The Long Hall might be considered by some to be a bit of an obvious choice for this list - but it'd be remiss not to give it a mention. Impressive and ornate inside, Bruce isn't the only one who loves this spot and it's consistently packed on weeknights and weekends alike. It's worth waiting for a table though and of course, it goes without saying that if you get one, you should hold onto it tight with both hands for the night.

After well over a century of dutifully serving the people of this city, the Swan seems to have become a firm favourite amongst a whole new generation in recent years, with a cohort of tote-carrying, Carhartt-clad 20-somethings regularly citing it as their favourite pub. Its allure, in fairness, is timeless - with unspoilt Victorian interiors and plenty of original features still intact, The Swan has been owned by the same family for 87 years and this is evident in the running of the place. A popular spot on match days (rugby matches in particular), The Swan pours a great pint and if you're peckish, you're welcome to enjoy pizza inside from the neighbouring Dublin Pizza Company.

Devitt's are known for their stacked roster of live traditional music, which you can toe-tap along to seven nights a week at their upstairs bar. With plenty of trinkets adorning the walls (including branded Devitt's flat caps which are available for purchase, should the spirit move you) you'll definitely get that trad pub hit you crave, and a well-poured pint to pose with for your Paddy's Day carousel. If you're in need of a bitta soakage Devitts have you covered with creamy bowls of chowder, fresh fish and chips and sizeable burgers – they also do a decent fry-up if you’re there around breakfast time.

Kehoes spans two floors and an intimate smoking area but on a sunny evening, you'll usually find yourself outside admiring the flower baskets, part of the overspill of suits and shirts battling to get in the door and order their much-needed post-work pint. It's almost cartoonishly traditional outside, with a colour scheme of bright red, white and emerald green and neon signage keeping you abreast of the treasures to be uncovered inside (wines, spirits and lounge to be precise). The upstairs lounge has a welcoming, granny's-fancy-room-for-guests feel about it and the lady's bathroom is extra glam - apparently this is because Kehoes used to be a brothel once upon a time but this could just be unverified Dublin folklore. The best kind, let's be honest.