Dublin 8 bartenders set to race as a Liberties tradition returns

Published 16:33 23 Jul 2026 BST

Updated 17:06 23 Jul 2026 BST

Sarah McKenna

Dublin 8 bartenders set to race as a Liberties tradition returns

Brought to you by Diageo Ireland. Over 18s only. Please drink responsibly.

Guinness 0.0 Bartenders’ Race will take to the streets of Dublin 8 as part of The Liberties Festival 2026.

A much-loved Dublin tradition is being revived this July, as part of the Liberties Festival 2026.

At this year’s Liberties Festival, the Guinness 0.0 Bartenders’ Race will take place on Sunday, July 26th at 5:15pm. Participants will race from The Lark Inn on Meath Street to The Liberty Belle on Francis Street with plastic pint glasses of Guinness 0.0, recreating a piece of Dublin’s cultural history and providing a fitting finale to this year’s festival.

Guinness archive records shine a light on the history of the race as it returns to the streets of Dublin 8. While the Barmans' Race itself has decades long history in The Liberties, a 1960s black-and-white television advert held in the Guinness Archive features footage of a Guinness barman's race, while a Liberties Festival programme from the 1990s documents the race's place within the festival over 30 years ago. Revisiting these records helped pave the way for the race's return to The Liberties in a lively celebration of speed, skill and community spirit.

The winning bartender will take home a unique stainless-steel trophy, designed by local craftsman Paddy Kenna and Jones Engineering, using a section of a historic piece of Guinness brewing equipment known as a kieve from Brewhouse 3 at St James’s Gate.

The Guinness 0.0 Bartenders' Race is part of a wider programme of this year's Liberties Festival, which runs from 20th to 26th July. This year marks the third year of Diageo Ireland's sponsorship, and will see the return of some festival favourites. The Gravity Bar will once again play host to Sunrise Yoga on July 21st and 23rd, and the Blue Rinse Ball, a beloved celebration for older members of the community, will return on July 23rd at the Guinness Storehouse.

And, for the second year running, Diageo Ireland will be bringing back The Liberties Festival Brew, ‘Batch Bread Red’. Brewed at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in collaboration with local residents and festival organisers, the Brew is crafted using local Bee8 honey and batch loaf bread inspired by the local bakeries of Meath Street where this traditional bread style was born. The limited-edition red ale celebrates the flavours, traditions and community spirit of Dublin 8, and will be available in select pubs until 31st August.

Diageo Ireland will make a donation to The Liberties Festival for every keg sold to participating pubs, with proceeds reinvested into the festival and local community initiatives.

This year's event will also be packed with art, culture and music, including the opening festival event Says She, hosted by Jan Brierton and Martina Keegan; the new Bilberry Ball celebrating Lughnasa traditions; a dedicated traditional music strand exploring the area's rich musical heritage; Where Do We All Belong?, a community arts project examining themes of connection and belonging; The Liberties at Smock Alley Theatre, showcasing local community performers; and Earl of Iveagh in Conversation, featuring Arthur Edward Guinness (Ned) discussing the Guinness family legacy and brewing heritage.

You can discover the full festival programme right here.

Over 18s only. Please drink responsibly.

*Batch Bread Red available in 13 participating pubs as follows: The Liberty Belle, The Lark Inn, Lucky’s, Harkins, Tom Kennedy’s, Thomas House, Hyatt Hotel Lynotts, Drop Dead Twice, Coopers Lane, Morrissey’s, Peadar Browns and Guinness Open Gate Brewery.