McCloskey's

83 Morehampton Road,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.

For me to review McCloskey's in a positive light is almost like shooting myself in the foot. The fact is, by letting the cat out of the bag and telling everyone how great it is I invariably run the risk of ruining one of the things that make it so good...and by that I mean how wonderfully peaceful it is. However, you deserve to know about it, and they deserve your custom, so here it is: a glowing review.
The first time I was in McCloskey's, I must confess, was only about three years ago. A friend kept raving about their Guinness and seafood chowder, and when I heard they had a beer garden (I was a smoker back then), I enthusiastically made the trip. The Guinness was perfect. The beer garden was an actual garden. Later we got chatting with a regular - one of those wonderful Dublin bohemians who can talk about theatre and Joyce all day. In summary it was one of those perfect pub days that lives long in the memory. I've been in love with the place ever since.

Stepping into McCloskey's is like stepping back into the 1970s, and I mean that in a good way. There's carpet. It's dark and cool. It's fabulous. Over the last ten years, some Dublin pub owners have made horrendous choices when refurbishing their premises. No such mistakes here. McCloskey's' interior is an atmospheric classic that can stand shoulder to shoulder with other great Dublin establishments like Mulligan's on Poolbeg Street and Slattery's in Rathmines. There's nothing wrong with cream coloured walls and cracked leatherette.

In all the times I've been to McCloskey's I've never had to wait longer than a minute to be served. That, at least in my book, is a very strong pro. The staff are courteous and professional. There are televisions, but they seem to only go on for major sporting events. There is music (usually the radio), but unlike the music in many pubs it is not disruptive. Rather it relaxes and encourages conversation. (It is considered hip these days to dispense entirely with any artificial noise - fine in the evenings when pubs are alive with the sound of people, but often excruciating during the day when there are only three or four people in the bar). The last time I was in there was a Saturday evening and there was no music and no television. Just the sound of people in a pub, knowing they're somewhere special.

9