There’s been a pub on this site in Stoneybatter since around 1814, and while the current building dates to the 1880s, The Glimmer Man really came into its own in the 1990s, when the enormous back bar of the pub was constructed. The Victorian lounge bar at the front retains many details of that era (as well as much memorabilia of all sorts), but it’s hard to overstate just how full-on the collection of items in the back is – there is everything from pianos to blow-up dolls, plus a nice fireplace for good measure.
I tend to be a bit suspicious of cash-only pubs, but happily, The Glimmer Man’s welcoming environment doesn’t give off the conspiracy vibes associated with so many businesses of that variety, and it is one of the last few holdouts after others like The Gravediggers also began accepting cards. For the unprepared visitor, there is an ATM inside the pub…though if you are me, it’s been so many years since you’ve actually got cash out, you may not recall your pin – plan ahead! And no, they don’t take Revolut.
But just what is a glimmer man, you might ask? The name comes from the Emergency/WWII-era job title – think a sort of proto-TV license inspector role – tasked with seeking out people using too much gas. It’s been applied to the pub here since at least the 1980s, though a previous proprietor, T. Lyster, is still commemorated in the tiled entrance. The Glimmer Man is very much a community hub for Stoneybatter; there are numerous events and activities that contribute to local causes. Some of this is down to capacity – the glorious, cavernous back bar area can accommodate activities of all sorts.
There’s an excellent beer selection on offer, too – plenty of Guinness, but also Beamish and a strong lineup of independent options from the likes of Larkin, Kinnegar, Wicklow Wolf, Trouble and more; it’s worth looking at both the front and back bars to get the full set of offerings.
It may be the only reason you ever need to carry cash again.
Where: 14 Stoneybatter, Dublin, D07 RK37
Access from the city centre: Buses 37, 39, 39A, 70, 83, 83A; Luas Red Line, 30ish minute walk
Food: Food truck at times, but you are welcome to bring in food from elsewhere
Sport: All the usual big events are shown
TVs: Lots of screens about the place – it’s big!
Music: All sorts – there’s a jukebox
Family-friendliness: More of a grownup scene
Pub-crawl-ability: High: L. Mulligan. Grocer is next door, Hynes’ Bar is up the road, The Cobblestone, The Belfry, The Barber's Bar & Bonobo are quite close; Fidelity and isn’t too much further away
Local sites of note: The Lighthouse Cinema, Arbour Hill Cemetery, TUD Grangegorman, Collins Barracks
Haunted: Seems an ideal spot for a haunted object or two in the back
Other notes: The cash-only policy also applies to the jukebox – bring coins
Socials: Instagram
In the immortal words of 
There can be a bit of a dark side to going all in on Christmas, though – a pub might attract groups of Twelve Pubs of Christmas revellers. Now, I like a 
Well, as mentioned, they have the ideal backdrop for the social media documentation of their special day – there is no corner of the pub lacking holiday decorations. They can also be sensible by getting a bit of food, and while the beers on offer aren’t terribly adventurous – their own-brand offerings look to be from Franciscan Well, so more or less a small step up from your standard Heineken portfolio plus Guinness, but it does give Beamish stans their fave, too. But The Ginger Man is the kind of place that’s busy no matter what – its proximity to Trinity College means there are always plenty of students and tourists, plus a big after-work crowd. There are likely smaller numbers of JP Donleavy fans coming to see a pub named after his novel, as there are 
I’ve never seen U2 live. But like everyone of my age and fighting weight, I saw Rattle & Hum a fair few times, and back in the 1980s, I rented the U2: Live at Red Rocks VHS not infrequently. And while I completely agree that a lot of the stuff of that era of the band still slaps, I can see that the kids might find certain things about U2 a bit, well, cringe. But as a transplant to Dublin, I also don’t have that immediate animosity some seem to have to anything Bono-related – I’m essentially U2-agnostic.
Why the U2 preamble? Well, because this week’s pub, The Dockers Bar, was 
And what do those current regulars find at The Dockers Bar? It must be said that they were there in numbers on a weekend evening, so clearly, it’s working for them – is it the combination of some excellent independent Irish beer options (Rascals, Kinnegar, Trouble, Wicklow Wolf)? Or maybe they are mostly there for the Guinness, or perhaps the cocktails? The more-interesting-than-usual nibbles? In any event, it was a packed after-work scene.
The Oval’s most recent refurbishment was only about a year or so ago, and while it feels fresh and tidy, there’s still enough of a patina to give it a feeling of the history of the place; the décor and grillwork have an authentic feel. The pub is divided up into multiple sections, with more of a dining-room feel upstairs, but even within the relatively small main bar area, there are distinct areas to sit and relax, either alone or to spread out with friends. And while you can, of course, have a Guinness and all the other usual big brands, The Oval has two house beers, a pale ale and lager, that are brewed for this and other 
Indeed, every time I’ve stopped it it’s been a good mix of people from all over, either enjoying a pint before heading on to a gig at The Academy or an after-work crowd catching up before catching buses. While it doesn’t have the selection of local independent beers that its neighbour