There’s a definite chill in the air, and a quick search on any platform will turn up a number of lists for cosy Dublin pubs with fireplaces. We have Opinions, about this, of course, and while we do agree with some of the heavy hitters that appear on most of those listicles, we have a few that we prefer to the usual suspects as well – in some ways, it’s tempting not to share, and keep them to ourselves.
But we’ll begin with those that are rightfully mentioned in nearly every piece on the subject: Arthur’s Pub and The Gravediggers. Both are wonderful pubs on a cold day: full of atmosphere and prime spots near the fireplace, if you’re lucky enough to snag one. Also namechecked frequently is Neary’s – and that’s also quite fair.
We have a few, however, that we think are criminally-underrated when it comes to cosy fireplace vibes in winter, however – and a few are more central than you might expect. J McNeill’s does pop up here and there, but TP Smith’s also makes for a warm spot on a cold day, and it deserves more notice. The Bleeding Horse may not always have their fireplace up and running, but it’s a wonderful feeling when they do. Dudley’s, too, falls into that category. The King’s Inn has not just wonderful little snugs, but a picturesque fireplace at the back of the pub – it’s always a bit of a surprise to us it doesn’t appear on more ‘cosy pub’ lists.
Our absolute favourites, though, are almost hidden gems when it comes to a roaring fire, and are well worth seeking out. The Bald Eagle’s fireplace is small, but fully functional, while Carthy’s Bar is an ideal spot when it’s freezing outside; we hope the broader renovations to The Ivy House at its front don’t change that feeling (or impact their wonderful fireplace). But for us, nothing beats The Cat & Cage – comfy chairs and sofas are curved around the fireplace, and it always has just the right level of seasonal decoration, all the year round. We’d still love to discover a great winter ghost story about this pub, but as the days grow shorter and the dark longer, we can’t think of many pub fireplaces we’d rather be haunting ourselves…
So, do visit a few of those mentioned above – or others we’ve tagged with our ‘fireplace‘ keyword (we do love a useful bit of metadata) – and decide for yourselves…what’s your favourite Dublin pub with a fireplace?