The Cobblestone is a pub in Smithfield, Dublin, renowned for its live Irish traditional music.[1] The pub has been run by the Mulligan family since 1987.[1] It hosts multiple music sessions a day,[2] and is primarily sustained by the tourist trade.[3]
| Address | 77 King Street North, Smithfield, Dublin, D07 TP22 |
|---|---|
| Location | Smithfield, Dublin |
| Operator | Tom Mulligan |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
In 2021 it was under threat of closure as part of a redevelopment plan to convert its rear venue room and outside area and surrounding buildings into a nine-storey hotel but Dublin City Council denied the scheme planning permission after public outcry and protest.[1][4] The protests, which involved John Francis Flynn, Ispíní na hÉireann and over 400 others, caused Gardaí to shut down the quays of the Liffey.[5][4]
Performers and visitors to the pub have included The Chieftans, Mary Black with Steve Martin supporting on banjo, comic Billy Connolly, chef Anthony Bourdain, actor Jon Voight and musician Manu Chao.[1]
The Guardian named The Cobblestone as "Ireland's most famous traditional music pub" in 2021.[1] Condé Nast Traveller described its sessions as "some of the best live traditional music you’ll hear anywhere".[6] In 2023, the pub was the subject of an RTÉ documentary, Athbhaile.[2] Later that year, it was featured in The New York Times's coverage of the sessions held in the wake of Shane MacGowan's death.[7] In 2024 the pub was featured in Mega Dreoilín, a videogame art exhibition depicting the city's gentrifiction.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e O'Carroll, Lisa (November 29, 2021). "Dublin's famous music pub The Cobblestone saved from developers". The Guardian.
- ^ a b "Love letter to The Cobblestone: a legendary Dublin pub celebrated". RTÉ.ie. May 24, 2023.
- ^ O'Connor, Amy (January 2, 2019). "'If we build here, we'll have to build around you': How The Cobblestone became a traditional icon in a changing Dublin". TheJournal.ie.
- ^ a b "Hundreds protest over plan for hotel around Cobblestone musical pub". The Irish Times.
- ^ Brayden, Kate. "Save the Cobblestone March & Céilí To Take Place In Smithfield on Saturday". Hotpress.
- ^ "The Cobblestone, Dublin, Ireland - Bar Review". Condé Nast Traveler.
- ^ O’Loughlin, Ed (December 1, 2023). "In Dublin's Pubs, Raising a Farewell Pint to Shane MacGowan". The New York Times.
- ^ "Fight mould monsters and giant vultures in video game exhibition on the housing crisis". Irish Independent. May 24, 2024.
External links
edit- Official website
- Athbhaile - a 2023 RTÉ documentary on The Cobblestone
- Changing Smithfield Still Holds On to Dublin-Style Fun, The New York Times, 26/04/2009