The best GAA match day pubs: Pint me in the right direction

We are a simple people. Simpler still when it comes to a championship match day. All we want is a long bar, quick service and the right change, thanks very much. No need to gussy up the place – we won’t be staying long. Gussy it down, if anything. We’re really not worth the effort.

Herewith, a list of things you do not need if you want to run a good match day pub. Craft beers. Fine wines. Crushed ice. Mint. Cocktail umbrellas. Any class of jukebox or band. Pool table. Snooker table. Dining table. Parking.

The following, you may or may not need. Have them if you wish, but we will get along just fine without. Beer garden. Bar menu. Late licence. Seats. Windows. Light. Crisps. Patience. A smile.

Finally, the things you cannot do without. Extra staff. Plastic glasses. Porter. Toilets. Usually in that order.

Mould on cheese

Becoming a match day pub of choice is an organic thing. It generally grows out of nothing more complicated than being the pub closest to the ground. Not for us the modern way of planning stadiums with adjunct bars and restaurants dotted around their environs. (Not for us the planning of stadiums at all, says you). These things evolve over time without anyone watching – think of them as mould on the cheese of our most sacred venues.

If you’re within 10 minutes’ walk of the turnstiles and you have a running tap, you’re a match day pub. You don’t really have a whole lot of choice in the matter, either. Much and all as it’s a pain to be mopping up vomit on a Sunday lunchtime, just think of the other 48 Sundays in the year when all you have in front of you are two oul’ bucks arguing over who said Mass. Take the gift horse for what it is instead of inspecting its molars.

That’s what they’ve done, for instance, at the Creighton Arms Hotel in Clones. For most of the year, it’s a sleepy, charming little stop-off, a slightly tumbledown old palace that reeks of easy politeness and a grand countryside welcome. But because it is at the bottom of Fermanagh Street, it transforms for a handful of weekends in June and July into a Woodstockian bacchanalia of the ancient northern pastime of Giving Bad Manners. Best to just shrug and let it wash over you.

Of course, a lot of grounds are just too far from civilisation to have a designated match day pub. Good luck, for instance, finding a spot for a sup in the estates around Walsh Park in Waterford or Wexford Park in Wexford. Likewise, you’ll have to bring your walking boots if you’re looking for a pre-match straightener in Drogheda or Portlaoise, and you might as well bring an overnight bag if you’re thinking of grabbing one in Omagh.

Indeed, it’s no picnic finding a jar anywhere in the Wee Six. The tradition of a match day pint isn’t quite as established up there, which is hardly surprising as Sunday opening was only brought in during the mid-1990s. Also, not to put too fine a point on it, there would have been issues down the years with pubs advertising themselves as GAA haunts.

This isn’t to say you can’t get a pint near the ground, just that it’s not such A Thing. The Northern Gael is more likely to repair to his home patch post-match and do his imbibing among his own.

Dublin has its own rules, of course. There are pubs for Dubs and there are pubs for the rest of us. Occasionally, the twain shall meet and loud and witty shall be the badinage. More often, certain counties will find their own designated boltholes in the city. And within that, there are further subdivisions.

Here, for example, is the answer I got from a Kerryman of my acquaintance to an innocent email enquiry about his match day pub of choice. It is reproduced here in full so none of the essential Kerryness is lost.

“The Findlater is where we go for. What you find with Kerry people is that they would go to the ‘Killarney pub/hotel’ such as the Academy down off O’Connell Street, while the Auld Triangle on Dorset Street would be seen as a south Kerry location. There would be many places like that for Kerrymen. Both of these have Kerry connections, I think.

“The Findlater is a little different. Firstly I don’t believe there is a Kerry connection. Secondly, it seems to be populated with Kerry people from north Kerry (Tarbert), south Kerry (Waterville) and Killarney (mid/east Kerry). This would be a bit unusual.

“What happened I’d say was one day a group of lads found the Findlater as all the other pubs were jammed. As it’s en route to Heuston Station and O’Connell Street, it just became a place to go.

“Old Moran Hotel and the Merchant are other big Kerry spots. And Mulligan’s. But everyone would try to claim that.”

Be careful out there, folks.

DUBLIN

The Palace Bar

Location:

Temple Bar (barely, by the skin of its teeth, but Temple Bar nonetheless)

Proximity To Venue:

Taxi!

Crowd:

Tippmen. Rossies. Kerrymen. Sundry others.

A little pocket of the city centre that is forever of the country. A good place to go people-spotting the night of an All-Ireland. Temple Bar wouldn’t be a hurling stronghold – or a football one, come to that – but at least there’s room on the cobbles outside to spread out and gab away a summer’s evening.

Mulligans

Location:

Poolbeg Street, Dublin 2

Proximity To Venue:

Not as important to its patrons as proximity to the Southside.

Crowd:

Hacks. Academics. Crokies.

Basically the first pub across the river on a straight line from Croker, close to the Tara Street Dart station. The street outside is wide, the far footpath wider still, providing excellent spillage potential for a big crowd on a fine day. Southside Dubs abound but all races, colours and creeds have found a home in it.

Gaffney & Son

Location:

Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3

Proximity To Venue:

No more than five minutes, unless you stop at Meagher’s en route.

Crowd:

Jackeens. People vouched for by Jackeens.

The Dubs pub to drub all Dubs pubs. Hill 16 in a box. Get in early on a matchday or don’t get in at all.  Have been known to put out a barrier on the footpath to stop people spilling outside onto the street. Jammers until the anthems, then it’s the fall of Saigon up to Clonliffe Road. Fabulous spot - everyone should go once.

MUNSTER

Temple Inn, Cork

Location: Blackrock Road, Ballintemple

Proximity to venue: One of the closest pubs to Páirc Uí Chaoimh – which is convenient, except the stadium doesn't exist anymore. It's just a pile of rubble (always was I hear you say!).

Crowd: On hot, summer match days there are as many cider-lovers standing outside as inside.

Known as “Longboats” to those who frequent the pub regularly, for an hour before and after big games it’s a tight squeeze. Otherwise, it’s the perfect location for a calm dissection of the sport. Longboat was an Irish sprinter who got the nickname due to his running style. It’s all explained on a plaque outside the pub.

Tatler Jack, Killarney

Location: Smack in the centre of town, Plunkett Street.

Proximity to venue: Not close, though that's more the stadium's fault than the pub's. Twenty minutes walk minimum.

Crowd: Killarney, in the summer, means there will be a big mix of every nationality and creed. There might even be a few hurling fans.

Even the menu has a picture of a Gaelic footballer on it. Might seem a strange pick as there are closer, quieter, less touristy, more fervently GAA pubs in Killarney, but it has a great buzz on match-day. Known to be frequented by Dr Crokes’ players and supporters, so advisable not to start any conversation with: “That Gooch is overrated, isn’t he?”

The Arch Bar, Thurles

Location: Right in the centre of town, Liberty Square.

Proximity to venue: 10 minutes – 15 if your ticket is for the Old Stand side.

Crowd: Big spread - young to not-so-young. Pub has enough nooks and crannies to keep them all happy.

Are there non-GAA pubs in Thurles? On match-days there’s certainly not, but a few pubs can more than match that special buzz the town is famous for on big match days – when it’s perfectly acceptable to ask a complete stranger their view on the game. Of course, the famous Hayes Hotel, birthplace of the GAA, is just 100 yards away if history is your thing.

Ciarán’s Bar, Ennis

Location: Francis Street. At the town end, just around the corner from Abbey Street.

Proximity to venue: You could probably run from pub seat to stadium seat in two minutes, if you really had to. But give yourself 10 minutes and enjoy the stroll.

Crowd: Half urban, half rural, half cut (if Clare win).

You might find the odd foreign tourist in Ciarán’s who doesn’t know what’s going on, asking “who’s playing?” and “what’s hurling?”, but in general this is a knowledgeable crowd . They know who’s playing and, more importantly, who should be playing. And someone might take out a fiddle to keep tune with your discussion about which team has the strongest bench.

Ardhu Bar, Limerick

Location: On the Ennis Road, just a few hundred yards on the city side of the stadium.

Proximity to venue: You'll be quicker walking from the pub to the gates of the stadium than you will be from there to your seat.

Crowd: Depends on what night of the week it is (and if there's a DJ), but if there's a big match nearby, the crowd will be wearing colours.

On the grounds of the Clarion Suites, it looks smaller from the outside, but has the space to hold a crowd and a pre-game/ post-game atmosphere. And then there’s the outside space and BBQ on match days. Of course, it’s not far from the other big ground in Limerick, Thomond Park, so you may need to be specific when asking about the “big match”.

LEINSTER

Coffey’s, Newbridge

Location: Main Street, Newbridge

Proximity To Venue: Right across the street. Literally a stone's throw if you were so inclined.

Crowd: Nervous, fatalistic, seen too much.

With St Conleth’s Park right on Main Street, Newbridge is a terrific matchday town. Coffey’s couldn’t be handier – if a cranky barman pushed you out the door with any force at all, he’d land you at the front gate. The walls drip with Kildare GAA history, the taps drip with potions to help them forget the present.

Ryan’s Bar, Navan

Location: Trimgate Street, Navan

Proximity To Venue: A shade over 10 minutes.

Crowd: Sneery, sarky, Royal.

Owned by Mick Ryan – a former league winner with Meath back in 1974-75 – this is prime real estate for a Royaller with notions of a day out in his mind. While you can certainly get a jar in the O’Mahony’s clubhouse at the ground if you wish, Ryan’s is the place to start. Good grub, good pint, a few pictures of teams on the wall but not too many. Hard to beat it.

Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar

Location: Pearse Street, Mullingar – about as town centre as you can get.

Proximity To Venue: Less than 10 minutes. And all downhill.

Crowd: Carvery-hunters.

No shortage of boozers in Mullingar (we mean the stone, rather than human, sort) but none of them thrum with the energy of a championship day like the Greville Arms. A vital pre-game stop-off to queue up and pile a tray high and as good a place as any to gather afterwards. Ground zero for Westmeath GAA – sure it’s where they gave Páidí Ó Sé his coronation.

Delaney’s Bar & Grocery, Kilkenny

Location: Some conjecture about this, actually. Some say Patrick Street, some say Waterford Road. The Village, regardless.

Proximity To Venue: 15-20 minutes. Others are closer, none are better.

Crowd: Deep-core Cats.

Bit of a connoisseur’s haunt, this. Langton’s will always take a crowd and John Street has any amount of decent spots. But when it comes to hurling chat, Séamus Delaney’s place up in James Stephens territory is the place to go for the pure drop. A bit away from Nowlan Park but no lesser for it.

Kavanagh’s, Portlaoise

Location: Main Street, Portlaoise.

Proximity To Venue: Might be no harm to bring a driver. A good 20 minutes by shank's mare.

Crowd: Good-life livers, all-sport lovers.

O’Moore Park wouldn’t be the most conducive county ground in the nation when it comes to a pre-match sup but The Town itself will see you right. Kavanagh’s is a focal point just down from the top square, home to the self-styled “Third-best comedy club in Ireland”. Great spot, whatever you’re after.

CONNACHT

Salthill Hotel, Galway

Location: On the seafront as you head out past Salthill on the promenade towards Galway Golf Club

Proximity To Venue: 10 minutes-ish. Maybe allow 15 as it's up a fair hill.

Crowd: Families. Diners.

Pearse Stadium is a fair way from anywhere, snuggled in off the Dr Mannix Road in a residential area. But the Salthill Hotel is a fine place to drop anchor before or after a game, especially on a clear day with Galway Bay stretching off into the distance. Big screens for all the matches, good feeding too.

Ruislip GAA Club, London

Location: Irish TV GAA Grounds, West End Road, South Ruislip, HA4 6QX

Proximity To Venue: It IS the venue.

Crowd: Irish emigrants, all stripes, all ages.

Hands-down the best championship venue to visit for a day out. There’s a bar in the clubhouse and a couple of marquees set up in the car park with kegs on the go from well before throw-in. Not a pub per se, but when you’re sitting cross-legged on the grassy bank with a cider in your hand, you won’t split hairs.

Dunnes Bar, Carrick-On-Shannon

Location: Main Street, next to the Bush Hotel (No bad matchday choice itself)

Proximity To Venue: 20 minutes. Might want to break it up with a stop on the way.

Crowd: Pope JP2's favourite – Young People Of Ireland

Páirc Seán has its own thing going on but if you go to Carrick without going up the town, you haven’t gone to Carrick. Dunnes is a Tardis-style joint that looks small from the outside but then opens out into a world of its own when you get through the door.

Mick Byrne’s Bar Castlebar

Location: Main Street, Castlebar.

Proximity To Venue: Bit of a walk. Allow 15 minutes.

Crowd: Mayo-4-Sam number-plate buyers.

There are bigger pubs, with wider-open spaces in which to spread out and take the day. But if you want pure, unvarnished Mayo football chat, this is the place to go. If you haven’t heard a matchday rumour here, you can feel confident in calling bullshit on any you hear floating on the breeze in the ground.

Down The Hatch, Roscommon

Location: Church Street, Roscommon

Proximity To Venue: 10 minutes.

More if you stop at the Supermacs on the roundabout.

Crowd: Rossie Nation

The Hyde is stuck out on the Athlone Road so whatever way you look at it, you’ve a bit of stepping to do before you find your corner. Any Rossie worth his salt will drag you to this one. Legend has it that in the good old days, this is where selectors would repair after training to pick the team. The passage of years hasn’t dampened the expertise.

ULSTER

Pearse Ógs Social Club, Armagh

Location: Out the back of the Athletic Grounds, just off the Monaghan Road.

Proximity To Venue: You could order your pint from the dug-out if the barman was keen.

Crowd: Convivial. Delighted to have you.

Since the refurbishment of the Athletic Grounds a few years back, Armagh city has started to find its feet as a match-day location. But the key venue is still the one nearest the door, home to local club Pearse Ógs. Open early and late on a match-day, it’s a grand place to linger.

Villa Rose Hotel, Ballybofey

Location: Right in the middle of Main Street, Ballybofey.

Proximity To Venue: Five minutes, regardless of state of fitness. Or sobriety.

Crowd: Wild craic boy-racers, hi.

Ballybofey has much to give when it comes to drinking houses but the Villa Rose is the place most likely to be hopping pre- or post-match. Close enough to MacCumhaill Park that you could nearly skip out for a swift half at half-time if that sort of thing was deemed reasonable. (It’s not, just yet. Thanks, society.)

Enniskillen Gaels, Clubhouse Enniskillen

Location: Brewster Park, Factory Road, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh

Proximity To Venue: Shouting abuse at the ref doesn't require leaving your stool.

Crowd: A place with its priorities screwed on. The bar is open all day when Fermanagh are playing but the shutters come down when county championship matches are on. Not unknown for punters to come in for a pre-match tincture, end up bending the barman's ear for the duration and not, strictly speaking, taking in the match. Doesn't mean they won't have thoughts on the result all the same.

The Top Of The Town, Cavan

Location: The, eh, top of the town. Up towards the end of Connolly Street as you head from the town centre to Breffni Park.

Proximity to venue: 10 minutes.

Crowd: Old-school, curmudgeonly.

A GAA pub down to the taps in the bathroom. Owned by Seamus Smith, a direct descendant of Jim Smith, the captain of the first ever Cavan team to win an All-Ireland in 1935. Reputed watering-hole of Cavan manager Terry Hyland from time to time. Although he’ll hardly be there on a match day.

The Creighton Hotel, Clones

Location: Bottom of Fermanagh Street, at the foot of the hill leading up to St Tiarnach's Park.

Proximity to venue: Five minutes, tops.

Crowd: Beery, loud, sunburnt.

Hard to find a fault with an old reliable. Packed to the joists on a match day, it’s at the apex of the last turn team buses make en route to the ground. If your team is in an Ulster final and you’re not standing there waving your spare hand as they pass, you’re not living.

*Be sure to pick up your free GAA Championship Magazine in The Irish Times on Thursday - for your complete guide to the summer’s action including features such as this one from our expert team of GAA writers.