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9: Portmarnock Golf Links. 10: A local enjoys a pint inside the Palace Bar. 11: Comfortable Clontarf Castle Hotel makes an excellent Dublin base with several good courses close by.
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BACK NINE – THE PUBS
Hole 10- Palace Bar
A short stroll from Temple Bar’ s cobbled streets, the Palace Bar is often said to be the perfect example of an old Dublin pub. Step into the beautiful snug with its mirrors and wooden niches in which many a historic meeting has taken place, or the back room with its high ceiling and ornate stained glass, where literary stock used to gather. Flann O’ Brien and Harry Kernoff were regulars, and the Palace Bar became one of Dublin’ s great literary pubs. An advertisement published in the“ Where to drink Guide 1958” adorns the wall and says:“ Internationally famous also for its intellectual refreshment.”
Hole 11- John Mulligan’ s
Once a working-class drinking man’ s pub, this brilliant old boozer is another virtually unchanged over the years. Established in 1782, its main claim to fame is a perfectly poured pint of Guinness and the colourful crew of regulars who are considered experts on the subject. Over the years Mulligan’ s has attracted a mixed bag including former US President John F Kennedy and it also featured as the local in the film My Left Foot starring Daniel Day Lewis as Christy Brown.
Hole 12- Grogan’ s Castle Lounge
Known among regulars simply as Grogan’ s, this city centre institution is a favourite haunt among painters, writers, bohemians and alternatives. From the street, not much can be seen through the lace curtains, but once you go through the door it’ s like stepping into someone’ s living room. The actor Brad Pitt became a local here to help him soak up the Irish atmosphere, while working on the movie Snatch.
Hole 13- O’ Neill’ s
Granted the James Joyce award for being an authentic Dublin pub, O’ Neill’ s has existed as licensed premises for over 300 years. Featuring five bars and numerous alcoves and snugs all of which attract a different clientele and age group, from students and lecturers at nearby Trinity College, to busy city traders and lovers of the arts and theatre. As an added bonus, O’ Neill’ s is one of 220 Irish pubs with special beer-dispensing tap tables, where customers can pour their own Guinness without the interminable wait for the barman to put the shamrock in the froth. Taps on the tables are linked to kegs behind the bar and customers leave their credit card to pay for a given number of pints.
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