Pubs reopening June 29th

[SoundMan]

The Southern Star job was absolutely half arsed. Spoilt a lovely old bar and didn't even finish the job.

Can't agree with you tbh. I live out that general side of town and would occasionally go in there on the way into town. Front bar was OK and the old guys were good craic but it wasn't doing the turnover. Seems to be jumping most times I pass these days and there's a much better pint in there now. There's a guy John? a barman from Balincollig if his GAA top is anything to go by, who knows what he's doing when it comes to pulling a decent pint.

And the food in there from the burger van out the back is sumptuous, if a little pricy. And the whole beer garden vibe is good there - looking forward to going in there over the summer tbh

 

[MerchantOfEnnis]

The Salmon and Star offer a decent option for people from the affluent areas to go out for a few drinks in nice local pubs and are not too bothered about going to the city centre and who also want to avoid the nightmare of Douglas.

Precisely. Douglas really is a pity. I used absolutely love the place and now I hate even passing through it, never mind going for a pint (South County excluded, especially as you can go there without really going into Douglas)

 

[MerchantOfEnnis]

There's a guy John? a barman from Balincollig

There's a guy called John working in the South County too, could be the same fella?

He usually does the dayshifts

 

[SoundMan]

Precisely. Douglas really is a pity. I used absolutely love the place and now I hate even passing through it, never mind going for a pint (South County excluded, especially as you can go there without really going into Douglas)

Used feel the same way about the Briar Rose - great spot and not in Douglas. They cut the heart and soul out of the place with the new layout a few years back

 

[MerchantOfEnnis]

Used feel the same way about the Briar Rose - great spot and not in Douglas. They cut the heart and soul out of the place with the new layout a few years back

Yep they absolutely ruined it. I went in one night to watch Tony Milner and the place was just absolutely soulless and empty. Gary formerly of Barry's looked to be managing it, but apparently he's gone from the place already. I don't blame him

 

[Stacky]

Precisely. Douglas really is a pity. I used absolutely love the place and now I hate even passing through it, never mind going for a pint (South County excluded, especially as you can go there without really going into Douglas)

You would not even stop there now as the whole place is just like a giant traffic transit hub and the whole village is just over commercialised and no reason to stop there anymore. The South County the odd time at a stretch.

It used to be possible to go on a decent pub crawl there but now you go into some of the pubs and they are just shoving a food menu into your face every 5 minutes.

 

[SoundMan]

Yep they absolutely ruined it. I went in one night to watch Tony Milner and the place was just absolutely soulless and empty. Gary formerly of Barry's looked to be managing it, but apparently he's gone from the place already. I don't blame him

I know it's a long time ago but the Briar Rose used be one of the best gigs for the Jazz Weekend imho. There was some Glen Miller tribute band playing swing and the place used be heaving and everyone in great spirits. It was our go-to Jazz venue for years. It was out of town and a bit of a Jazz "secret" but we loved it. A few of us used to go to The Briar every Thursday evening for years. But times moved on, people got married or moved away or whatever.

I recently went in there with a pal of mine who lives nearby. We just had a cup of coffee each and moved on. Bar staff were disinterested and though it was a Saturday afternoon there were only two other punters in the place. Even the tumbleweed gave the place a miss.

 

[MerchantOfEnnis]

You would not even stop there now as the whole place is just like a giant traffic transit hub and the whole village is just over commercialised and no reason to stop there anymore. The South County the odd time at a stretch.

It used to be possible to go on a decent pub crawl there but now you go into some of the pubs and they are just shoving a food menu into your face every 5 minutes.

Barry's are shocking for that.

Have any of ye ever encountered a guy called Ebenezer Jones in the pubs in Douglas? He was drinking in Driscolls last I heard

 

[SoundMan]

I thought JohnO's was the worst for shoving a menu in your face - though admittedly I've not been back there since covid so it may have changed.

 

[MerchantOfEnnis]

I thought JohnO's was the worst for shoving a menu in your face - though admittedly I've not been back there since covid so it may have changed.

Johnnos is a kip. The worst "pub" in Douglas and it has no shortage of competition for that accolade