336) The Church of Mary Street and Jervis Street junction, D1

A huge early 18th century deconsecrated church provides the perfect setting for a pub. This old place of worship formerly known as St. Mary’s is now a bar, a café, a restaurant, a nightclub and a tourist attraction. There’s plenty of history here, and tourists, loads and loads of tourists – which explains the ghastly Temple Bar prices on the pint. In order to gain entry, we had to join a queue and pass muster for the big bloated bouncers. An impressive glass tower with an elevator at its centre is surrounded by a spiral staircase and provides entry to the upper level.

Many Dublin pubs, as is well known, often possess church-like qualities with their stained-glass windows, polished wood and brass, and their reverent atmosphere; well here we have the real thing! On entry one will find a massive baroque stained-glass window in front of a bust of Arthur Guinness who was married here in 1761. Next is the baptismal font in which many a bawling baby has been baptized from the likes of little Theobald Wolfe Tone to the tiny Seán O’Casey. The colossal Renatus Harris organ looms over the entire interior and has been played by none other than George Frederick Handel of Messiah fame.

We took our Guinness up to the upper galleries where the view is extraordinary. Then we wandered towards the glass enclosed bridge to the tower. The bridge is made from the floorboards that were removed from the cinema stage of the Adelphi Film Theatre. Here, one can walk on the very same stage as the likes of the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Ella Fitzgerald! A bit of a box-ticker but worthy of a visit. Shame about the crazy prices and the endless waves of tourists. Tipplers Tip: It opens at 10:30am, go early to enjoy a self-guided tour minus the crowds and be witness to the sunlight projecting colour through the stained-glass windows. 

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