Irish pubs are known for the casual and friendly atmosphere that revolves around drinking, eating and hanging out with friends.
But whenever there’s an important sporting event, these places turn into something different.
Everyone’s chanting, cheering and supporting their teams – making the experience enjoyable and intense at the same time.
In this article, we’ll talk about the best places in Dublin to catch a sports match while on you are on your adventureexploring the beautiful sights of Ireland.
First things first, what makes a good Irish sports bar?
So, what are the key ingredients to having a great time in a sports pub in Ireland? Great company, that’s for sure, and a good match on the TV.
Then, it’s also important to choose a place with tons of good foods and drinks on the menu.
And it goes without saying, but some fans love a cheeky bet to spice up things.
Depending on where you’re coming from, there are some great resources online for doing sports betting the right way while travelling around the world.
For Irish expats in Australia, there are many sites to help youfind trusted bookies, bonuses and promotions.
1. The 51
Located in the upscale area of Dublin 4, this sports bar has 7 HDTV screens streaming a large variety of sports games. It has an a big menu of whiskey collections – if not the biggest in Dublin.
Apart from having a great atmosphere for watching games and having drinks, The 51 is popular for their food menu. You’ll often find promotions like any meal from their menu with a drink for 12€.
Address:51 Haddington Rd, Dublin 4, D04 FD83, Co. Dublin, Ireland
2. The Bleeding Horse
As one of the oldest pubs you can visit in Ireland, The Bleeding Horse is a place of great historical and cultural significance.
It’s more than 5 centuries old, and it has appeared on James Joyce’s Ulysses and Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1845 novel The co*ck and Anchor.
This Irish pub is known for being a perfect place to watch all types of sports like football, horse racing, basketball, Formula 1, etc.
Address:24-25 Camden Street Upper, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2, Ireland
3. The Living Room
This pub was named the best choice to watch a match in Dublin at the 2016 Sky Bar awards. It’s kind of created for this purpose, and the guests are enjoying the ambient and all the foods and drinks.
Why do we say all this? Because The Living Room has the biggest outdoor screen in Dublin for watching matches, and a large beer garden.The best thing to try when visiting this pub is the delicious wood fired pizza, with some home brewed Irish beer.
When there are no games being played or it’s a week day, the pub can turn into a night bar with some of the best drink deals in the city.
Address:Cathal Brugha St, Rotunda, Dublin 1, Ireland
4. The Mercantile
The Mercantile is another bar that appeared in James Joyce’s Ulysses – as the workplace of the books protagonist.
The Mercantile hotel has one of the best sports bars in Dublin. It has nine screens, and is also the home of the Arsenal and Everton supporters clubs. It also offers great deals for foods and drinks on match days.
Address:28 Dame St, Dublin, Ireland
5. Trinity Bar and Venue
The Trinity Bar and Venue is another Irish pub that made this list. As most of the places we mentioned above, it’s located in Dublin, and it’s a great place to get something to eat or drink and watch a sports matches.
They have a number of large TV’s, with the largest being a 150 inches – one often times reserved for main events. Trinity Bar and Venue offers a great choice of foods and beverages, and great live music when there’s nothing streaming.
Address:46-49 Dame St, Dublin Southside, Dublin, D02 X466, Ireland
6. Three Spirits Bar and Grill
Ever since its opening back in 2016, the Three Spirits Bar and Grill is a popular pub for watching live sports.
You’ll find that they stream all types of games and races all week long. From football and basketball, to horse racing and Formula 1.
Interesting thing about this pub, is that they’re big time Brazil supporters. The atmosphere is liven up with a Roda De Samba whenever Brazil plays a game.
As you can imagine, it gets pretty wild during World Cups or Copa America competitions.
The grill in this pub is delicious, with a number of specialties that you can try. Same thing goes for the drinks, with reasonable pricing and a wide range of alcoholic beverages. Can you ask for something more when trying to find a place to watch a game and have a good time?
Address:80-71 Capel St, Rotunda, Dublin, Ireland
7. The Back Page
The Back Page is yet another award winning pub located in Dublin. It has been named as Ireland’s Best Sporting Pub at the 2016 National Hospitality Awards.
There’s a giant multi-purpose venue with a dedicated sports area for watching live games, and four large screens with a projector.
For kids and console lovers, there’s a special room where guests can play FIFA, so that’s pretty cool.
The Back Page also has a café for people to get something to eat and drink, and a nice board games selection.
If you feel like doing nothing, or want to rest up from the match, you’ll find the hammocks very useful. This Irish pub is clearly an all-rounder and an ideal place to watch some games, rest up and have a good time overall while sightseeing in Dublin.
Address:199 Phibsborough Rd, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, Ireland
Looks like Irish pubs and sports bars are a thing in Ireland, as the whole nation is crazy about football, horse racing and many other sports.
As you had the chance to learn in this article, you have a wide range of choices when it comes to watching matches and sport events in pubs and bars.
From simple sports pubs to award winning, novel worthy, samba playing pubs with giant TV’s, beer gardens and fan clubs – Ireland has it all.
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