Brewed by Roadworks Brewing Company (Station Works Brewery/Pearse Lyons Brewery) Style: Pale Ale Dundalk, Ireland
Pearse Lyons (who unfortunately passed away last year, 2018) from Dundalk, was from a family steeped in the brewing tradition and was the first Irishman to achieve a Masters Degree of Science in Brewing Science from the British School of Malting and Brewing in 1968. While at university (UCD, getting a first class honours degree in biochemistry), he did an internship at Guinness and later worked as a biochemist for Irish Distillers, makers of the well known and loved Jameson whiskey. So you could say he was well versed in the craft.
He set up the company Alltech in his garage in 1980 while living in Kentucky for work purposes. Lyons used his fermentation expertise to helping brewers. He then moved into agri business, more particularly, animal feed and animal nutrition. Overtime Alltech has become one of the fastest growing companies in the global animal health industry, continually making a tidy profit year in year out, and with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion. Not bad for the fella who got a 10,000 Dollar loan to start off in his garage!
But not to forget the roots of the industry, Lyons jumped at the chance to purchase Lexington Brewing Company in 1999, and over time he managed to resurrect the brewing and distilling tradition of Lexington that dates back to 1794, and produce a successful range of Kentucky Ale beer that have proved popular amongst the drinking masses.
Growing his international alcohol division, Alltech acquired a craft brewery in Northern Ireland (The Station Works Brewery) and also one in England (Cumberland Breweries Ltd), representing a return to his roots as such, and a major expansion into Europe of his successful American brewing division.
With three new breweries under construction in the United States, and a major investment in a new distillery, called Pearse Lyons Distillery in the heart of the Dublin, at the former St James Church where his grandfather is buried, Lyons was set to continue the family history. They also opened a new brewery at the historic site of the old MacArdle Moore Brewery in Dundalk, which will also incorporate the relocation of the Station Works Brewery in Newry, acquired by the company in 2015.
Both of his children work within the family owned business. His daughter, Dr. Aoife Lyons, a licensed clinical psychologist, is global director of educational initiatives and engagement for the company, while his son, Dr. Mark Lyons, is now the president and CEO. Keeping the company in family hands is no mean feat in the cutthroat business of animal health where the vast majority of the industry is indebted to shareholders and the whims of the market.
Not my first beer from this brewery as I tried their Foxes Rock collection, a pale ale and a red ale, both a little disappointing it has to be said.
Review: 500ml bottle of Roadworks Pale Ale: 4.5% vol.
On bottle it says it is made by Roadworks Brewing Company, but when you check online then you get Station Works Brewery and even further a Pearse Lyons Brewery. Very confusing, but it’s brewed for Lidl so that might explain it all!
Either way it comes in a lovely looking bottle with a nice and hip logo and design, of a car, a volkswagen.
On pour I get a cloudy looking golden coloured beer, with a lot of carbonation, quite a good bit actually. A small whitish head appears, and it sticks around too! Good bit of lacing.
Overall a good looking beer, has a very deep appearance, and a nice head and colour to appreciate.
A real IPA type aroma, very nice, spot on with the smell. Getting the citrus, and other fruits and the malts, lovely.
First impressions on the taste is good, for an IPA it is smooth enough for me, soft, clean and crisp on the tongue, the hops gentle and very tasty, not bad.
Coming cold from the fridge, it’s not bad at all. A typical IPA taste to it but on the low level which is nice for us that are not craft beer snobs…….so very manageable!
Hops are present and enjoyable, but not overbearing. A nice beer to sip and enjoy over time, a slow burner, with a wide array of lovely tastes and flavours. The citrus and fruits, the malts, and hops all coming in to round off a nice pleasant full bodied taste.
My football day trip this time was to be a little different. Rather than head straight to the pub for a day of drinking and having the craic and then finish it off with some football, this time I was to shake the day up a bit by including some more cultural and creative pursuits. Some might argue isn’t football high art in itself, but anyway this time round I was to take a nice walking tour in Phibsborough, then head across the city to Darndale to take in some great art, and then to finish it off with some football at Richmond Park, the stadium of light, home of St Patrick’s Athletic, not before I had a chat with local musician and keyboard wizard, Tommy Keyes. Art, music, storytelling, football and the odd pint, who says my life is boring!
St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore (Irish: Inse Chór, meaning “Island of Sheep”), located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of the city centre, easily accessible by the Luas from O’Connell street.
Inchicore, by the Grand Canal, grew from a small village evolving in time as a gateway for trade into Dublin city, then as a significant industrial and residential suburb, with the Irish railway network having a hub here always providing opportunities.
Inchicore, with a population of about 2400, still has a small village atmosphere. The area includes a variety of local stores including a butcher/deli, hardware, ethnic stores, and two mid-size supermarkets, not to forget there are several pubs, including the ancient Black Lion Inn, and several restaurants and takeaways. A brewery has also opened in the area. Add in the main Church and you have everything you might need in an Irish town! (Oh yeah, the football club too!!)
My Streets Dublin
While I was thinking of what I could do for the day out in Dublin I came across a new walking tour that was been introduced in the city, called My Streets, Ireland. What was different about this tour was that it was done by people who have lived on the streets of the capital, homeless people giving tours and telling their unique stories. So I signed up and on the day I was lucky to get a tour off Eddie who was showing a few of us around the streets of Phibsboro, North Dublin. I also got chatting to Austin Campbell, one of the people behind the exciting new venture.
Phibsboro, is a mixed commercial and residential neighbourhood in North Dublin hugging the The Royal Canal. A typical red-brick terrace area, with the odd Victorian style looking pub and the always busy Doyle’s Corner thoroughfare. Easily reachable by the new Luas Cross City Line network, or if you are mad, one could, of course, walk from O’Connell Street which can take you about 30 minutes or less.
It would be amiss of me not to mention, just about now, my football away days trip to local Phibsboro football club, Bohemians F.C. Read all about it here
I was well impressed with Eddie, a nice young man who has turned his life around and the tour was very informative. This was a tour that didn’t so much concentrate on the sights of the city but more on the personal stories of its people. Eddie talked about his rough upbringing, why he was on the streets, and the ins and outs of life as a homeless person. It was really a great way to spend an hour and I strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking for something a little different in a tour. It certainly brought me into a world I don’t often think about, which was good.
I think what Austin and My Streets Ireland are doing is great, giving homeless people opportunities and also it’s a way of them contributing to the community. I will definitely be back on one of their tours the next time I am in Dublin as Austin mentioned they have plans for a Brendan Behan tour and a tour on Dublin’s street markets (a la Moore street for example), which both sound interesting, on top of the other tours they offer, Eddies one which I took ( ‘Eddie’s Experiences of Homelessness’ ) and a Viking special.
Anyway so here is my quick chat with eddie, Enjoy!
My Streets Ireland: Tours are offered 7 days a week and can be booked by private messaging on the My Streets facebook page, by emailing or by phone.
Tours are charged at a price of €10 per person.
The second part of my big adventure on my day out in Dublin was to head over the famous, Darndale, the edge of nowhere as they say, to meet the one and only Immanuel godson, an amazing Northside artist and painter who creates works in a classic and realistic style spruced up with a good healthy dose of modern day humour and satire. It was actually good to see that, like Eddies homeless tour in the morning, Immanuel has also been integrated into his community, an artist of the people for the people.
Darndale (Irish: Darndál meaning ”daffodil”) is an area on the Northside of Dublin, featuring a high concentration of social housing. It is located in the north of the sprawling suburb of Coolock. Got the bus from Busaras, takes about 40 minutes.
Immanuel was kind enough to show me round his gallery and explain some of the ideas behind his art. I also had a great chat with Immanuel about his work, and some of his opinions on the modern day art scene.
Would also like to mention how cool the Darndale Belcamp Village Centre is, it really is one tranquil place where anyone from the community can go in, embrace all the great art on display and relax in their thoughts and moods. And it isn’t just Immanuel’s art that is exhibited, a good few other local talents have their work highlighted and laid out around the building. An excellent resource for the local people, hats off to whoever keeps it going.
After Eddies great tour we needed a quick pint and a quick rest of the old legs before we embarked on our journey across town. Plenty of good boozers in Phibsboro, but we decided to head to Doyles Corner, an iconic landmark in this part of town.
Here for over a 100 years, it is a pub steeped in the fabric of the local community. I have drank in this place before, as it is a stone’s throw from Bohemians FC ground, Dalymount Park, and it is also not too far from Croke Park, the Gah ground. So on match day, be it football, bogball, or stick fighting (ancient Irish sports), it is always busy.
Well to say we were amazed is an understatement. We actually had to check if we were in the right bar, I say this as the whole place got a total revamp inside, and looks totally different. It has got a very stylish and fancy new makeover. It really is a great design, and who ever is the interior decorator deserves a big cheer. There is a bit of everything in it really, some art deco, has nice wooden snugs, cool peasants on displays, dead and stuffed of course, the visit to the bogs bring you on an old disco style journey with big pop art in the toilets. Now I know this all sounds like a bit of a mess but somehow it all works perfectly together. Of course for me the best bit is behind the bar, looking at all the various whiskeys and liquor on display,
We were the only two at the bar early morning, so still quiet. They have a good selection of beers on tap but went for Franciscan Well’s Rebel Red Ale, from Cork. Bar lady was friendly and served the beer perfectly in no time. Also got some Keoghs mature Irish crisps, very nice too, so good went back for another bag! As we were looking at all the beers, booze and alcohol on display Pogues Irish Whiskey caught our eye, and sure we just had to have a taste of this! Got a shot of it, was smooth enough, and gave us that little kick we need to continue on our journey across Dublin.
Doyles is looking fantastic and will be here again no doubt about it the next time I’m this side of Dublin, so much to see, so many interesting beers to try out, great setting, friendly staff, and a good effort all round. Next time I should try some of their food as I’d guess they have a great menu too!
Back again in Graingers Bar. We got a taxi back from Darndale to the city, and rather than try out a new bar we went with what we know, Graingers. We were hungry and in need of some good grub, so we knew what we would get in this bar………delicious food at a decent price, with a good pint too boot.
Near both the national bus and train Station this bar always has good food on offer. Great friendly service and a good way to recharge the batteries and fill the belly. Ordered a new beer, a Cute Hoor, an Irish pale ale, from Cork I think, but operated by Heineken, was pretty good though, very nice. Also the fish and chips ordered did the business.
One of my favourite bars for a quiet pint and some food. Recommended, as always!
Arrived in Inchicore, and really there is only one pub to go for a quick pre match scoop and that is Mcdowells Pub, smack bang wallop right beside the football ground! The club actually own this pub, they bought it to reassure fans who were worried that the club might up sticks and move. It’s a nod to the fans that the club is determined to stay in the area, and it’s also a good money making venture too! Having a pint in this pub is not only a pleasurable experience as you mingle with the fans, but it’s good to know you are also helping the coffers of the club with your purchase.
Place was busy, as to be expected with a pre match crowd, ordered a Heineken, and a packet of Tayto Salt and Vinegar, that’s the lunch sorted. Pint served fast and efficiently from the friendly bar man.
Good bar as there is a good bit of Pats football memorabilia dotted around, and the atmosphere was building up. Love this bar, it’s only a pity though that they can not somehow have it set up that punters can return at half time for a few more pints. Perhaps knock down a wall out the back???
Quick pint, and even quicker walk, straight out the door and right down the short alley to the turnstile to the game. As easy as that. One, two, three……..
Had one final pint just before we got the last bus home. Right across from Connolly Train Station, and near the Luas stop and Busaras bus terminal, is the Beresford Hotel with a bar on show. Looks like it was open for business and had a few souls inside, so we ventured in.
The Beresford is a 3 star hotel, with a top restaurant with an Italian menu but also offering Irish style breakfasts, anad a cafe bar with a top notch bar and lounge offering a wide array of drinks.
Seen that this new lager called Rockshore was popular so I decided to try it out. And boy was that a good decision as it was lovely, cold and crisp, what a fine pint to finish the day with. Lovely.
Barman was friendly and efficient, the interior was good, nice and comfy sitting at the bar, and the place was quiet enough to have the chat and digest the day we had. A very good place to have a quick pint before getting the train or bus home.
St Patrick’s Athletic F.C.
Founded: 1929
Arena/Stadium: Richmond Park,
Location: 125 Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8
Capacity: 5,340 (2,800 seated)
Manager: Harry Kenny
Leagues: League of Ireland Premier Division
Honours
League of Ireland/Premier Division: 8 (Last 2013)
FAI Cup: 3 (Last 2014)
St Patrick’s Athletic F.C. is a football club based in Inchicore, Dublin, that plays in the Irish Premier Division. Founded in May 1929, they originally played in the Phoenix Park but now play in Richmond Park since 1930.
Currently managed by Harry Kenny, the club play in red and white, and have won nine (or eight depending who you talk to!) league titles, and three FAI Cups. The club’s glory years came in the 1950s and 1990s when they won 7 of their 9 league titles. The club also have the record for never having been relegated from the Premier Division. Rivals could be said to be any of the other Dublin teams with the likes of Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians to choose from.
The club started off playing in the Leinster Senior League before taking their place in the League of Ireland in 1951, winning the Championship at their first attempt, with striker Shay Gibbons banging in the goals (LOI top scorer for three seasons in the 50’s). They had won the Leinster Senior league on numerous occasions, so perhaps winning the national league wasn’t such a big surprise. Two more league championship successes followed in 1954–55 and 1955–56, while in 1959 they achieved their first Cup success, beating Waterford 2-1 in a replay. Another Cup win came in 1961, beating Drumcondra 2-1, in an all Dublin final. Who would have guessed it would have taken 53 years for their next FAI Cup win! (2014).
The next few decades, from the swinging ’60s right upto the drab 80’s, were pretty forgetful years for Pats fans. No trophies in a long barren spell for the club. Paul McGrath did appear though, earning the PFAI Players player of the year in 1982, for his very brief time at the club, before been whisked off to Manchester United. Even shorter, much shorter in fact, was the one appearance for St Pats, by World Cup legend Gordon Banks! At the time British stars used to come over to Ireland for play for pay games. Invaraibly they were always shite as they were well at the end of their careers. Terry Venables was another who came over, in the 80’s.
Fortunes began to change when Brian Kerr took control of the managerial reigns in 1986. Working on a tight budget the manager got the team to win the LOI Championship title in the 1989-1990 season, their first for 34 years! He did unearth a few gems, Paul Osam, Curtis Fleming, Pat Fenlon, John McDonnell, and things looked rosy for the club.
But as so often in Irish football, the highs are always followed closely by the lows. The club was thrown into chaos when a takeover bid failed badly, leaving the club hours away from extinction before a group of local investors raised £82,000 to save the club. Phew!
Brian Kerr, wearing the club badge on his sleeve, as always, stepped up to help his club out when they needed him most for the gigantic task of rebuilding a winning team that was shot to pieces in months, with so many players leaving in the havoc surrounding the survival of the club. But as so often with Keer, he worked the oracle and once again created a winning championship team at St Pats with the league trophy returning to Richmond Park in 1996. The winning squad made up of such Pats legends as Eddie Gormley, Paul Osam and Ricky O’Flaherty together with exciting young stars such as Colin Hawkins and Trevor Molloy.
When Kerr resigned to take up the Director of Coaching job with the FAI, the good work was continued by Pat Dolan and then Liam Buckley installed as manager, with further championships in 1998 and 1999. The less said about the 10–0 aggregate loss to Zimbru Chişinău in the CL the better, the only real blight on Buckleys time at Pats!
In 2002 there was a League Championship title win that was not valid. The tile was given to Shelbourne as St Pats were given a 15 points deduction for playing an unregistered player for the first 5 games of the season. Some Pats fans count this in their title wins and you might see 9 instead of 8 Championships, so be warned!
In 2005 there were talks of a ground share plan in Tallaght with Dublin rivals, Shamrock Rovers. Obviously this was anathema to the supporters who fiercely resisted the move. In july 2006, the fans helped pressure the club to buy the Richmond House pub (also known as McDowell’s) for use as an official clubhouse, to show that they listened to the fans concerns and show their grounding in the local community.
Fast forward to 2012 and the return of Liam Buckley, former player and manager, for another stint in the hot seat. A clearout of the old team and bringing in 14 new players, Buckley was showing his serious ambitions on rebuilding a team to compete for the championship again. he did bring in some real star quality to the club, Chris Forrester, Christy Fagan, and Ger O’Brien, all becoming fans favourites in no time at all. Buckley’s side finished 3rd in the league, 6 points off champions Sligo Rovers. and he also guided his side to the 2012 FAI Cup Final, but they lost out 3–2 in extra-time to Derry City further extending the Saints’ FAI Cup winning drought to 52 years. Improvements were seen and the fans were happy, safe in the knowledge that good days were just around the corner. Killian Brennan and Conan Byrne arrived, further strengthening an already very decent side, and sure enough in 2013 they clinched the League of Ireland title on after a 2–0 win against holders Sligo Rovers with two games to spare. Brennan getting PFAI player of the year for his efforts.
In 2013 they finally got the monkey off their back and won the cup for the first time in 53 long years. beating Derry City 2–0 with Christy Fagan immortalising himself with the club’s fans by scoring twice. He was also the clubs top scorer that season in the league and also voted PFAI player of the year. Not a bad season by all accounts!
Upto the present day, they have got Harry Kenny managing them, an ex assistant manager now taking the number one role, having showed some promise as a manager when in charge of Bray Wanderers. Started the season with a cracker, beating Cork City at home, but since then the team have had a stop start season, winning games they were not expected to do so well and losing or drawing games they should have won. Some rumblings from the fans but I think a new man in charge needs at least a season to bed in his football philosophy. So let’s see…..
Pats have always put on a bit of a show in European football though. They have had some misadventures for sure (as mentioned), but on a few occasions they have got through numerous rounds in the Europa League, beating some decent teams along the way. In 2008–09 St. Pat’s progressed through two rounds of the UEFA Cup by beating JFK Olimps Riga and Elfsborg before losing to Hertha BSC, 0-2 on agg, in the First Round proper. In 2009, they did the same, two rounds of progression, Pat’s this time won games against Valletta FC and Russian Premier League side Krylia Sovetov to reach the play-off round where they were defeated by FC Steaua București, 1-5 on agg.. In 2011, again the same, knocking out Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja from Iceland and FC Shakhter Karagandy from Kazakhstan before eventually being knocked out in the third qualifying round by Ukrainian side FC Karpaty Lviv, 1-5 on agg..
In 2012 Buckley took the reins of the club knowing of the European expectations at the club and once again didn’t disappoint, knocking both Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja of iceland (a game I was at!) and NK Široki Brijeg out after extra-time, to earn a tie with German powerhouse Hannover 96, who knocked the Saints out in the third qualifying round. In 2016 the Saints knocked Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg out of the UEFA Europa League on away goals before being narrowly beaten 2–1 on aggregate to Dinamo Minsk of Belarus in the second qualifying round, in a game truth be told they should have really won. Overall, generally Pats perform decent enough in Europe, and are one of the few LOI teams where fans can regal newcomers about “glory European adventures down Richmond way”, always when it’s raining though!!
Notable ex-players who have donned the Pats shirt in the past include Ireland internationals Keith Fahey, Curtis Fleming, and “The Black Pearl of Inchicore”, the legend that is Paul Mcgrath, one of the best defenders I have ever seen, no doubt about it. Other top players include Joseph N’Do, Ryan Guy, Charles Mbabazi Livingstone, Gordon Banks, Eddie Gormley, and Paul Osam who hold the all time appearances record for the club (308).
The club play out of Richmond Park in the suburb of Inchicore. The area where the ground now stands was formerly used as a recreational area by the British Army, who were stationed at the nearby Richmond Barracks, named after Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond hence the name Richmond Park. Getting to Richmond is dead easy. One can take a bus, bus numbers 68, 68a, 69 and 79 all can take you near or near enough to the ground from the city centre, but the best and easiest way to Richmond is by taking the tram. Get on the Red Luas line to Saggart/Tallaght from the city centre, getting off at Goldenbridge stop. From there, cross the canal, veer left and continue down Connolly Avenue towards Emmet Road. Simples!
St Pats, although a small club they do have a strong link up with their surroundings and the local south west Dublin community. When visiting Richmond one can definitely feel a close bond from the supporters towards the club. The Shed End Invincibles are the “ultra” group associated with the team. They no doubt bring a great atmosphere to the ground, always having some sort of fan display on show, sing throughout and are one of the better fan groups in the LOI. They really play a big part in making a trip to Richmond a highlight, for me at least.
To the game
St Patrick’s Athletic 1 – Dundalk 0
05.04.2019 Richmond Park
45’ Own goal
Attendance: 1878
Despite it piddling down for most, if not all, of the game, I barely noticed that I was totally drenched, such was the excitement on offer at Richmond Park. Ok parts of the game were a little pedestrian, but for what St Pats lacked in skill they more than made up for it with steely determination and heart.
Dundalk, the Champions, looked a bit lively at the start and one was thinking it was only a matter of time before they would score. But then as the game went on, the Pats players became more confident, with Rhys McCabe working his socks off, popping up all over the pitch, harrying players for the ball, pinning passes left to right, and generally been a pain in the ass for the Dundalk back four. An excellent performance from Rhys McCabe, what a pleasure to see such skill on show in our league.
Was right in view of the penalty box when the Pats had a clear penalty shout waved away by the ref, but it no doubt hit the Dundalk defender and God only knows what the hell the linesman was doing as he also had a clear view of the incident. He took a good bit of ribbing from the Pats fans after that terrible error. I dont know, refs and linesmen…..a different breed! Ha.
Sure enough the goal came via McCabe, who floated a swinging cross into the box only for Daniel Cleary to somehow slide it into his own goal, one nil to the home team just before half time.
In the second half both teams had chances to score, but it seemed that the Pats midfield were bossing it, with the team home totally neutralising the Dundalk threat. That was until the last 10 minutes or so, with about 5 minutes of added time, when the Pats players naturally whilted with all the effort they put in, Dundalk put the foot on the gas and there was a lot of last man defending as Dundalk kept plugging away for the equaliser.
Hoban had a glorious chance to level in the end, but the Gods were looking down on Pats, as he shot wide. The divine would only support the Saints, surely! The whole ground let out a collective sigh of relief at the final whistle, and then the cheers began, beating the champions at home, great.
It would be totally unfair of me not to mention that the Pats back four were immense. It was them and their stout heroic defending that made Dundalk look so flat. They played as a coherent unit at the back and for most of the game had everything in control, playing with confidence from the back. Great performance form the Pats defence.
I dont quite know how Pats have been losing before and after this game, consistently dropping points every few games, as on this performance they have a great team and should really be doing slightly better than mid table where they are at the moment. Would give the benefit of doubt to the manager, Harry Kenny, as sometimes it takes a while to stamp your authority and game plan on a squad in your first year as the gaffer. But let’s see, as I feel pats have the makings of a good team here. (But I am a bit biased to be honest as I always love visiting Richmond and so have a soft spot for Pats)
Highlights of the game here
Interview
Had the pleasure of having a short chat with long time Super Saints fan, Tommy Keyes.
Tommy is a Singer-Songwriter. In between a long stint as a top civil servant with the government, Tommy was a member of Irish rock band Sidewinder in the 1970s, and is now back, after a “break” of 40 years, in the profession he loves the most, wannabe rock star and keyboard extraordinaire, writing songs, making albums and performing on stage with his new band.
He has released four albums to date, all recorded in Sun Studios at Temple Lane, with some of Ireland’s top session musicians. The albums are An Irish Life, The Sad Pursuit, Some of These Stories are True, and his most recent offering, his fourth album, Temptation Once Again. An Irish life was very well received by both the critics and the public, while the song “Christmas Eve in Dublin”, a track off his latest album reached the top of the Irish singer/songwriter charts on iTunes, with the album overall getting a very healthy score of 8/10 from the Irish music mag, Hot Press, an Irish version of Rolling Stone.
I’m Tommy Keyes, singer songwriter, recording artist and given Rob’s (me!) particular interest in football as well, I’m also very heavily involved in St. Patrick’s athletic football club and that’s where we are tonight doing this interview.
With the song Richmond nights, the start of the song……….”Hand in hand, the boy and man walk to the terraced shed, find some space and take their place among the sea of red” so……….
Yeah that song is about 3 generations. I mean my dad first brought me here, we are in Richmond park, my dad first brought me here maybe when we were 11 or 12 and then I brought my kids as soon as they were old enough to turn them into League of Ireland supporters as well. I don’t have any grandchildren yet but the song is kind of looking ahead to when you know and it’s most likely be my daughter, as my eldest daughter is very heavily involved now in the club as well, when she will have someone to bring along, and it’s the way the love of a football club, and the love of supporting the club, gets passed on from generation to generation, it’s a very, very special thing.
I think St.Pats is, I don’t know like I have seen a few of the other teams in Dublin, but I think St Pats are slightly different to maybe Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians, is more rooted within its area, its family, it’s more community based I think?
Its very rooted in the community here in Inchicore, about 10 or 12 years ago, when, 13 years ago, when the new owner Garrett Kelleher bought the club, a lot of people were telling him that the sensible thing was to, to sell up the ground here, move out to Tallaght which was been developed at that stage, share the ground with Shamrock Rovers, and he very quickly realized that if you did that you would kill the club because the club is absolutely rooted in the community here. Not just Inchicore but the areas around it, West Dublin, its of this place and we couldn’t move so he quickly said no the club is never moving from here.
And is it hard to get people out these days to follow the League of Ireland?
It’s very hard because any night of the week…..I mean we are here Friday night and we are playing Dundalk, who are the best team in the country so this should be a massive match but Liverpool are on television tonight so we are definitely going to lose supporters to that but the one thing I will say is that there seems to be a bit of a resurgence since the start of this season, we have had very good gates for home matches, Bohemians, our last away match was in Bohemians away last week, they sold out. We sold out for our last match here against Shamrock Rovers, we had to turn people away …….you know we are talking here about you know……4,300, 4,400, we are not talking about massive gates, but you know things are improving, but I mean the quality of the football is extremely good and you can shout at the television as much as you like it’s not the same as shouting at players who can hear you………….and referees who can hear you…..
Attendances are up this season……….
Definitely
Is there a reason for that, I mean for this season especially…….?
A lot of the clubs including ourselves did some very, very good promotion videos that went viral on YouTube and all that type of thing, maybe people have a bit more money in their pocket, the quality of the football is very good, I mean a lot of the time what we are trying to do is to get people to bring their friends to a match or two, because we know that if they see how good the product is, the entertainment is, they will come again.
And since you have been following them what was the highlight season for you?
Well….I have been following them 50 years, we have won the league 6 times in that period, but I think nothing really can beat winning the FAI cup in 2014, in the Aviva because that was the hoodoo that was hanging over this club, you know, 7 cup finals, we won the cup back in I think about 61, and after that we were in 7 cup finals and we lost every single one of them. And like some of them were so close, Shelbourne went to a replay, Derry went to extra time, we lost, 7 in a row we lost, so there was this jinx hanging over us, we are never going to win the cup, even though we won 6 leagues in the same period, and we beat Derry 2-0 in the Aviva in 2014 and that was really, really special.
https://youtu.be/YLwzH42S2tQ
Did you drink for a week after that!?
Ah, no comment on that!
And there has been some special European nights here as well. Once we get beyond a certain stage in Europe we have to move to Tallaght or whatever, and it’s never as good, but when this place is packed for a European night you know, we played Elfsborg from Sweden and we were losing on aggregate with about 5 minutes to go, we just needed a goal to win on away goals, we got the goal and then we got another goal, and that was just a massive, massive night.
https://youtu.be/rgcAHb4dhw8
Well cult heroes I mean then, its Paul McGrath……..
Every generation brings it cults heroes, I mean we have a lad at the club at the moment Ian Birmingham, the captain, it’s his testimonial year this year, 10th successive season, and that’s 10 seasons always been in the first team, you rarely get that in League of Ireland football now.
But you know, people like Paul Osam, Eddie Gormley, Curtis Fleming, and people older than me will talk about people like Ginger O’Rourke, and Timber Cummins and people like these fellas back in the 50’s so its generation to generation.
There is a kid here at the moment called Jamie Lennon, you will see him tonight, he is a defensive midfielder, came on as a sub for the Ireland under 21’s in tallaght there last Sunday week, you know he is a star of the future.
Chris Forrester is back, Chris has had a disastrous year, he was doing really well at Peterborough and then it kind of went off the boil, they sold him to Aberdeen and that didn’t work out at all, so he is home now, and he hasn’t played very much football in the last year so he is only finding his feet again, when he finds his feet he is going to be massive, he was one of the legends here……….
So what should I expect tonight in terms of atmosphere…?
The atmosphere will be good, we are on a bad roll because the team hasn’t quite gelled with the new signings, Dundalk are the best team in the country, notwithstanding that Shamrock Rovers might be top of the table at the moment, so we are very much up against it, if we get anything out of the game tonight that would be good.
Then with regards music Tommy, so how is the music going for you these days?
The music is going very well, I was working in a completely different….I was working away from music for nearly 40 years because in the 70s I had been in bands, and so on, and I was the main songwriter in the bands that I was in, and then I was away from music for 40 years because I had a different career and it just didn’t leave any room for music, but I retired from that in 2015 and went straight into the studio and recorded stuff, started doing albums, getting back gigging, looking around for singer songwriter sessions…….I’m not really interested in going into pubs doing covers,
You do your own songs…
I do my own stuff and there are, particularly around Dublin, there are places where you can go and play your own material and I ended up landing on my feet really, because I got involved with a pub in Dublin called Darkie Kelly’s, which has singer songwriter night on Tuesdays, and I started playing that and then they asked me to host it and then they asked me to run it and so I run that session now, and I get to do quite a few original songs, and every Tuesday night and we usually have 9 or 10 other singer songwriters who all perform and then we have a big jam at the end, and I do a thing then in the same place, an idea came up with myself last year called the Sunday Song Brunch where twice a month we have half 12 until 3 o’clock sessions on a Sunday where we have much the same thing. And the nice thing about that is our musicians because during the day, musicians who have young kids, the kids maybe never seen daddy or mammy play so they can bring them in, so that’s nice as well.
I’m very content, 4th album, Temptation Once Again, came out in November, has done really well, got really nice reviews for it, getting a good bit of radio play, I’m never going to make money out of this but it doesn’t matter I just want my original songs out there
But you get your own audience online……..
That’s exactly it, that’s exactly it.
Does the football feed off it, when you are standing on the terraces on a cold wet night, does inspiration hit you………
Well I don’t know about that. but the first thing is I look around the ground as you will do this evening and behind each goal I will see a big billboard Tommy Keyes, that I decided I was going to put a little bit of money into promotion so St pats might as well have it…….so every time that Soccer Republic (TV Show) is on or whatever it is called now, if they are showing any goals from Richmond Park, just a quick little subliminal add that catches everyone for Tommy Keyes, which is good.
Which would be better, the buzz from a live performance, you are playing in front of people, or a goal tonight, is there…………
They are both brilliant……. that’s like saying you can only keep one of your kids……..which one would you give up, you couldn’t really choose between those………….
You said you were with Sidewinder back in the day…..
In the 70’s………….
Yeah, is there much of a difference between then and these times?
Yeah well first of all, big difference personally because I was just the keyboard player in the band I was never the front man, now it’s me, I’m Tommy Keyes, sometimes I play with a band, but it would be the band I put together myself and so on…………so it is different……
And the other big difference is now, and this is why I said I feel very sorry for young musicians now, in those days you could actually make money doing it, you know….the gigs all paid, there were big crowds and all that type of thing, and if you brought out an album or single people would buy it, now the venues generally don’t pay, or pay very, very little, and everyone downloads the albums, singles, or streams them whatever, I mean if you hear everything you want to hear on Spotify, why are you going to buy things, and that’s the problem. So, in terms of it been a money-making proposition it is very difficult.
But you are more catered to your audience I think due to YouTube and social media; you can go direct to your audience.
Absolutely, you can target them in that way.
Ok Tommy, just with regards to tonight’s game, any predictions on the game ………….
Mmmm………my head says we will lose, and my heart says a one all draw.
I think they lost in the cup there (To Dundalk) ……….
We played them in the League Cup on Monday, 2-1 defeat, yeah
But that was the second team maybe?
Well yeah both teams were under strength for the game you know.
Our problem this season is scoring goals, and our striker, Mikey Drennan is the only player who has scored so far this season and unfortunately, he got sent off against Bohemians last week so he is suspended so that doesn’t help. Gary Shaw is playing up front
Ok so it might be a one nil then, a narrow one nil then
I did a short and brief review of two of Tommy’s albums. I am not a great music reviewer, maybe not even a good beer reviewer, but I gave it a try.
An Irish Life: Tommy Keyes (2016)
This album is Tommy reminiscing about the olden days, the time he was growing up as a wee lad, the teenage years of angst and rock music, gigging around the country, the monotony of a working stiff, and the equal pleasures and sadness of seeing his daughters grow up and then leave home. Basically it’s the story of Tommy’s life in music, and in poetic form sang with passion and feeling. The soundtrack to his life in all its glory and wonder, just like the lives of his fellow compatriots, a life not too separated from what so many were going through in Ireland at the time, an Irish life we all know so well.
The album is cleverly set up into 4 parts: Spring, Summer, Autumn and, finishing with, Christmas. Showing the various stages of life in music form, hot stepping it as a young nipper in spring, football in the summer, sad reflections in autumn, and get togethers around the family tree at Christmas.
From the beginning we are brought into the life of a dreamer, “I was there” is the first track, taking us back to the days of late night clubs and old gigs, the craic was great and the fun Tommy had………..”Those were crazy days, I know cause I was there”, all played out to the beat of an old style light rock tempo just like what was heard back in the day. Great start, sets us up nicely, gets us in the mood…………
“Happy days” is another cracker of a tune, love it. This time Tommy goes back even further, to the excitement he had as a young nipper acting out make believe scenes as a cowboy, football superstar, or 007, like we all did when we were kids. Happy days indeed. “In our field of dreams we’ll be football teams, we’ll take to the pitch in the green shirt of Ireland, win every match on the way to the final”. Great, makes me wonder do the young ones these days, what with their Iphone and Ipads, have the same amount of fun we had when we were young, somehow I doubt it. The backing vocals on this track provided by Ellen and Cian O’Mahoney are excellent, and what makes the song stand out. There is also a nice guitar solo, from Dick Farrelly, midway through the track, just to remind you of Tommy’s rock credentials!
The soft rock and easy listening continues with the next tune, “Landscape Park”, again about childhood memories, again about football in the park, “Kick a football until dark”. Something tells me Tommy, was a keen footballer and perhaps music was not his first love!
“SmallTown Superstars”, track 4, goes off on a little tangent, more of a country twang to this song, pretty upbeat and chirpy, and another guitar solo from Mr Dick Farrelly, perhaps highlighting the mix of the showband and the new music coming from across the water, “We were children of the 50’s, we grow up with rock n roll”, before Tommy and his mates had a band themselves and while making all the local newspapers, they “were small town superstars”, for a while at least living the dream.
After the upbeat start Tommy slows it down a bit for the next few songs, a more soulful, more soothing collection of memories. “In Dublin” is about emigration, a subject I think most Irish people are only too well aware of, “We’re climbing slowly in the sky, never look behind, leaving on our own, America, Australia, we’re never coming home!”, while “Long Distance Call” is another reminder of the ways things were pre internet or pre skype when calling from afar. A call home, to loved ones, “On Bondi Beach on Christmas day the sky is clear, I just called to say I’m fine”. The backing vocals create an air of sadness and shows how distance does indeed make the heart grow fonder.
Tommy’s life has settled down as shown in the next few tracks, as a working man in “Sleep She Said“, a “cog in the wheel in a lifetime of service, when morning comes I do it all again!”, all played out with a lovely melody on the guitar. He has grown up and now has a young child, “My Little Girl“, it is a “Slowdown world for me and my girl”. track 8, mid life, mid album.
We then move onto my favourite track of the album and the song that got me into Tommy’s music, “Richmond Nights”, an ode to time spent watching St Patrick’s Athletic as a young lad, “Hand in hand, the boy and man walk to the terraced shed, find some space and take their place among the sea of red”, excellently setting out the scene of footballing seeds taking root. Tommy later sings about continuing this family tradition with his daughter, “in years to come, one will hold tight to his hand, when she’s allowed to join the crowd”. I love the way Tommy expertly shows through this song, what football is all about, the love of the game passed down, generation to generation. This is what it’s all about, the passion of the beautiful game, all highlighted perfectly in “Richmond Nights”.
More beautiful poetry in the next track, song 10, “Bloom”, another slow number, this time a song to his daughter, the memories of her growing up, and now she is in adulthood, “The rose is in bloom”. “Souvenirs” follows in the same vein, “A baby tooth, a tattered teddy bear, a lock of golden hair”. By the time we get to “Dust In My Eye”, we see his daughter has grown up, “I am standing in terminal two, handing your suitcase to you”, as she prepares to travel abroad. In “Shooting Stars”, he hopes she will return, “near or far, please be here for Christmas. All these songs are slow numbers, one follows the other, a father showing his love for his children in music form. Anyone that is a parent can empathise with this passion from the heart.
“An old Irish song” is a number with some traditional music included, there is a bodhran, the tin whistle, a fiddle, even some As Gaeilge sung beautifully by Ellen O’Mahoney and Carla Ryan. One of my favourite tracks, as it is hard to get an original traditional tune right, but Tommy does it just fine. The song is about where his mother taught.
The last track, “New Years Eve”, highlights the ending of the year, a time when we are all together as a family, and the album comes full circle, a pleasant conclusion to the life and times of Tommy Keyes. It starts like it will be a version of Auld Lang Syne but with a touch of Dublin soul. “Here we are again in New Years Eve around the family tree”. A fitting end to a great album.
I enjoyed this album a lot and in some sense it is good that Tommy has returned to music but this time without the pressures of trying to “make it” or the endless hassle of meeting album deadlines and doing gigs for self promotion. Now that Tommy has lived, his music shows a more soulful reflective mood, easy going and with a wonderful poetic style of writing easy for the listener to follow and partake in. It is a good album and one to listen to again and again.
Temptation Once Again: Tommy Keyes (2018)
Two years after “An Irish Life” Tommy returns with “Temptation Once Again”, another easy listening collection of songs, but this time the topic is love, the good and the bad of it all. The “mainstays of the live set”, were brought to life in the studio with a team of the best session singers and musicians one can find!
On the cover we see temptation…………..women, beer, the party lifestyle…………the story of my life! (yeah right!)
“Just A Simple Love Song”, kicks off the album, and what an excellent track to start with, brilliant, we get the the drums, piano, the backing vocals, violin, cello, sax, all coming together nicely, music that has a bit of everything, but “it’s just a simple love song for you”. “Snakes and Ladders”, seamlessly into song two, a similar song and mood, love is in the air…………..”feels like we’re playing a game of snakes and ladders, and we’re always falling down”, the turbulence of a rocky relationship but feels like it will all work out in the end. In both songs backing singer Ellen O’Mahoney and Tommy on lead vocals guide the songs expertly to their destination.
Track three, “By My Side” is a kind of Randy Newman style number, I half expect to hear it on the new Toy Story movie, a contemplative song, “I was searching far and wide for an answer that was right there by my side” true love was found.
“Superman”, the next track, sounds like an ode to Tommy’s parents, working the piano, while singing some soul, “little fingers wipe away the tears, pull the blanket tight around my ears”.
Track five, “It Wouldn’t Be Me”, and we are back to the Randy Newman crispy voiced pop sounds. Works well and easy to listen to. This time we see some problems from the lovers, “I can change if you want me to, I can be anyone you’d like me to be, but it wouldn’t be me!”. Richie Buckley on sax is heavy on this one. Nice tune.
We get to see the reality of life as a young musician, on “Brimful In My Soul”, “I’m empty in my pockets but I’m brimful in my soul”, the harsh life as a musician with promises of stardom, “I was playing a open mic to a crowd of nine or ten”. Temptation here, perhaps, is to pack it in, give up on your first love……………….music? A very good song, love the story in it, from the heart and a nice slow number with Tommy perhaps giving us a glimpse of the struggles he, like a lot of musicians, went through for his craft.
Track seven, “Something’s Broken”, like the previous song, is another mellow piano sound that lingers in the mind. “Lean on me and I’ll guide you home” perhaps a song showing his love towards his children? “I promise you, you’ll never be alone”
Tommy on the piano once again shining in the next number, “The Moon and the Stars”. Gerrard Farrelly softly on the drums, while the chorus “you light up the night like the moon and the stars” sang beautifully by Ellen and Cian o’Mahoney, Paul o’Toole, and Padraig MacMahon, easy going and upbeat, the couple are back in love again. And “Everyday I Fall In Love Again” an enduring love song, Tommy’s upbeat tones declaring “everyday I fall in love again with you, with you, everyday I fall in love with you”, undying love.
But is the love undying since we move onto track ten and we get “Temptation Once Again”, an easy going soul/pop number, where an older man encounters a younger woman, “she’s walks in your direction flashes you a smile”, “experience is best”, tempting for the old man. Another song where the musicians and the session band come together as one, with a great sax again by Richie Buckley, and Gerrard Farrelly on the drums again smooching it up, with, I am guessing his brother, Dick Farrelly on bass strumming out those heavy moods, all in unison, excellent track.
“Valentine” brings the pace down a bit, a slow love song with the excellent pairing of Aisling Bridgeman and Aine Gallagher on their violins in the background, a lovely song of “two lovers growing old, bring(ing) back those memories, bring(ing) back that smile”
Track 12, “Christmas Eve in Dublin”, did very well in the ITunes charts, and it’s not hard to see why, as it’s a lovely seasonal song perfect for the time of year that’s in it, meeting in the pub over pints, seeing “Just the same old faces, just the same old show Christmas Eve on Dublin, they say it looks like snow”, slow number with a lovely guitar melody running through. Pubs, pints and Dublin, what’s not to love there?
Perhaps track 13 shows what can happen if you indulge too much in the old beer drinking, as “I Was Joking”, Tommy sings about acting the maggot, playing the joker, but it got out of hand, “I never meant to hurt you, I was joking that was all”. A break up on the cards?, “Now I know the jokes on me”
Perhaps the break up has happened as in “Drunk Lullaby”, it certainly looks like lost love and someone has hit the drink, “A bottle of rye and a drunk lullaby and an old faded picture of you”, Clare Kinsella on the cello the stand out here, very good.
Bu the last track, “Land’s End”, Tommy looks back on life again, “memories, nothing more, lands end, lands end, land end” a song that reminds me of Tom Waits with his gravelly voice, contemplative and reflecting the short time we have on this little old planet we have”awaiting the last ship, to the other side, lands end, lands end, lands end”. A great song to finish a very good album, an album where time spent perfecting the songs in the studio was well worth it all with the musicians in their own unique ways come together to produce a well crafted love album. I was thinking that Tommy could be the Irish version of Louis Armstrong, Randy Newman or at times Tom Waits. take your pick! Yes it is that good!
Overall
Dublin was great, as always, the pints were and are always fantastic, and it is not hard to have a good time in the big city.
Loved meeting the guys, Eddie, Immanuel and Tommy, was really special to chat to three very talented individuals, and I wish them great success in the future. Just goes to show you the talent that one can find in this little wee country of ours.
Also must mention the fast food in Richmond, a tiny bit expensive, but the burgers were so, so tasty……………and I see I am down to be home and back in Ireland during the first few weeks of July. I notice Pats are pencilled down for a Euro tie with Norrkoping from Sweden during that time……………..mmmm………………….VERY TEMPTING…………..
Brewed by Guinness (Diageo) Style: Irish Red Ale St. James’s Gate, Dublin, Ireland
Smithwick’s is an Irish red ale-style beer that is widely available throughout the length and breath of Ireland, popular as it is amongst the drinking fraternity of the country.
Synonymous with the ancient city of Kilkenny, was founded there in 1710 by John Smithwick , but these days it is produced out of St. James gate in Dublin, as part of the Guinness/Diageo group (spit!). This means that the old Kilkenny brewery no longer makes the famous beer of the city, shut down as it was in 2013 but remains today as a “The Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny”, a visitor attraction and tourist centre. The brewery is on the site of a Franciscan abbey, where monks had brewed ale since the 14th century, and ruins of the original abbey still remain on its grounds.
John Smithwick was an orphan who had settled in Kilkenny in the early 1700s. At that time Ireland was under the harsh Penal laws, which meant Catholics couldn’t own property or run for elected office. A bit of an annoyance if wanting to run a brewery, but with the help of a Richard Cole, together on a piece of land that Cole had leased from the Duke of Ormond in 1705, the duo set about opening a brewery for the locals of the city. Five years later, John Smithwick became the owner of the land, albeit all off the radar as to not notify the authorities.
Following John Smithwick’s death, the brewery temporarily fell out of family hands. John Smithwick’s great grandson, Edmond bought the brewery land back, proudly putting the Smithwick name over the brewery gate, and worked hard to reshape its future. Edmond concentrated on discovering new markets and successfully building export trade. Drinkers in England, Scotland and Wales developed a taste for Smithwick’s brews and output increased fivefold.
Ownership passed through to James Smithwick by the 1900’s and then to his son, Walter in the 1930’s steadying the ship through the turbulent period of two World Wars, and all the rest. With intensive advertising Smithwicks became a very popular brew both in Ireland and across the water in the UK.
By the 1950s Smithwicks were exporting to Boston, where all the Irish lapped it up, looking for a taste of home to get them through their time in the States.
But in 1965, control was finally gone when Walter Smithwick sold out to Guinness and is now, part of Diageo chain. A bit of a shame but I guess that is what it took to keep the company afloat. Shortly after, in 1966, Guinness & Co. and Smithwick’s developed and launched Smithwick’s Draught Ale. It was such a huge success that by 1979, half a million barrels were sold every year.
In 2011 Smithwicks went out of their comfort zone to produce a pale ale, later they added an blonde ale to the collection, thus highlighting how far the company has come in the popularity stakes, with the opening of new markets all over North America and beyond.
On the 31st of December 2013 Smithwicks finally stopped production in Kilkenny, and moved its core to St.James’ Gate brewery in Dublin. A sad day I think, even if they have kept the original site opened up as a visitor’s centre, called the “Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny”
Review: 500ml can of Smithwick’s Red Ale: 3.8% vol.
Anytime I am back in the old country Smithwicks is my go to drink on tap, love it when I am out and about as it is an easy ale to stomach and you get a lot for your mileage! Albeit it does tend to make one go to the toilet a bit too often!
Important note for foreign guests, the “w” in Smithwicks is not pronounced! Coming all nice and shiny in the famous red coloured colours on the can, with the logo of the castle representing the old city of Kilkenny, “Ireland’s Oldest Ale”
Looks good on the pour, good creamy white head and a dark ruby red colour, as advertised!
Nice enough to look at, with some good lacing and a head that sticks around.
Bit of a disappointment in the smell department, in that it was pretty odorless, just the hint of the grains, the malts and the fruits, but very, very light on the nose.
Light enough taste, soft and light bodied, easy going down the hatch, clean and crisp, nice and smooth.
Getting a nice taste of sweet malts, caramel, the roasted barley and some fruit flavours. Hops are gentle and on the low level. Flavour and tastes are subtle but overall very well balanced to create a beer that is so smooth and clean and crisp in taste and in body.
Light enough, slightly different to what I would normally have on tap which has more of a kick to it and the perfect session ale, a little better to what you would get in the can.
Overall quite smooth and a nice and relaxing beer to have on a slow Sunday afternoon in front of the box. Its simplicity is what makes this beer, no faffing around with mad potions here. The sweet malts and the roasted barely lovely on the tongue. Yes it’s a winner. The top easy drinking beer, albeit, as mentioned, the tap is far superior to the can, but that’s a given I guess. Always love me old Smithwicks, a fan forever!
Brewed by Guinness (Diageo) Style: Pale Lager St. James’s Gate, Dublin, Ireland
Coming out of the Guinness HQ at St. James’s Gate, Hop House Lager 13 is another exciting innovative beer from The Brewers Project, the guys and gals who are allowed to experiment with recipes old and new in the famous brewery, and create beers that are a bit different to the traditional stouts that Guinness usually churn out.
Available all over Ireland (handy to have that distribution network!), and to further afield in Europe and even Asia, it is an interesting lager that certainly has people talking! Not least people are noticing it due to its rather catchy name and logo.
Review: 500 ml bottle of Hop House Lager 13: 4.1% vol.
Have had this on tap and thought it wasn’t too bad to be fair to Guinness, so lets see what it’s like at home from the bottle.
Comes in a very nice dark brown bottle, with a very eye catching “13” logo on show in red lettering, this double hopped lager definitely stands out.
My bottle said 4.1% while on most reviews I see 5%. Bought it in Ireland where our government dont trust us with strong alcohol.
Also from the bottle we can see that it is “named after the 100 year old building where hops are still stored at St James Gate”.
From the website we also get “Hop House 13 is a double-hopped lager made with Irish barley and aromatic hops and continues the 256 years of heritage and brewing excellence at St. James’s Gate”
Looks like a regular lager, small white head with a clear golden yellow colour. Head dies a little but does stick around a while.
Overall it looks ok, not bad, looks nourishing!
The smell is strong enough, a real lagery smell on the nose, quite strong. I am getting fresh hops, citrus, with a good bit of passion fruits. Stronger on the nose than what a regular lager tends to be be. Promising!
On the taste found it very, very hoppy. Well it is called hop house, but wasn’t expecting a “lager” to be so bitter. More an IPA really than a regular lager, I guess that’s all that double hopping then!!
Lagery taste on the fringes, the grainy malts there, but this is hop filled to the max.
Bit dry in the mouth too while very strong in the hops, otherwise can get the citrus and light malts. iF I really want to taste all those hops in a lager then I will just order a regular IPA!
Hoppiness and that’s about it really, otherwise a very bland beer from Guinness, at least from the bottle.
No real character or flavour, it is a very weak effort as a lager to rival the big boys. Just boring and not one to seek out what with so many to choose from these days.
So off on another League of Ireland ground-hop, into the Midlands this time to see Athlone Town, from the county of Westmeath and into the heart of Ireland.
Athlone town (“The town of Luan’s ford” in Gaelic) with a population of about 21,000, is sitting proud on the great majestic River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, nicely splitting the town into two.
Luain was an innkeeper who guided people across the treacherous waters of the ancient ford. Later, a settlement was established around the crossing point and, later, a wooden bridge was built across the river in the 12th century, and with it a fort for protection built by Irish chieftain Turloch Mór Ó Conor, and, next, the Normans built a motte and bailey, and later still a castle. Basically the town itself was built over time around these varying structures, strategic pinpoints to crossing the Shannon and indeed Ireland itself.
Getting to the town is easy as it is well served by both train and bus. Irish Rail have daily trains coming and going from Dublin Heuston and westwards to the Westport/Ballina lines as well as to Athenry, Oranmore and Galway. Bus Éireann, the national bus operator, runs beside the railway station and provides an hourly daily service to Dublin and Galway. For getting around the town, a local Athlone bus service is also in operation. By car, coming from Dublin you can get on the M6 motorway, that connects Athlone to the capital city (90 minutes) and to Galway (60 minutes). The town itself is small enough and well easy to walk around on foot and see most of the sights within the day, or in my case visit a good few of the boozers in a couple of hours!!
Athlone has two things that make it stand out from other midlands towns, the Shannon and the regional third level college, The Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). The Shannon brings tourism while the college brings students. These amenities are a huge boost to the area, bringing technical and pharma jobs to the town, and with it the development of the area. The town has two big shopping centres, the usual top quality hotels to cater for all the tourists (Prince of Wales, Hodson Bay, Sheraton and Radisson ), has a few state-run and semi-state-run organisations (The Department of Education, Revenue Commissioners, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland all have bases in the town), and money is flowing into this up and coming hub beside the Shannon. Sports wise too, the Athlone IT International Arena is Ireland’s first world class indoor athletics arena, while the town hosted the prestigious European Triathlon Championships in 2010, when approximately 5,000 athletes participated in the event.
On the River Shannon, one can take a cruise, or even go on a Viking adventure trip up the River on a replica Viking boat. Lough Ree is just up the road and a great place for boating. The promenade on the River Shannon is popular among anglers, birdwatchers and swimmers.
Landmarks and good markers for directions are the Church of Saints Peter and Paul which stands tall beside Athlone Castle, with its Visitors Centre, built for England’s King John in 1210. It is one of the oldest surviving castles in Ireland, situated next to the bridge across the Shannon. Also St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, at the other end of the town, dominates the skyline of the small town.
Well known people who are from the town of Athlone include Going for Gold host Henry Kelly, the international renowned tenor John McCormack, country singer Brendan Shine, Irish politician Mammy O’Rourke, and two well known Youtubers, Jacksepticeye who is septic, and Stefan Molyneux who is anything but.
Well there could only be one bar that I could start the day of fun in and that would have to be Sean’s bar, just around the corner from Athlone Castle on the banks of the River Shannon.
The oldest pub on the island of Ireland, and also even in the whole wide world, with a history dating back to AD 900! Yes you read that correctly, nine hundred AD! But this isn’t just an Irish tale, the Guinness World Records have confirmed this amazing fact to be true, no fake news here!
I was lucky enough to get chatting to Timmy O Donovan who works in Seans Bar and who was kind enough to sit down with me for a small talk about the history behind the pub.
Was well impressed with Timmy’s vast knowledge of the olden times and it is quite clear that the bar does have an old, old history.
The bar itself looks very quaint from the outside, looks a bit small, but once inside you can wander around and see that it is quite big actually, a few floors too. A lot of history with many ancient artifacts on display, and the front bar is a nice and cosy place for a quiet pint. They do have a lot of space out the back and they have a large beer garden to cater for bigger crowds and to help ease the congestion from the nightly music sessions they like to have here.
When I was there early in the day there were a good few tourists in the bar, but also a nice mix of locals too, a good atmosphere was building, and the pints were a flowing. They do have a good selection of beers on tap and I tried their own stout and the red ale, both very good particularly the stout, excellent. Also had a wee drop of their whiskey. Now not a whiskey drinker, yeah I know as an Irishman that’s a mortal sin, but it tasted ok to me, least it was smooth enough! Sat at the bar and took in all the atmosphere and the mystique of the place. Loved it and would have been quite happy to have stayed here all day, but alas I had to continue on my trip around the town. Ancient Irish history, in the settings of a cozy relaxed bar, drinking great pints. If only history class in school was as interesting as this!!!
Great bar, and even if it had none of the history it still would be a top spot. Recommended, and I will be back!!!!!
After Seans I went for a stroll, to have a look at John McCormick’s old house, walk past the Castle and take in the cool breeze of the Shannon air as I ventured across the bridge to the other side of the town. Went into Nuts Corner, in the centre of the town, as it had a nice exterior, old fashioned and inviting.
A few customers, looked like regulars, the horse racing on the box, ordered a pint of the black stuff, Guinness, which tasted good, service was fine. Nice, small enough little bar, with a traditional interior, a place for music at night, but not much happening this time of the day.
This place was a little busier than the last bar, busy enough for the time of the day that was in it, bar was pretty full, still managed to get a place at the top table! Ordered a pint of Smithwicks from a friendly bar lady, who looked like she was worked off her feet, all alone in a busy bar, in a bar with some rather interesting characters!
Anyway, pint was fine, bar had a good atmosphere, if a little edgy, but all good fun.
After a quick detour via SuperMacs (love the old SuperMacs!), dropped into this small bar for another quick pint. Small bar divided into two sections, went past all the regulars giving me the eye to the quieter section at the back. Ordered a pint of Smithwicks, my usual. Got chatting to the bar man who was great craic, very good sense of humour, good bit of ribbing.
Pint was fine, atmosphere in the bar was great, and I enjoyed this bar, good bit of banter with the bar man, and if back in the town will be back. Recommended!
Popped in as this pub was recommended by quite a few people online. A family run pub with a nice traditional smart decor. I ordered a pint of Smithwicks, in a pretty deserted pub for a Saturday afternoon. Pint was fine, served quick and drank quicker. Not much to report, unfortunately.
Final pub before I headed out to the game. Dropped in here for a quick pint. Got a pint of Smithwicks, and sat myself down at the side of the entrance which was well comfy and secluded to the rest of the bar. Near the bar there was a massive screen with the horse racing on, a few punters in the darkly lit bar, relaxed atmosphere and pint was fine. No problems.
Pub is run by the Walsh family for six generations and is a cosy little place.
Athlone Town A.F.C.
Founded: 1887
Arena/Stadium: Athlone Town Stadium
Location: Lissywollen, Athlone
Capacity: 5,000 (2,500 seated)
Manager: Terry Butler
Leagues: League of Ireland First Division
Honours:
League of Ireland/Premier Division: 2 (Last 1983)
FAI Cup: 1 (1924)
Athlone Town Association Football Club are the oldest football team playing in the League of Ireland, founded in 1887. They play their home games in Athlone Town Stadium, which was opened in 2007. The club’s colours are blue and black.
They first joined the LOI in 1922, played for a few years to 1928, then did not partake in competitive senior league football until 1969! But they did take part in the FAI Cup and even won it in 1924, beating Fordsons from Cork one nil, there one and only FAI Cup win.
The club finished second in the league in the 1974–75 season earning a place in the UEFA Cup, the first time they had ever qualified for European competition. Their first-round game was against Norwegian side Vålerenga who they beat. Athlone’s second round tie is legendary, against Italian giants AC Milan drawing 0–0 in the first leg at little old St. Mel’s Park setting a record attendance of 9,000 before losing the second leg at the San Siro 3–0. At St Mel’s they even had the demetrity to miss a penalty!
A first league title came in the 1980–81 season. As Champions of Ireland, they played KB from Denmark in the European Cup, the following season, earning a draw in the first leg away but going out by the away goals after a one all home draw at St. Mel’s. Another title came in the 1982–83 season. Their opponents in Europe on this occasion were Belgian outfit Standard Liège, losing 3–2 at home and 8–2 in Liège.
In the late 80’s and in the 1990’s the club went through a period of relegation and promotion over a few years. Relegation in the 1996 season seeing them spend quite a while in the first division. In the early noughties, the club went through a succession of different managers,all with little success with Athlone nearing more the bottom half than the promotion places throughout each season, depressing stuff.
But by 2007, with the new move to the Stadium, confidence was up for a change in the direction of the club. That confidence was ill founded as the club had to go to the fans to help it out of some financial difficulties, a patron scheme with over 350 loyal fans contributing to the club staying afloat.
If you are thinking that that was as bad as it got well then you aint seen nothing yet! A debt of about 500,000 Euros, incurred through the building of the new stadium, was a noose around the neck of the old club. I dont understand how the club managed to have so much debt considering their new ground was meant to have been a direct land swap between them and the local council, but heh this is Fianna Fail country (irish political party and sometime crime syndicate) and it is better not to ask questions! But suddenly in 2011, the debt was paid, in full, by a mysterious backer that had the whole league gossiping to the identity of the new owners of the club. The supporters were rubbing their hands with glee, what Galactico’s would be relocating by the Shannon, better get those guest houses spruced up! Well they didn’t get any superstars but they did get Roddy Collins, and under his guidance and with a decent squad, Athlone finally clinched the First Division title with a 1–0 win over Waterford United, in September 2013, and thus promotion to the Irish premier. But alas, the club were relegated the very next season!
But years later what happened was far worse than what any supporter could have ever dreamed off, far, far worse. A consortium of shady characters from Portugal had taken over the club, with money seemingly supplied from China. Debts were wiped out for sure, but so was any semblance of a decent team as very average footballers from all over the place turned up to play for the town. Added to this were two Portuguese managers, Ricardo Monsanto and Ricardo Cravo, who didn’t really get what LOI football was all about, or was that the purpose? It seemed like football was secondary, and that other trivial pursuits were more important!I The upshot of all this was that Athlone went three seasons where they were rock bottom, last in the league, and even went one whole season without a win, shocking stuff from Ireland’s oldest club. Some of the players didn’t seem up to scratch and had their minds on other things. The end result of all this was that in September 2017 the FAI banned goalkeeper Igors Labuts and midfielder Dragos Sfrijan for 12 months after a UEFA investigation found “clear and overwhelming betting evidence” of fixing in one of Athlones games (against Longford). Just the one, I add! (cough!)
Crowds dropped, some games had attendances less than a 100! Added to this Athlone had 10 managers in a seven year period, with players coming and going, and all the background shenanigans to boot. No wonder the crowds stayed away. Through all of this it has to be said, all this bull went under the watch of club chairman John Hayden. The result is there is a long term boycott of all Athlone games from some of the more die hard Athlone Town fans who won’t return until Hayden is gone.
Athlone Town Stadium, or “Lissywollen” as it commonly known to the fans, is the home stadium of Athlone Town. It has a seating capacity just over 2,000 and an overall capacity of 5,000. The stadium was built in 2007, replacing St Mel’s Park which the club had played out of for near 80 years. In 2018, a dispute over ownership of Athlone Town Stadium arose between the club and local businessman Declan Molloy, who was majority shareholder in Athlone Stadium Ltd and who had apparently ploughed a lot of money into the club during some of the more darker days. The issue of what to do with a government grant for the installation of artificial turf ahead of the 2019 Season was delayed due to this row. But it eventually resided with the club gaining control of the ground, and so the plastic pitch was layed (unfortunately I say, I hate the plastic!)
To the game
Athlone AFC 0-1 Longford Town
22.03.2019 Athlone Town Stadium
69’ Sam Verdon (Longford)
Attendance: 700+
Getting to the ground itself by foot is a little tricky as it is a bit of a trek from the town centre, but luckily enough I managed to hitch a lift with a Longford Town fan.
Bought a ticket at entrance stile for €10.00 which I think is very reasonable.
They used to have a bar here back in the day, but not these days. Lucky then I managed to bring in two cans of cider to keep me going in the cold dark night that was in it!
The ground itself is fine, or at least the main stand, the only one! For the first half I sat with the Longford Town fans down in the corner.
At half time had a wander around, and grabbed some refreshments from a catering van with some friendly staff, got a nice burger and some hot tea for myself and some coffee for two stewards/ball boys (Ball men?) I had noticed standing in the cold on their own behind the goals and across from the main stand. I wandered over to them for a chat, and a great chat it was, and was well surprised that they do this for the pure love of the game but it seems to me they dont get much thanks for their hard work, not even a cup of hot tea, ffs. Shameful from Athlone Town FC, you should always look after your volunteers.
As for the game, Athlone had a good chance in the first half, good shot with the Longford keeper alert to it and pushing the shot wide. Longford then had claims for a penalty when one of their forwards went down in the box. Have to say where I was sitting it looked like a penalty. Longford’s wingers were really doing well, both left and right I thought and causing a lot of problems for the Athlone defense. And sure enough this is the route where Longford got the only goal of the game, from the right, a cross that everyone missed, expect Sam Verdon who walked it in at the far post. Both teams had a few more chances but Longford held on to notch up another Derby win against their old rivals. Not a bad game really, played in front of a decent crowd with a lively set of fans from each team.
Day was over when my sister, who was waiting in the car park, collected me from the ground and on the way home I was, still sipping from my can of cider!
Highlights of the game here.
Interview
The lads in Sean’s Bar pointed me the direction of SuperValu up the town (at least I think that was the direction!), they told me there I would find a certain John Croughan, a long time fan of Ireland’s oldest team, and who would be a well of information on all things Athlone Town FC.
Although he was a bit busy and his sister was eager to drag him off somewhere, sure enough John was only too happy to have a short chat about the fortunes of the club.
So I am with John here
Hello, how are you doing? My name is John Croughan and I have been involved with Athlone Town probably close on 40 years, more even, ha ha
Ha ok, so that was the first question, how long have you been supporting Athlone Town! ok, So why Athlone, so I guess you are born and bred in Athlone, it’s a natural progression is it?
Yes. I was born and bred in Athlone, but my father was a big supporter and brought us and my brothers when we were all young, and you just got into the habit, that just became the norm, every second Sunday.
When I was going to Athlone matches at the start they were only a junior club, then they went into the B division, or what it was called then of League of Ireland, and then progressed into the First division, or Premier League as it is known now. But that was how it developed.
Is it hard to get the people in the town out to support the club?
Yeah, because everyone wants success, whether its rugby, Gaelic, hurling, whatever club you are involved in, and soccer is the same. And if you are doing well everyone wants to be involved. When you are not doing well…..everyone wants to keep their head down and keep away from the club and that’s the situation.
In the good days then what would you say was Athlone’s attendance, would they get a good crowd?
Yeah, I would say they were getting 12, or 15 hundred people, probably even an up on that. Yeah they were probably getting on up on that, two or two and a half thousand, but em….its dwindled off…interest goes…if you are not getting success people lose interest. It’s hard to keep them motivated.
Is it much of a walk from the town? To the ground?
15/20 minutes.
So really there is no excuse then!
It’s not the distance that the pitch is out, and there are fantastic facilities for parking, etc, etc and at one stage there was a local mini bus running out but I dont know if that’s still going or not. But the location of it is ok.
All those years you have been following them, what have been the highlights? …..AC Milan, of course!
Yeah of course!
You are going to say you were at that game!
I was!
Oh, of course you were!
I was in the College, and we took the half day off. Lashing rain, and all my friends of my age we were all there
Dare I ask how old you were!?
I would have been 19 or 20.
It must have been great excitement in the town?
It was unbelievable, fantastic. Something you will never see again. Athlone had played a few European teams but Milan was the cream on the cake.
How many people were at the ground that day?
Well, it was literally, absolutely jammed. I dont know what the figure is, but I say it had have to be 4 or 4 and a half or 5 thousand people because it wasn’t a ground, nowhere just to squeeze them in, it was seriously jammed. It was a very wet day but all you could see was people.
Must have been amazing?
It was unbelievable. There is a few photographs doing the circles for a few years. Trapattoni getting off the bus….
Cult heroes of the club for you then?
For me, well John Minnock first of all, I know he missed the penalty (against AC Milan) but I grew up with John Minnock and when I was in the college John Minnock was working out there, but there was loads of them there, Carl Humphries, Eugene Davis, there was so many, Tom Conway, Larry Wise, and then you would have to go into the O Connors, Pauric, whom I met in here only a few weeks ago, and he still looking absolutely fantastic.
So ye guys are used to playing AC Milan, but did you ever think of the rivalry with Longford Town?
That goes on, sure I would be very pally, I was involved in the Athlone committee for years and I’d know all the lads with Longford, there would be rivalry all right.
But you haven’t beaten them in a while, its a few seasons I think.
No, look its local rivalry. Those games….the game you dont think you will beat them is the game you will beat them in. But I get on well with the lads from longford, never had an issue.
The last two seasons were pretty tough for Athlone.
Yeah it was crazy, they lost the focus on what they were at, and at the end of the day you are a football club. You have great development of the youth, and of course that is fantastic and I would be a big supporter of developing youth football and bringing young players through. But it is a football club. And you have to remember that!
So what’s different this year then? You have already got more points than you got last year.
They seem to have set a budget aside for a team of a certain calibre.
Not as many Chinese in the dugout?
No, not as many Chinese or Croatians or any other thing!
Do you follow the present team? Are there any players for anyone coming from outside that we should look out for tonight in the derby?
There are a couple of young players there you know, they would be worth looking at, there is sort of a mix between mature players and young players, Aaron Brilly is a good player, and there is a few more there that need to be looked at, and I think they maybe need this season and doing well to peak.
Well it’s already a progression from the last two seasons.
Ok first time at an EL Classico derby, midlands derby, what should I expect from atmosphere wise tonight, or getting to the ground, or ….will there be any argy bargy……
No no, I dont think that goes on, there might be some slagging between the two sets of supporters, but nothing more than that. It’s good humoured bit of fun.
Ok John thanks, lovely to talk to you.
John has to get back to work now………………………….
Work is right!
Thanks John
Your welcome.
Overall
Overall I had a good day out in Athlone, the town is great to walk around, lots to do and see, a lot of history on show, and the sounds of the Shannon flowing through the city is energetic to the soul. The town is blessed to have so many good boozers too, and it was great to finally tick off Sean’s Bar on my long list of places to see and do before I…………whatever……..and it was good to see a local derby between Athlone and Longford. Not quite Barca-Madrid or Celtic-Rangers, but for the locals here it’s important to have the bragging rights over the ones up the road!
Will be back in this town again for another day out for sure in the near future. Top class.
Brewed by Guinness (Diageo) Style: Pale Lager St. James’s Gate, Dublin, Ireland
Diageo, at the famous St James Gate brewery, home of Guinness of course, have produced that rarity, a lager brewed in Ireland.
Hoping to capitalize on the relative success of Hop House 13, Diageo’s answer to a craft beer, Rockshore is an effort to get some of the market share from the large lager drinking fraternity. With an ABV of 4% and 106 calories per bottle, I can see how it might appeal to women and the light lager drinker, who wants something soft and crisp on a night out.
A beer Inspired by the “rugged refreshing experience of the West Coast of Ireland”. I guess that’s a good image, as one can picture the the salty spray of the Atlantic sea crashing against the beautiful Irish coastline. An image of freshness and a plethora of soft light colours. That’s if you have a good hot summers day, which in Ireland is about as rare as a rocking horse’s shite.
Review: 500ml can of Rockshore Irish Lager: 4.0% vol.
Funnily enough I had this on draught while on a day out in Dublin, not knowing anything about it, and loved it. So fresh and crisp. Then I went and quickly grabbed a 6 pack from the local off license without even looking at the name of the beer. So it was a pleasant surprise to see that I would be reviewing a beer I had enjoyed in a pub a few days earlier.
On the can we get “an ice cold bright golden Irish lager, for a refreshing taste of reminiscent of a blast of fresh air on the rocky shore of the Irish coast”, which is a bit bollixy, on a can that doesn’t really stand out.
A clear, bright golden appearance when poured, with a very nice and frothy white head, looks amazing on the pour. Head does die a little but overall a lovely looking brew. Some good lacing.
Looks lovely and soft, with a decent head and good carbonation. I said good, but in actual fact it is a fantastic looking lager, well done Rockshore, that’s one amazing looking beer!
The aroma is very light on the nose, typical lager smells, malts, grainy and citrus, but all soft, pretty much odorless really.
From the can, it tastes very light and very smooth, not as good as on tap but refreshing nonetheless. Very pleasant, nice and malty, the sweet citrus lightly lingering in the background.
A pure light lager, not overflowing with amazing tastes but so, so smooth and the perfect lager to sit back and watch the football on the box on a lazy weekend.
If you want a perfectly smooth, crisp and refreshing beer, served cold, this is the beer to do the business then. The grains, malts, cereals and inoffensive light hops all combine to make a nicely rounded full bodied lager.
Overall, it is a perfect smooth picture of beer. Ok it is a simple lager, but I liked it, and it looks simply fantastic. Recommended, light and refreshing…….
Brewed by Guinness Brewery (Diageo) Style: Stout St. James’s Gate, Dublin, Ireland
Arthur Guinness, in 1759, at St. James’s Gate, Dublin, Ireland, set up a brewery, on a 9,000 year lease at £45 per annum for an unused brewery, that was to make one of the most iconic beers the world over, and one that represents the nation that produces it. When you think of an Irishman at a bar, no doubt you have a picture of him supping a pint of the old black stuff, the “irish soup”. Guinness, a dark Irish dry stout, was his creation and gift to the world.
It proved popular, having two thirsty markets on its doorstep, Dublin and the rest of Ireland one side, and Britain the other, lucky for Arthur both nations like a tipple or two. So it comes as no surprise that by the 1930’s, Guinness was to become the seventh largest company in the world. (according to Wiki!). The Germans have their BMW’s, the French their wines, the Dutch their Cheeses, we will leave the banks to the Swiss, but us Irish we have the Guinness!
But the funny thing is that the Guinness family themselves wouldn’t be 100% Irish. They would be what is referred to as Anglo-Irish, a term which was more commonly used in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a social class in Ireland, whose members are mostly the descendants and successors of the English Protestant Ascendancy. Before 1939, if a Guinness brewer wished to marry a Catholic, his resignation was requested, and for many years Catholics were simply not offered work at the company. During the height of IRA activity in the UK, Guinness considered scrapping the harp as its logo and even relocating completely to London. But despite all this, the Irish are a forgiving lot, and Guinness is still widely considered the go to drink for many Irish drinkers.
In 1997, Guinness Plc merged with Grand Metropolitan to form that multinational alcoholic-drinks producer, and all round baddie, Diageo plc, based out of London. Due to controversy over the merger, the company was maintained as a separate entity within Diageo and has retained the rights to the product and all associated trademarks of Guinness, and thus continues to trade under the traditional Guinness name. A little relief there I think!
It is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries, and available mostly everywhere that you can find bars, especially Irish bars! In Ireland it is still the most drank beer, making about €2 billion worth annually. But it is not the Irish that drink the most Guinness worldwide! That honour goes to neighbours The UK, Ireland is second, and Nigeria third, with the USA coming in 4th! Africa is a major market for Guinness, with about 40% of Guinness’ worldwide sales selling on the continent. Three of the five Guinness-owned breweries worldwide are located in Africa (the other in Dublin and in London). The next major market for the brewery is to break into mainland China, a nation that is just recently discovering the beauty and nuances of European beers.
Guinness stout is available in a number of variants and strengths, which include: Guinness Draught, sold in kegs, widget cans, and bottles, Guinness Original/Extra Stout, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout which also has a wicked Nigerian version, Guinness West Indies which imitates a 1801 recipe, amongst a host of other varieties alcoholic and non-alcoholic and sold all over the place!
It’s not just Guinness stout they make out of St James Gate. They also ship out Harp Lager, Hop House 13, a new lager called Rockshore, and The Guinness Brewers Project also released two craft beers, Dublin Porter and West Indies Porter.
It has to be said they also have produced a lot of duds that never really caught on too, Breó anyone? Guinness Black Lager, another one that went by the wayside. Also some of their marketing campaigns were a little over the top. The “to Arthur” advertisement hailing Mr Guinness to celebrate Arthur’s Day all around the world, or more specifically all over the globe in shitty Irish pubs was well silly.
But generally Guinness are the masters of advertisements. When they bring out an ad on the box people generally take note such is the effect of a Guinness promotion. The harp itself is such an iconic symbol must people know that it represents Guinness when they see it in a bar or pub. In terms of early advertising and imagery, the artist John Gilroy‘s work, from the 1930s and 1940s, still stands the test of time. He created posters that included phrases such as “Guinness for Strength”, “Lovely Day for a Guinness”, “Guinness Makes You Strong”, “My Goodness My Guinness”, and most famously, “Guinness is Good For You“. The posters featured Gilroy’s distinctive artwork and more often than not featured animals such as a kangaroo, ostrich, seal, lion and notably a toucan, which has become as much a symbol of Guinness as the harp. These posters and drawings can still be regularly seen in Irish pubs all around the world, and the originals fetch a high price when they come up at auctions.
In the age of TV advertising, Guinness have few rivals in terms of success and draw. There was a time when people waited in great anticipation for the next great Guinness ad to air on the TV, they really had that much influence on the small screen. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, they had their Rutger Hauer ads, which was a series of “darkly” humorous adverts with the theme “Pure Genius”. In 1994 and 1995, a dancing and lepping Joe McKinney jiving away to the song “Guaglione” by Perez Prado while his pint settled, was a huge ad, so much so that the song even entered the music charts in Ireland and reached number two in the British charts! There surfer ad in 2000 was voted the best television commercial of all time, in a UK poll conducted by The Sunday Times and Channel 4. It featured a surfer riding a wave while a bikini-clad sun bather takes photographs. Other popular ads were there Tom Crean Antarctic ad, and their Irish Christmas campaign featuring pictures of snow falling in places around Ireland, evoking the James Joyce story “The Dead”, finishing at St. James’s Gate Brewery with the line: “Even at the home of the black stuff they dream of a white one”. In 2007 they spent £10m, their biggest ad project yet, on “Tipping Point”, filmed in Argentina, and involving a large-scale domino chain reaction replicating the stages Guinness goes through to settle.
Guinness is it said, can be good for the old health, good for the old ticker, it is after all a hearty meal in a glass. Researchers found that “‘antioxidant compounds’ in the Guinness, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for the health benefits because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls.” I have been telling this to the wife for many a year, strange that she never believes me, even when I produce the facts. In the 1920’s there was the famous slogan created by advertising legend, Dorothy L. Sayers, “Guinness is Good for You”, with the iconcie posters, thats stuck in the mind for many for years on end.
They also have heavily promoted “The Guinness Pour“, or the “double pour”, to get the perfect pint of “the black stuff”. Guinness has promoted this wait with advertising campaigns such as “good things come to those who wait”. There are six steps to pouring an impeccable pint of Guinness; it’s all in the detail, from the tilt of the glass to the surge and the settle, culminating in a beer that’s made to be savoured, and, according to the company, the perfect pour should take 119.53 seconds! Before the 1960s, all beer leaving the brewery was cask-conditioned, often resulting in very frothy Guinness’. As a result, a glass would be part filled with the fresh, frothy beer, allowed to stand a minute, and then topped up, hoping that by then everything has calmed down a bit. Now that Guinness use a nitrogen/carbon dioxide gas mixture, some say that this is all a marketing gimmick that does not actually affect the beer’s taste. I would tend to disagree. As a big Guinness drinker I can definitely say that it does need time to settle, and if you rush it you will get a bad pint, and nothing, NOTHING, is worse than a bad pint of Guinness.
The Guinness Storehouse at St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin is the most popular tourist attraction in Ireland (attracting over 1,700,000 visitors in 2017) where a self-guided tour includes an account of the ingredients used to make the stout and a description of how it is made. Visitors can sample the smells of each Guinness ingredient in the Tasting Rooms, where one can stay the whole day and enjoy the sights of Dublin pint, or pints, in hand, since it gives a great view of the city. I have visited the Storhouse, who hasn’t at this stage, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Guinness, fresh, from St James Gate, is unFUCKINGbelievable!!!
Review: 75cl can of Guinness Draught: 4.2% vol.
Established way back in 1759, Guinness with its iconic Classic harp logo and black coloured can, complete with Arthur Guinness’ scribble. Has the widget inside it too, a small plastic ball containing the nitrogen, needed for the rise of the bubbles to form that fine creamy head we all know and love so well.
One of those beers that is on the 1001 beers to try before you die list. Well I have drank so many pints of Guinness over the years I must be reincarnated to level of Buddhist master super level of awesomeness.
As expected the appearance is spot on and what one would expect from Guinness, a massive frothy and creamy white head that is alive and takes a while to settle, all with a pitch black colour. Once the dust has settled, we have a very decent looking stout, the iconic Guinness look just right in front of me waiting to be drank. Looks great, the widget did the business!
Soft carbonation and a good bit of lacing. Head sticks around throughout.
An aroma of roasted malts with coffee and chocolate smells, nice and inviting on the nose, pleasant aromas.
For the taste I got lovely creamy mouthfuls at the start, nice and soft going down smoothly at the back of my throat.
Not a bad taste overall, very smooth and softer than what you would get in the pub from the tap. That is the difference really, the cans lack that bite that you’d have in the pint at the bar.
A slow burner, light sweet tastes, nice chocolate flavours, and a thin body, it is ok. Lovely creamy texture throughout. Nice roasted malts and barley, bitterness is not as pronounced as you’d expect, very manageable.
An enjoyable drink but comparing it to what you get in the pub is not really comparing like with like. But still it is smooth, tasty, satisfying and very easy to drink, soft and velvety on the tongue, so still a very enjoyable drink from the can.
Brewed by Carlow Brewing Company Style: Traditional Red Ale Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow, Ireland
Located in Bagenalstown, County Carlow, in the south-east of Ireland, the Carlow Brewing Company, founded by the O’Hara family in 1996, is one of the largest and most successful craft breweries in Ireland. It is more popularly known as O’Hara’s Brewing Company after the family name that still runs the business today.
After seeing the wide success of the craft beer revolution in the United States and Continental Europe, Seamus O’Hara, along with his brother Eamon, decided to produce Irish craft beers, at first to export, and later, to Ireland after it took the natives to come round to the idea of anything but macro beers.
They produce a wide variety of exciting and adventurous beers. From the regular Red Ales, IPA’s, Stouts, to beers that perhaps are a bit of a rarity to Irish drinkers……Smoked Ales, Golden Ales, and Celtic versions of Wheat Beers!!
Review: 50cl bottle of O’Hara’s Irish Red Traditional Ale: 4.3% vol.
One of the 1001 beers you must taste before you die, according to a well known Beer rating site. Ok, lets see about that then……
Nice swanky logo with Irish symbols and squiggles in a lovely styled bottle, looks the part on the shelf.
Aroma was very light, a bit malty, got some apples and other subtle fruity aromas, an ok smell overall, but very light on the nose.
Colour is a beer with a dark ruby red appearance and a smallish white head, not a bad look, albeit the head isn’t great, a bit flat.
Dark and deep reddish colour, white head that dissipates fast.
Wasn’t impressed with the taste at all, felt a bit like washing up liquid, but with hops!
Roasted barley and malts and hints of caramel, but struggling under the intensity of the hops that linger.
Very, very hoppy, and far too strong to enjoy. The aftertaste is killing this beer.
Bit flat in the overall taste too.
Not really enjoyable at all, not smooth and far too bitter. All hoppy but with little else. Disappointing considering all the rage about this brewery. And definitely not like a traditional red ale, they can fuck off with that, lol!!!
Brewed by Guinness (Diageo) Style: Pale Lager St. James’s Gate, Dublin, Ireland
Harp Lager is an Irish lager first produced in 1960 by Guinness in its Great Northern Brewery, Dundalk.
Diageo Ireland has since closed the Dundalk Brewery and the last Harp was brewed at the Great Northern on October 2013, after which production moved to Diageo’s sole Irish brewery, St James’s Gate Brewery, home of Guinness, in Dublin.
Today, Harp is sold all over Ireland and the UK, in the US and Canada, in Australia, and other various regions of the planet, but it is most popular in the North of Ireland.
Review: 500ml can of Harp Lager: 4.0% vol.
The brand was traditionally marketed with the Brian Boru harp as its main emblem. These days the bottle and design is all modern, still has the famous harp logo but it’s this time blended in with a striking blue colour that it’s barely noticeable. Pity really.
Lower alcohol rate in Ireland, cause we can’t be trusted with stronger volumes of beer!
On the appearance it looks fine, a standard enough look for a lager really, good frothy white head and a golden coloured beer on show. Ok.
On the nose it was pretty odorless really. Disappointing.
It is light on the taste, a bit thin but pretty crisp, clean and very smooth, relaxing and soft on the tongue, goes down very easy. Nice and creamy mouthfuls hitting the spot.
Typical lagery taste, grainy with mild hops, barley and malts, a touch of citrus. All perfectly balanced.
Enjoyable, a nice one to sip and enjoy slowly.
Over time enjoyed it a lot, best lager I have had in awhile. Feels very nourishing, not with a huge array of flavours but crispy enough to do the business.
Just a bloody good lager. Recommended for a slow day on the sofa watching the football!
Best lager in a while, nourishing, nice to sip slowly, just a great lager. Simplicity.
Brewed by Station Works Brewery (Cumberland Breweries Ltd) Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland
Pearse Lyons, from Dundalk, is from a family steeped in the brewing tradition and he was the first Irishman to achieve a Masters Degree of Science in Brewing Science from the British School of Malting and Brewing in 1968. While at university, he did an internship at Guinness and later worked as a biochemist for Irish Distillers, makers of the well known and loved Jameson whiskey. So you could say he is well versed in the craft.
He set up the company Alltech in his garage in 1980 while living in Kentucky for work purposes. Lyons used his fermentation expertise to helping brewers. He then moved into agri business, more particularly, animal feed and animal nutrition. Overtime Alltech has become one of the fastest growing companies in the global animal health industry, continually making a tidy profit year in year out, and with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion. Not bad for the fella who got a 10,000 Dollar loan to start off in his garage!
But not to forget the roots of the industry, Lyons jumped at the chance to purchase Lexington Brewing Company in 1999, and over time he managed to resurrect the brewing and distilling tradition of Lexington that dates back to 1794, and produce a successful range of Kentucky Ale beer that have proved popular amongst the drinking masses.
Growing his international alcohol division, Alltech acquired a craft brewery in Northern Ireland (The Station Works Brewery) and also one in England (Cumberland Breweries Ltd), representing a return to his roots as such, and a major expansion into Europe of his successful American brewing division.
With three new breweries under construction in the United States, and a major investment in a new distillery in the heart of the Dublin at the former St James Church, where his grandfather is buried, Lyons is set to continue the family history.
Review: 500ml Bottle of The Foxes Rock Pale Ale: ABV: 4.5% vol. Style: Irish Craft Pale Ale
Hand crafted Irish ales, as it says on the bottle. Note to the clowns in Beeradvocate/ratemy beer…..that means it is an Irish beer and not a British beer!
Got a lovely dark golden colour with a nice frothy white head on the appearance. Some small carbonation too.
Head did die a little and there was only some small retention.
Goes a bit murky and cloudy as the hops settle.
The beer had a nice malty smell, very nice aroma, with some citrus notes as well, piercing on the nose.
On taste, a lot of hops, very hoppy as you would expect for a standard craft beer pale ale.
It is ok, with nothing amazing, just a pretty standard fare beer, and if IPA is your thing then probably this would be fine for you.
Strong, can feel the alcohol.
A hoppy, slightly malty, yeasty drink and is tasty enough, but standard and nothing special.
Ok as a slow burner, but overall it is too bitter for me and forgettable.
Review: 500ml Bottle of The Foxes Rock Red Ale: 4.5% vol. Style: Irish Red Ale
On appearance we get a very darkish red colour as you would expect, with a small frothy white head, looks ok.
Some small carbonation going on, and some good lacing. Looks decent enough, even if it goes a bit cloudy in the end.
The aroma is lovely, Smell is tinty and piercing, and smelling the fruits and sweet malts,
It has a nice light lager smell.
Tastes like a full bodied ale, as it should be really.
Another slow burner, very hoppy.
For a red ale this could and should be better. Also a good bit hoppy, like the Pale Ale and not a whole lot different in the taste if truth be told.
On second bottle, the tastes start to become clearer, get a half decent initial taste that is ok, a nice big mouthful of malt and fruits. But is just a little too hoppy and bitter for me.
Is tasty but nothing overall to back it up and let it linger in the mouth.
He set up the company Alltech in his garage in 1980 while living in Kentucky for work purposes. Lyons used his fermentation expertise to helping brewers. He then moved into agri business, more particularly, animal feed and animal nutrition. Overtime Alltech has become one of the fastest growing companies in the global animal health industry, continually making a tidy profit year in year out, and with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion. Not bad for the fella who got a 10,000 Dollar loan to start off in his garage!
With three new breweries under construction in the United States, and a major investment in a new distillery, called Pearse Lyons Distillery in the heart of the Dublin, at the former St James Church where his grandfather is buried, Lyons was set to continue the family history. They also opened a new brewery at the historic site of the old MacArdle Moore Brewery in Dundalk, which will also incorporate the relocation of the Station Works Brewery in Newry, acquired by the company in 2015. 
A real IPA type aroma, very nice, spot on with the smell. Getting the citrus, and other fruits and the malts, lovely. 
St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore (Irish: Inse Chór, meaning “Island of Sheep”), located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of the city centre, easily accessible by the Luas from O’Connell street. 
While I was thinking of what I could do for the day out in Dublin I came across a new walking tour that was been introduced in the city, called My Streets, Ireland. What was different about this tour was that it was done by people who have lived on the streets of the capital, homeless people giving tours and telling their unique stories. So I signed up and on the day I was lucky to get a tour off Eddie who was showing a few of us around the streets of Phibsboro, North Dublin. I also got chatting to Austin Campbell, one of the people behind the exciting new venture.
Phibsboro, is a mixed commercial and residential neighbourhood in North Dublin hugging the The Royal Canal. A typical red-brick terrace area, with the odd Victorian style looking pub and the always busy Doyle’s Corner thoroughfare. Easily reachable by the new Luas Cross City Line network, or if you are mad, one could, of course, walk from O’Connell Street which can take you about 30 minutes or less.
I was well impressed with Eddie, a nice young man who has turned his life around and the tour was very informative. This was a tour that didn’t so much concentrate on the sights of the city but more on the personal stories of its people. Eddie talked about his rough upbringing, why he was on the streets, and the ins and outs of life as a homeless person. It was really a great way to spend an hour and I strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking for something a little different in a tour. It certainly brought me into a world I don’t often think about, which was good.
Darndale (Irish: Darndál meaning ”daffodil”) is an area on the Northside of Dublin, featuring a high concentration of social housing. It is located in the north of the sprawling suburb of Coolock. Got the bus from Busaras, takes about 40 minutes. 
Well to say we were amazed is an understatement. We actually had to check if we were in the right bar, I say this as the whole place got a total revamp inside, and looks totally different. It has got a very stylish and fancy new makeover. It really is a great design, and who ever is the interior decorator deserves a big cheer. There is a bit of everything in it really, some art deco, has nice wooden snugs, cool peasants on displays, dead and stuffed of course, the visit to the bogs bring you on an old disco style journey with big pop art in the toilets. Now I know this all sounds like a bit of a mess but somehow it all works perfectly together. Of course for me the best bit is behind the bar, looking at all the various whiskeys and liquor on display, 
We were the only two at the bar early morning, so still quiet. They have a good selection of beers on tap but went for Franciscan Well’s Rebel Red Ale, from Cork. Bar lady was friendly and served the beer perfectly in no time. Also got some Keoghs mature Irish crisps, very nice too, so good went back for another bag! As we were looking at all the beers, booze and alcohol on display Pogues Irish Whiskey caught our eye, and sure we just had to have a taste of this! Got a shot of it, was smooth enough, and gave us that little kick we need to continue on our journey across Dublin.
Place was busy, as to be expected with a pre match crowd, ordered a Heineken, and a packet of Tayto Salt and Vinegar, that’s the lunch sorted. Pint served fast and efficiently from the friendly bar man. 
The Beresford is a 3 star hotel, with a top restaurant with an Italian menu but also offering Irish style breakfasts, anad a cafe bar with a top notch bar and lounge offering a wide array of drinks.
St Patrick’s Athletic F.C. is a football club based in Inchicore, Dublin, that plays in the Irish Premier Division. Founded in May 1929, they originally played in the Phoenix Park but now play in Richmond Park since 1930. 
The next few decades, from the swinging ’60s right upto the drab 80’s, were pretty forgetful years for Pats fans. No trophies in a long barren spell for the club. Paul McGrath did appear though, earning the PFAI Players player of the year in 1982, for his very brief time at the club, before been whisked off to Manchester United. Even shorter, much shorter in fact, was the one appearance for St Pats, by World Cup legend Gordon Banks! At the time British stars used to come over to Ireland for play for pay games. Invaraibly they were always shite as they were well at the end of their careers. Terry Venables was another who came over, in the 80’s.
Brian Kerr, wearing the club badge on his sleeve, as always, stepped up to help his club out when they needed him most for the gigantic task of rebuilding a winning team that was shot to pieces in months, with so many players leaving in the havoc surrounding the survival of the club. But as so often with Keer, he worked the oracle and once again created a winning championship team at St Pats with the league trophy returning to Richmond Park in 1996. The winning squad made up of such Pats legends as Eddie Gormley, Paul Osam and Ricky O’Flaherty together with exciting young stars such as Colin Hawkins and Trevor Molloy.
Fast forward to 2012 and the return of Liam Buckley, former player and manager, for another stint in the hot seat. A clearout of the old team and bringing in 14 new players, Buckley was showing his serious ambitions on rebuilding a team to compete for the championship again. he did bring in some real star quality to the club, Chris Forrester, Christy Fagan, and Ger O’Brien, all becoming fans favourites in no time at all. Buckley’s side finished 3rd in the league, 6 points off champions Sligo Rovers. and he also guided his side to the 2012 FAI Cup Final, but they lost out 3–2 in extra-time to Derry City further extending the Saints’ FAI Cup winning drought to 52 years. Improvements were seen and the fans were happy, safe in the knowledge that good days were just around the corner. Killian Brennan and Conan Byrne arrived, further strengthening an already very decent side, and sure enough in 2013 they clinched the League of Ireland title on after a 2–0 win against holders Sligo Rovers with two games to spare. Brennan getting PFAI player of the year for his efforts. 
In 2013 they finally got the monkey off their back and won the cup for the first time in 53 long years. beating Derry City 2–0 with Christy Fagan immortalising himself with the club’s fans by scoring twice. He was also the clubs top scorer that season in the league and also voted PFAI player of the year. Not a bad season by all accounts!
Notable ex-players who have donned the Pats shirt in the past include Ireland internationals Keith Fahey, Curtis Fleming, and “The Black Pearl of Inchicore”, the legend that is Paul Mcgrath, one of the best defenders I have ever seen, no doubt about it. Other top players include Joseph N’Do, Ryan Guy, Charles Mbabazi Livingstone, Gordon Banks, Eddie Gormley, and Paul Osam who hold the all time appearances record for the club (308).
St Patrick’s Athletic 1 – Dundalk 0 
Despite it piddling down for most, if not all, of the game, I barely noticed that I was totally drenched, such was the excitement on offer at Richmond Park. Ok parts of the game were a little pedestrian, but for what St Pats lacked in skill they more than made up for it with steely determination and heart. 
In the second half both teams had chances to score, but it seemed that the Pats midfield were bossing it, with the team home totally neutralising the Dundalk threat. That was until the last 10 minutes or so, with about 5 minutes of added time, when the Pats players naturally whilted with all the effort they put in, Dundalk put the foot on the gas and there was a lot of last man defending as Dundalk kept plugging away for the equaliser.
Loved meeting the guys, Eddie, Immanuel and Tommy, was really special to chat to three very talented individuals, and I wish them great success in the future. Just goes to show you the talent that one can find in this little wee country of ours. 
John Smithwick was an orphan who had settled in Kilkenny in the early 1700s. At that time Ireland was under the harsh Penal laws, which meant Catholics couldn’t own property or run for elected office. A bit of an annoyance if wanting to run a brewery, but with the help of a Richard Cole, together on a piece of land that Cole had leased from the Duke of Ormond in 1705, the duo set about opening a brewery for the locals of the city. Five years later, John Smithwick became the owner of the land, albeit all off the radar as to not notify the authorities. 
By the 1950s Smithwicks were exporting to Boston, where all the Irish lapped it up, looking for a taste of home to get them through their time in the States.
Anytime I am back in the old country Smithwicks is my go to drink on tap, love it when I am out and about as it is an easy ale to stomach and you get a lot for your mileage! Albeit it does tend to make one go to the toilet a bit too often!
Getting a nice taste of sweet malts, caramel, the roasted barley and some fruit flavours. Hops are gentle and on the low level. Flavour and tastes are subtle but overall very well balanced to create a beer that is so smooth and clean and crisp in taste and in body.
Coming out of the Guinness HQ at St. James’s Gate, Hop House Lager 13 is another exciting innovative beer from The Brewers Project, the guys and gals who are allowed to experiment with recipes old and new in the famous brewery, and create beers that are a bit different to the traditional stouts that Guinness usually churn out. 
Have had this on tap and thought it wasn’t too bad to be fair to Guinness, so lets see what it’s like at home from the bottle.
Overall it looks ok, not bad, looks nourishing!
So off on another League of Ireland ground-hop, into the Midlands this time to see Athlone Town, from the county of Westmeath and into the heart of Ireland. 
Athlone has two things that make it stand out from other midlands towns, the Shannon and the regional third level college, The Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). The Shannon brings tourism while the college brings students. These amenities are a huge boost to the area, bringing technical and pharma jobs to the town, and with it the development of the area. The town has two big shopping centres, the usual top quality hotels to cater for all the tourists (Prince of Wales, Hodson Bay, Sheraton and Radisson ), has a few state-run and semi-state-run organisations (The Department of Education, Revenue Commissioners, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland all have bases in the town), and money is flowing into this up and coming hub beside the Shannon. Sports wise too, the Athlone IT International Arena is Ireland’s first world class indoor athletics arena, while the town hosted the prestigious European Triathlon Championships in 2010, when approximately 5,000 athletes participated in the event.
On the River Shannon, one can take a cruise, or even go on a Viking adventure trip up the River on a replica Viking boat. Lough Ree is just up the road and a great place for boating. The promenade on the River Shannon is popular among anglers, birdwatchers and swimmers. 
When I was there early in the day there were a good few tourists in the bar, but also a nice mix of locals too, a good atmosphere was building, and the pints were a flowing. They do have a good selection of beers on tap and I tried their own stout and the red ale, both very good particularly the stout, excellent. Also had a wee drop of their whiskey. Now not a whiskey drinker, yeah I know as an Irishman that’s a mortal sin, but it tasted ok to me, least it was smooth enough! Sat at the bar and took in all the atmosphere and the mystique of the place. Loved it and would have been quite happy to have stayed here all day, but alas I had to continue on my trip around the town. Ancient Irish history, in the settings of a cozy relaxed bar, drinking great pints. If only history class in school was as interesting as this!!!
After Seans I went for a stroll, to have a look at John McCormick’s old house, walk past the Castle and take in the cool breeze of the Shannon air as I ventured across the bridge to the other side of the town. Went into Nuts Corner, in the centre of the town, as it had a nice exterior, old fashioned and inviting.
This place was a little busier than the last bar, busy enough for the time of the day that was in it, bar was pretty full, still managed to get a place at the top table! Ordered a pint of Smithwicks from a friendly bar lady, who looked like she was worked off her feet, all alone in a busy bar, in a bar with some rather interesting characters! 
After a quick detour via SuperMacs (love the old SuperMacs!), dropped into this small bar for another quick pint. Small bar divided into two sections, went past all the regulars giving me the eye to the quieter section at the back. Ordered a pint of Smithwicks, my usual. Got chatting to the bar man who was great craic, very good sense of humour, good bit of ribbing. 
But by 2007, with the new move to the Stadium, 
Athlone AFC 0-1 Longford Town 
Getting to the ground itself by foot is a little tricky as it is a bit of a trek from the town centre, but luckily enough I managed to hitch a lift with a Longford Town fan. 
At half time had a wander around, and grabbed some refreshments from a catering van with some friendly staff, got a nice burger and some hot tea for myself and some coffee for two stewards/ball boys (Ball men?) I had noticed standing in the cold on their own behind the goals and across from the main stand. I wandered over to them for a chat, and a great chat it was, and was well surprised that they do this for the pure love of the game but it seems to me they dont get much thanks for their hard work, not even a cup of hot tea, ffs. Shameful from Athlone Town FC, you should always look after your volunteers. 
Diageo, at the famous St James Gate brewery, home of Guinness of course, have produced that rarity, a lager brewed in Ireland.
The aroma is very light on the nose, typical lager smells, malts, grainy and citrus, but all soft, pretty much odorless really. 
It proved popular, having two thirsty markets on its doorstep, Dublin and the rest of Ireland one side, and Britain the other, lucky for Arthur both nations like a tipple or two. So it comes as no surprise that by the 1930’s, Guinness was to become the seventh largest company in the world. (according to Wiki!). The Germans have their BMW’s, the French their wines, the Dutch their Cheeses, we will leave the banks to the Swiss, but us Irish we have the Guinness!
It is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries, and available mostly everywhere that you can find bars, especially Irish bars! In Ireland it is still the most drank beer, making about 
But generally Guinness are the masters of advertisements. When they bring out an ad on the box people generally take note such is the effect of a Guinness promotion. The harp itself is such an iconic symbol must people know that it represents Guinness when they see it in a bar or pub. In terms of early advertising and imagery, the artist John Gilroy‘s work, from the 1930s and 1940s, still stands the test of time. He created posters that included phrases such as “Guinness for Strength”, “Lovely Day for a Guinness”, “Guinness Makes You Strong”, “My Goodness My Guinness”, and most famously, “Guinness is Good For You“. The posters featured Gilroy’s distinctive artwork and more often than not featured animals such as a kangaroo, ostrich, seal, lion and notably a toucan, which has become as much a symbol of Guinness as the harp. These posters and drawings can still be regularly seen in Irish pubs all around the world, and the originals fetch a high price when they come up at auctions. 
The Guinness Storehouse at St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin is the most popular tourist attraction in Ireland (attracting over 1,700,000 visitors in 2017) where a self-guided tour includes an account of the ingredients used to make the stout and a description of how it is made. Visitors can sample the smells of each Guinness ingredient in the Tasting Rooms, where one can stay the whole day and enjoy the sights of Dublin pint, or pints, in hand, since it gives a great view of the city. I have visited the Storhouse, who hasn’t at this stage, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Guinness, fresh, from St James Gate, is unFUCKINGbelievable!!! 
Established way back in 1759, Guinness with its iconic Classic harp logo and black coloured can, complete with Arthur Guinness’ scribble. Has the widget inside it too, a small plastic ball containing the nitrogen, needed for the rise of the bubbles to form that fine creamy head we all know and love so well.
For the taste I got lovely creamy mouthfuls at the start, nice and soft going down smoothly at the back of my throat.
Located in Bagenalstown, County Carlow, in the south-east of Ireland, the Carlow Brewing Company, founded by the O’Hara family in 1996, is one of the largest and most successful craft breweries in Ireland. It is more popularly known as O’Hara’s Brewing Company after the family name that still runs the business today. 
One of the 1001 beers you must taste before you die, according to a well known Beer rating site. Ok, lets see about that then……
Roasted barley and malts and hints of caramel, but struggling under the intensity of the hops that linger.
Harp Lager is an Irish lager first produced in 1960 by Guinness in its Great Northern Brewery, Dundalk. 
The brand was traditionally marketed with the Brian Boru harp as its main emblem. These days the bottle and design is all modern, still has the famous harp logo but it’s this time blended in with a striking blue colour that it’s barely noticeable. Pity really. 
Typical lagery taste, grainy with mild hops, barley and malts, a touch of citrus. All perfectly balanced. 
He set up the company Alltech in his garage in 1980 while living in Kentucky for work purposes. Lyons used his fermentation expertise to helping brewers. He then moved into agri business, more particularly, animal feed and animal nutrition. Overtime Alltech has become one of the fastest growing companies in the global animal health industry, continually making a tidy profit year in year out, and with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion. Not bad for the fella who got a 10,000 Dollar loan to start off in his garage!
Hand crafted Irish ales, as it says on the bottle. Note to the clowns in Beeradvocate/ratemy beer…..that means it is an Irish beer and not a British beer!
On taste, a lot of hops, very hoppy as you would expect for a standard craft beer pale ale.
On appearance we get a very darkish red colour as you would expect, with a small frothy white head, looks ok.
Another slow burner, very hoppy.