South Dublin neighbourhood hailed by Time Out for sense of community and modern flair
Time Out, the global city guide brand, ranked Inchicore in 25th place among the coolest neighbourhoods worldwide, alongside cities such as Strathbungo in Glasgow, Scotland, and Northbridge in Perth, Australia.
Time Out features 38 neighbourhoods around the world, curated by its global network of local city editors and experts.
Kildare native Joe Donnelly, who has been working as the Marketing Manager for Rascals Brewing Company for the past six years, told the Irish Independent he “never felt as welcome to a community” as he has in Inchicore.
Rascals Brewing Company is an independent craft brewery, pizza restaurant, and off-licence based in Inchicore.
“Inchicore is a very authentic neighbourhood, and I believe the development that’s happened here over the past six or seven years has happened organically,” he said.
“It combines two things; while it’s developing and growing, the retention of the community spirit is there as well.”
He also said that people in the community who know Rascals as supporters of St Patrick’s Athletic FC or the Oblate Basketball Club, will purposely call in.
“The people who live and work here are just 100pc authentic,” he said.
“It’s genuinely a lovely community, and it’s almost like down the country, where in villages or towns, people acknowledge each other with a nod or a wave.”
Rascals Brewing Company in Inchicore
Announcing the cool list, Time Out magazine said: “The unexpected trendiness that’s descended on the likes of Smithfield and Stoneybatter has found its way to Inchicore.”
Recommendations in the area include Riggers Coffee, Richmond Barracks, and Tacos Lupillo. Some of the old-school pubs mentioned include Cleary’s and The Glen, alongside trendy spots such as the Stillwater Gin Distillery.
Garret Pigott, who took over as owner of Cleary’s about six years ago, said it’s a neighbourhood that has “everything”.
“It has restaurants, bars, a football club, and there’s a great community spirit no matter where you go in Inchicore; everyone is very friendly, warm and welcoming,” he said.
“It’s kind of like what Stoneybatter was ten years ago, and it will be interesting to see what it’s like in the next ten years.”
He added that they try to make the pub “a local” for people more than anything, aiming to keep their prices as low as possible while hosting entertainment six nights a week.
A pint of Guinness in Cleary’s is still €4.70, despite the hike in prices from Diageo last year.
Dermot Looney, who is actively involved with St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club in the Inchicore area, which has been in operation since 1929, said he thinks the history of the area is very much related to the railway works carried out by Great Southern Railways (GSR) and Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ).
St Patrick’s Athletic was founded in 1929 by young workers and apprentices from GSR, which was a major employer in Inchicore at the time.
Mr Looney wrote his own book about the early history of the club called Saints Rising and now works as a teacher, previously serving as a south Dublin councillor and mayor.
“For many years, there wasn’t a lot that Inchicore had to be proud of; it was beaten down, and St Patrick’s would have been that great outlet of pride for the people of the neighbourhood,” he said.
“Inchicore has gone through quite dramatic changes over the past 30 years, and it’s now a fairly thriving multi-cultural community. It’s not without its problems, but the neglect and decline have been addressed by a lot of good community work, great schools, and sporting organisations.
“One of the great changes people have commented on is the food and drink offerings in the community.
“This has come from the multi-cultural vibrancy in the area, a mix of people from different parts of the world, alongside locals who’ve lived in Inchicore for generations,” he added.
The Glen of Aherlow pub in Dublin 8
Michael O’Flanagan, secretary of a local heritage group and a member of the Inchicore Library Advisory Committee, mentioned some of the major historical roots the neighbourhood has.
Inchicore village has grown around Richmond Barracks, a base for the British Army, and a key location in the story of Ireland’s independence.
“Inchicore was once described as New Kilmainham because Kilmainham was where a lot happened, and at one stage Inchicore extended to Chapelizod,” he said.
“We held a literary festival in 2019 in Richmond Barracks, which was a great success, and we also have a lot of artists in the area.”
Simon, who recently took over The Glen of Aherlow, which borders Inchicore and Kilmainham, said he attributes the coolness of the neighbourhood to the “history and longevity” of the area.
“Somewhere like Inchicore has been constantly growing and building for hundreds of years, with local businesses in place,” he said.
“It’s a mixture of businesses, with different enterprises popping up, and then The Glen, which has been in the area for 100 years, and there’s an established community here, which seems to give it a nice blend.”
