The London Lounge

Greetings Gentleman,

Firstly i would like to thank all the members of this wonderful forum and its moderators for the treasure trove of knowledge, wit and information that you impart within the community.

This is my first post and maybe it would be appropriate to give a brief introduction.

I am a native of Dublin, Ireland. I have lived in Boston for almost 10 years but have returned to my native homeland within the past 2 years. With my return I manged to steer my career in a slightly different direction that now allows me to indulge in the world that brings us all together in this community.

All the information imparted on this site has given me much food for thought and I am sure I will be able to share with you the fruits of my deliberations in the near future.

Lastly I am curious if any of the fine members here would like to share their favorite eateries, drinking establishments or place to stay in the fine city of Dublin.

I look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with all of you.

Regards

Niall

Welcome Niall:

I think you'll find a wealth of information here on the LL that will help you not only with bespoke items and RTW items as well, but how to use them for everyday use.

The gentlemen (and a few ladies) of the LL are here to help in a friendly, charming, and witty way.

It will be nice to have some insight into Ireland, since I have not had the chance to visit the place, (actually, there are a lot places I have not visited yet).

Anyways, enjoy yourself and once again welcome to the London Lounge.

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

Welcome, Niall. It has been far too long since I've spent time in Ireland to speak to present amenities in Dublin. I remember fondly visiting in the 1980s the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland (who was quite welcoming--no doubt astounded that anyone would be interested in calling), seeing Wilde at the Gate Theatre, and spending time among the rare volumes in Trinity College library--truly one of the world's holy places for a bibliophile (or a paper conservator; I was then both).

But of all my Irish wanderings my fondest memories are of a few days spent with the O'Haras at Coopershill:

http://www.coopershill.com/

We stayed with (I believe) the parents of the current owners, and thus probably saw them as adolescents bounding in fresh from exercising the horses, but I cannot imagine that the warm and gracious hospitality has diminished in the least. Indeed these photos suggest that intervening years have allowed the property to be improved.

I look forward to visiting again what must now be an exceedingly vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Please share your discoveries and old favorites.

couch wrote:. . . . I remember fondly visiting . . . the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland . . . and spending time among the rare volumes in Trinity College library . . . .

This sounds heavenly! And I do hope that you are still a bibliophile.

Dear Niall:

Your message reminded me of two wonderful trips to your city. Both were for weddings, and both left me enchanted -- and a little the worse for the wear by the time the festivities were over.

Unfortunately, it's been more than five years since the second trip, but, to the extent they may still be relevant, I offer the following suggestions about places to stay and drink. (I had some fine meals, but the names of the restaurants escape me.) For hotels, I don't know whether you can beat the Merrion; I understand that the Shelbourne's been redone recently; and, as a somewhat quirky alternative, my wife and I had a lovely stay at Butlers Town House in Ballsbridge. The Horseshoe Bar at the Shelbourne was fun for a drink -- at least for visitors from California.

Best regards,