Our History

The Dawson Lounge
25 Dawson Street
Dublin 2
D02 XT59
Est: 1832

Background
It’s difficult to imagine that modern cosmopolitan Grafton Street and Dawson Street was in the early 1700s an unsightly, swampy marshland. But to public servant, developer and politician Joshua Dawson, this was the opportunity of a lifetime. Acquiring the lands from Henry Temple in 1705, he immediately set about the massive task of street development in accordance with the highest architectural, period design and construction standards of the age. Completed in 1728, Dawson Street became a residential centre of Georgian elegance populated by the cream of Ascendancy Dublin.

From its earliest beginnings Dawson Street was the preserve of the privileged protestant classes who exercised power and authority over all aspects of society. Loyal to all things British and the Union, their structure of social advancement rested on class, religion and status. In many respects, this area of Dublin was a society within a society with access from without forbidden. Their social world consisted of recitals, concerts, balls and a number of outlets such as private clubs and societies, most of which were licensed for the consumption of alcohol.

19th Century Development
Prime residential dwellings gave way to commercial outlets in the early 1800s but the ownership and leasehold possessors continued to exercise control over access to tenancy. There was a strictly controlled licensed tradition in Dawson Street dating back to the late 1700s. The most notable example of this was the spacious and affluent Freemason’s Hall Tavern located at no. 19 Dawson Street, later to become the site of the Royal Irish Academy.

First Licence 1832 – Michael Harris
In 1832 well-connected vintner, Michael Harris broke the mould by acquiring a licence here at no. 25 Dawson Street. This house had been constructed circa 1725 and in 1832 the pub business was conducted at street level. Because Harris was listed as a vintner, we know that in addition to his spirit stores business, he was also engaged in the purchase, storage and sale of wines. This factor alone made him a suitable applicant for a licence in Dawson Street. In those days, the downstairs cellar region of the house was used for storage of product. The upper floors of the house were used for lodgings and overnight accommodation for visitors to the city. This aspect of the business and the associated food business was run by Anne Moran, who in 1841 succeeded Michael Harris as the licensee of no. 25 Dawson Street.

Anne Moran to William Heaton – 1845
Following the demise of Michael Harris, Anne Moran ran this establishment in an accomplished manner for four years until 1845. William Heaton, a relative of Michael Harris, the original owner, succeeded Anne Moran here. By this stage the commercial popularity of Dawson Street was on the increase and so was licensed trade footfall. Because of the advent of the railways, better roads and safer sea ferry passages, Dublin was now attracting more visitors than it had ever done in its history. This was the dawn of a new age in which the need to provide accommodation becomes a lucrative opportunity for licensed establishments.

Terence Meehan’s Hotel & Tavern
In 1853 this house opened its doors to the Dublin public as Terence Meehan’s Hotel & Tavern. The demand for increased accommodation was a huge factor in attracting Terence Meehan to this house. On arrival, he upgraded the bedrooms in all the upper floors and further developed his food and drinks business. Dawson Street was now one of the most prestigious shopping streets in Dublin attracting a variety of sought after traders such as William Lennon, saddler and harness manufacturer to her Majesty, Prince Albert, the Lord Lieutenant and Lord Mayor. The street also boasted a military tailor, several clothiers and outfitters, accountants and lawyers. In 1854, one year after Terence Meehan made his debut here, the Royal Irish Academy opened its doors at no. 19 Dawson Street.

Terence Meehan to James Mooney
In 1858 Terence Meehan sold the business to James Mooney who two years later sold the premises in turn to John Gahan. Both Mooney and Gahan continued the accommodation business upstairs but by this stage the number of exclusive Dublin hotels was on the increase, which offered more spacious accommodation and better overall facilities. John Gahan traded here for six year before passing the premises to Thomas Byrne, Wine & Spirit Merchant, in 1867.

Thomas Byrne, Wine & Spirit Merchant
Thomas Byrne arrived here at no. 25 Dawson Street in 1867 just in time for the abortive Fenian Rising. But in reality the activities of the Fenians hardly caused a ripple in the commercial life of Dawson Street. Byrne was a committed and traditional publican who also further developed the wine and spirits off-sales business of the pub. He was also the last publican to trade from the original Dawson Street house built in the 1720s.

25 Dawson Street is Rebuilt
No. 25 Dawson Street was one of a number of Dawson Street properties totally rebuilt in the early 1870s under strict planning criteria conforming to the architectural splendour of the original designs. But many of the new buildings leaned on Victorian architecture innovations while also being careful to retain classical aspects of Georgian design. The new building found recognition and appraisal from the architectural journals of Ireland.
“The facade of No. 25 is distinguished by original decorative features, including various mouldings and a swagged frieze. The early timber shopfront surround remains relatively intact, although the display windows and doors have been replaced. This building contributes to the variety and architectural quality of Dawson Street. Shopfront has angled fascia over engaged half-fluted pilasters on tall base, with moulded cornice and swan’s-neck pedimented stops, recent display window and door concealed by roller shutter, and recent door accessing upper floors. Basement lights to pavement.”

Daniel Lindsay – Lindsay’s of Dawson Street 1874
The main beneficiary of the new premises was wine & spirit merchant, Daniel Lindsay who had acquired the house from Thomas Byrne just before the rebuild in 1872. On taking possession of the new edifice, Daniel Lindsay decided to upgrade his wine and spirits offering by unveiling a stand-alone store upstairs. His pub business was transferred to the basement and the upper floors were used to accommodate his manager and assistants. Lindsay himself resided in a comfortable dwelling named Claremont in Sandymount.

Lindsay’s of Dawson Street became a household name in the decades that followed for the variety of fine wines and spirits, but also for those who favoured a potion in the quieter surroundings of his downstairs bar.

For the next 26 years Daniel Lindsay was ever present behind the bar until his death on July 27th 1900. Publican James J. McKee, who had been leasing the property for some time, executed the probate. James McKee also traded at this time from no. 17 Chatham Street (Sheehan’s).

James and Bernard McKee (1900 to 1919)
James McKee was soon joined in his Dawson Street endeavour by his son Bernard. McKee, who resided above the premises himself, ran both the wine and spirit store upstairs and bar downstairs. Despite the change of ownership, James McKee continued to trade as Lindsay’s of Dawson Street and this name remained above the door until the 1920s. McKee’s tenure was coming to an end here when on the 19th January 1919 there was a commotion across the street. This was the gathering of the First Dáil in the Round Room of the Mansion House. The 27 TDs attending were outnumbered by a host of supporters and onlookers as the majority of those elected remained under lock in British jails.

James J. Hingerty 1919
When James J. Hingerty succeeded James McKee the name Lindsay’s remained above the door. Hingerty was the man behind the pumps in the early years of the Irish Free State. These were difficult years for the infant economy and particularly difficult times for the licensed trade due to the fact that in the absence of tax revenue in other areas, the Free State Government savagely hit excise duties on alcohol products, particularly on Irish whiskey. This pattern continued for a number of decades to the extent the Irish whiskey industry went into decline.

Hingerty to J.J. O’ Hanlon
J.J. O’ Hanlon acquired this premises from James J. Hingerty in 1930. John O’ Hanlon was a respected and successful publican who ran a thriving pub business on the North Circular Road, adjacent to the Dublin Cattle Marts in Prussia Street. This pub and area is still known as Hanlon’s Corner. Hanlon was an experienced publican who renovated the interior of this premises on both levels some years later. He renamed it the Dawson Lounge. Following this renovation the R.V. (rateable valuation) on the premises increased to 120 Guineas.

Upstairs Downstairs – Separate Entities
The Irish pub trade took a financial nosedive during the 1940s when an aura of economic gloom pervaded the country. High emigration, high unemployment, high taxation and endless rationing was the order of the day, much of which was caused by the war in Europe. All of the above brought about a serious decline in the amount of disposable income available which hit the licensed trade very heavily. This pattern continued in the post war years throughout the 1950s. The impact of the economic downturn was felt in the Dawson Lounge and in the mid-fifties it was decided to lease out the upstairs to McDonald’s Ladies Hairdressing. The bar area of the Dawson Lounge then entered the annals of Irish history as the smallest pub in Dublin.

Later Years
In later years the shop front level floor of no. 25 Dawson Street was home to a number of businesses including the Dawson Boutique, an antique shop and David Murray Jewellers. Meanwhile the merriment continued in the cosy, character-rich downstairs bar. Ron Black ran a great house here in the 90s and early noughties.

The Literati
While not renowned in the same light as the Palace, McDaid’s and the Bailey, the Dawson Lounge was the secluded, secret spot the literati loved to escape to when they wanted to avoid the public and, most frequently, each other. During these years, despite the economic gloom, Dublin enjoyed a period of the most sustained drinking particularly by the literati. Frequent visitors to the Dawson Lounge were the writer and poet, Anthony Cronin and the charismatic writer J.P. Donleavy, who wrote The Ginger Man, which was banned when first published. Donleavy had a noted reputation for levity and lewdness, which earned him a ‘yellow card’ on more than one occasion in the Dawson Lounge. Brendan Behan made a grand entrance here on a couple of occasions but his card was upgraded to red after he raged and accused the assembled clientele of being a dreaded combination of bogmen and bourgeois.

Today
For almost 200 years now the Dawson Lounge has served the social needs of Dublin becoming a repository of history and a primary agent of culture. Throughout those twenty decades this hostelry has been at the epicentre of Dublin life and a barometer of an evolving nation and an evolving people. It has invariably been a haven of laughter, merriment and conviviality, a tradition that is highly valued and continued today. Indeed, the smallest pub in Dublin may well be the richest in heritage!

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