Dublin has a great and enviable tradition of pubs, or public houses, of repute and in recent years has seen an explosion of modern affluent stylish pubs attracting seemingly endless numbers of young people. City centre pubs are invariably crowded in the evenings. Many offer music or live entertainment like comedy, but this is by no means a prerequisite for a crowded establishment. All pub hours have recently changed under a new Licensing Act. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, last orders are at 30 minutes after midnight. Last orders for the rest of the week are 11.30pm.

Guinness stout, of course, is the favoured local tipple, and must be sampled on any trip to Dublin. Its quality varies considerably throughout the city, with some pubs more famous for it than others. Just why this is so seems to be one of Ireland's great mysteries... The pint is the standard measure (just over a half liter) of any lager, ale or stout, with stout being the cheaper. A half pint measure is referred to locally simply as a "glass" (not a "half"). Bottled beers are also the norm, but are relatively more expensive.

The Guide
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