On the very rare occasion of a blue sky summers day in Ireland you will likely observe a particular phenomenon where people flock at the earliest possible chance towards the sea. It happens without fail each year, with traffic backed up and dart lines swelled with would-be revelers on their way to tackle the Howth hill walk or grab some Teddy’s ice-cream out in Dún Laoghaire.
For those willing to travel that bit further afield they could do a lot worse for themselves than taking in all that Skerries has to offer. Once there, it goes without saying that the place to be in this small Dublin town is Blue Bar by the pier. Bound to be brimful of sun soaking customers on even the lowest key of summer days, to say that this bar is popular is an understatement.
On a busy day there can be long delays of hours for larger tables to become available. But this does not deter the masses as they order their drinks to go and bring buckets of ice-cold beer to sit along the pier side and make the most of the wait, drinking in the sunshine, beers and sights of this small picturesque harbour.
If you are lucky enough to nab a booking on such a sunny day you will find yourself ushered into a room of many moving parts. Operating at a high pace it almost feels as though you are on a movie set as the staff glide about in a flurry of activity, communicating via microphones and earpieces.
Once seated, there is a fine selection of craft beers on offer. Displayed across a distinctive floating tap system made from polished copper hanging above the island bar, it gives a nautical feeling to the whole setup. As well as the range of draft beers available there is an impressive variety of bottled imported and Irish craft beers.
Sitting up at one of the bar-side tables there is an eagle-eye view of the staff at work, meticulously preparing and mixing exciting looking cocktails, unfazed by the busy atmosphere, each drink is made as precisely as the last before being whisked away on a tray to some thirsty guests.
The food is a simple and modest standard but prepared well and packed full of flavour. The duck breast is a particularly generous portion. One item on the menu that this bar is well known for is their award winning chicken wings. Some people go as far as to say that their recipe rivals Temple Bar’s famous Elephant & Castle wing.
So when those rare blue skies do appear this year and you get that seaside urge – or even if you just need to know who’s wings are better – this lively venue is more than worth the journey.
Blue Bar
Harbour Rd, Townparks,
Skerries, Co. Dublin
Ireland
T: 01 8490900
W: bluebar.ie
Having previously devoted every ounce of his spare time to music, Tony is more commonly found these days in a kitchen than on a stage. With experience in writing on festivals and shows around the country he has recently turned his pen to more culinary exposés. With a particular penchant for craft beer he can often be spotted travelling from one bar to another in search of the latest brew to hit the market.
