While there are many things to see and do in Dublin 8, much of it can seem an unlikely destination for a weekend excursion. Admittedly, when I led my dad and 80-year old grandfather down out of the austere parameters of St Patrick’s Cathedral and onto Newmarket St, I’m not sure they quite knew what they were getting themselves in for. However, their reservations were soon proven unfounded.
It is no secret that this part of Dublin 8 is fast becoming gentrified, with hip enclaves opening up in the unlikeliest of places. With work on the first new city park since Dublin’s conception underway between Cork St and Chamber St – set to be called Weaver Park – it is clear that the development of this corner of The Liberties is set to continue. I live down Marrowbone Lane, which is most likely notorious for the wrong reasons, and walk to the city each day via Cork St. As a result, I have been lured into Newmarket by the giant pointing finger plastered onto the wall. What I found there was entirely unexpected, as up until that point all I had found on Cork St in terms of amenities was an angling shop and a washing-machine cleaning service (there’s nothing wrong with either of those, but they definitely have a limited target audience). Newmarket, on the other hand, offers a haven for those of us who occasionally like to splash out on chickpea flour or retro desk lamps.
Every Sunday, the Big Green Door hanger comes to life, as does the building that houses the Dublin Food Co-Op, who are the hosts of the four markets on rotation. You can get a concession membership with the Dublin Food Co-Op for €10 a year which entitles you to discounts in-store as well as making contributions to the running of the co-op. Alternatively, you could just buy a tote bag and pretend to be a member like I did.
On the first Sunday of every month is the Vintage Market, which has everything from old maps to old Adidas. The soundtrack for this event is usually provided by a local musician, which certainly warms the cockles at this time of year. The second Sunday plays host to Fusion Sundays, which is a feast for the senses – there are smells and sights abounding, including South Indian street food, and a Turkish tea tent. The third Sunday offers even more variety, alternating between either Rumble in the Jumble – worth going for the name alone – or the Dublin Family Market, which brings an even greater number of babies than usual. The latter is probably less student-friendly, but the Jumble has some great bargains if you’re willing to devote some time and energy to rifling through everything. And last but not least, the last Sunday of the month is dedicated to the Dublin Flea Market, which is essentially a mish-mash of everything else on offer the rest of the month (and my personal favourite if only for the wacky furniture on display outside. Who knew I wanted a rocking horse so badly?).
The Dublin Food Co-Op itself is open from Wednesday to Sunday. Its eatery counterpart, the Thursday Cafe, is controversially open from Wednesday to Sunday, from lunchtime until late afternoon or early evening. This is the jewel in the crown of the Dublin Food Co-Op. They offer everything from cakes and coffee to full-blown brunch or freshly-fired pizza. I have sampled the house eggs, pancakes, french toast and coffee, all of which taste far less sinful than it undoubtedly is. If you like your maple syrup served in miniature beer tankards, this is the place for you. The food is mid-priced for what you get: the pancakes are €5.50, which is pretty reasonable, but then the orange juice is €3, which seems an extravagance with Lidl’s fairly decent alternative just down the road.
Following a filling brunch and a browse of the market, directly next door is the Teeling Whiskey Distillery, which opened in 2015. They also have a cafe, though like most tourist attractions, things tend to be a bit pricier. The best value for money undoubtedly comes from the tours on offer. Speaking as someone who had neither a taste for or an interest in whiskey prior to being shown round the distillery, I can confirm that I am now a convert. The tour is fun and interactive, but also not too long, clocking in at about 45 minutes. The staff are friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and you can tell they really care about the work Teeling is doing to revive Ireland’s role in the whiskey market.
They show you around the distillery, which is a box room compared to the almost-neighbouring Guinness Storehouse, and then show you all kinds of artefacts such as the different alcohol barrels they store the whiskey in (my favourite was the Calvados). At the end comes the inevitable tasting session. You can get tours that include a small batch taster and a cocktail (Teeling Tasting, €14); small batch, single malt and single grain (Teeling Trinity Tasting, €20), or single malt, Vintage single malt and Limited Edition Single Cask (Teeling Single Malt Tasting, €30). All of these come complete with guidance on how to taste, plus further information on the process of developing the whiskey. The cocktail was glorious, and the recipe for it is online, which is both a blessing and a curse.
After your tour, nip round the corner for a plate of hearty falafel, soup or the largest avocado toast in Dublin at The Fumbally, which is located, unsurprisingly, on Fumbally Lane. All of the dishes for brunch and lunch are under €10, but if you’re on a real shoestring following a whiskey tour or an impulsively-bought vintage comic, then the carrot cake is out of this world. The cafe is airy and bright with mismatched furniture, a pretty eclectic playlist and a varied clientele to match. The Fumbally is open from Tuesday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturdays 10am to 5pm. They also host special dinner events on Wednesdays from 7pm to 9.30pm, which you can find out more about on their website.
Dublin city centre is a stone’s throw from the cafe, so you hopefully won’t have far to heave your shopping or yourself home after a surprisingly indulgent day in Dublin 8.
