Bushmills are bringing you the history behind Dublin’s oldest pub

Brought to you by Bushmills Irish Whiskey

Dublin is home to many pubs, most of them date back many years and carry a whole lot of history inside their doors - but The Brazen Head is the county's oldest.

Located on Bridge Street Lower, it is a key part of the city's culture and heritage, with its history developing over generations. 

For more than 400 years, Bushmills Irish Whiskey has shared stayed true to the values of craft, heritage and quality that define it, sharing this same spirit.

No better place to enjoy a Bushmills than in Dublin’s oldest pub, with roots stretching back centuries.

The present building dates back to in 1754 and served as a prominent coaching inn, and it is no doubt steeped in history of hostelry.

The name 'Brazen Head' comes from the 13th century legend of a bronze or brass head mounted on marble that could predict the future. The head reputedly would answer any question put to it with a simple "Yes" or "No", so questions had to be very carefully phrased.

It was here that the United Irishmen planned their insurrection, and Robert Emmet used the pub to plan the rising of 1803. Emmet stayed at the premises in a room overlooking the main door so he could see possible enemies approach, though his rebellion failed and he was hanged in nearby Thomas Street.

It was from the corner outside the Brazen Head, overlooking the River Liffey, that on the morning of June 28, 1922, Free State troops opened fire on Anti-Treaty forces holding the Four Courts across the river, sparking the Civil War.

Additionally, the iconic pub was referenced by James Joyce in his classic work Ulysses, when he wrote: “...you got a decent enough do in the Brazen Head for a bob.”

This comes as no surprise seeing as the pub has always been at the heart of Dublin life, similar to how Bushmills has always been at the heart of Irish whiskey.

So, if you're looking to enjoy a glass of history whilst also being completely surrounded by it, then the Brazen Head is just the spot.