In 1932, Mick Smyth bought the pub from John Mulligan, carrying the torch forward. It’s still a family-run place, run by Smyth’s descendants-the kind of spot where history is handed down with every round. Step inside-well, virtually-and you’ll be surrounded by a treasure trove of theatre posters and photographs, some older than your granddad’s favorite jokes. The Theatre Royal once stood just round the corner, and many a star, including Judy Garland, popped in for a tipple after shows. Let’s just say Dorothy definitely left Kansas for something stronger here!
And look out-the pub’s been immortalized in literature too. James Joyce gave Mulligan’s a quick cameo in his short story “Counterparts.” In the real world, the regulars were just as impressive: swarms of journalists from The Irish Times and Irish Press unwinding after deadline, musicians ducking out of the Corn Exchange after gigs, and even JFK himself dropping by in search of the perfect pint.
Of course, Mulligan’s has its lighter side. An American tourist, Billy Brooks Carr, loved the place so much he requested his ashes rest forever in the pub’s grandfather clock. So don’t be surprised if the clock’s chiming a little more merrily than usual! All told, Mulligan’s is a place where every pint has its own story, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll leave with one of your own.
