Golfers shouldn't ignore Temple Bar in Dublin when visiting Ireland

I asked a local Irishman today where a “golfer” would go to eat at the Temple Bar, the touristy night spot in Dublin.

He laughed and scoffed: “Golfers don’t go down there.”

It’s always fun to prove a stereotype so wrong. It took some extra effort to shower after 27 holes of golf at Portmarnock Golf Club and ride the Dart, Dublin’s public railway system, from Malahide where I’m staying to the Temple Bar 35 minutes away, but the journey was well worth it.

The Temple Bar – an area on the south bank of the River Liffey with narrow, medieval cobblestone streets – is crawling with humanity tonight (see photo below).

The mayhem at pubs and bars all across Dublin was set off by the “Irish Super Bowl” known as The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football at Croke Park. Dublin won with a dramatic comeback for its first title since 1995, setting off an explosion of energy throughout the city.

A group of golfers from Seattle I met at dinner at the Gallaghers Boxy House couldn’t believe their luck. They were staying in the Temple Bar Hotel in the middle of all the action on the ninth night of a 10-day Irish golf trip. They were kind enough to invite me to sit at their table, and we had a good time chatting golf and marveling at the madness of the Irish people, who sure do know how to party.

“It’s like being in New Orleans for the Super Bowl,” said Brian Cooper of Seattle.

I’m glad I didn’t listen to the advice I got earlier today. The vibe downtown was off the charts.

Even without the hoopla surrounding football, the Temple Bar beats with an energy that most small Irish villages like Lahinch and Ballybunion just can’t give golfers. I now consider the Temple Bar another must-play in Ireland for golfers.