The worst-named pub in Dublin is O’Donoghue’s. Since few people will recognise the name, I’ll give another hint: Thing Mote. Ah yes, that place.
I’m not sure when Thing Mote changed hands and was renamed O’Donoghue’s. I can say that in the last 18 months that I’ve been back in Dublin, every conversation that mentioned O’Donoghue’s also included the phrase “the place that used to be Thing Mote”. More frequently, it’s referred to directly as Thing Mote, since many people including myself have trouble remembering its real name.
“Thing Mote” is just odd. It’s slightly jarring, and very distinctive. It’s quirky. The music they played before they changed hands was also quirky and distinctive. In fact the main problem with the place was that it was jam-packed every night of the week.
O’Donoghue’s, on the other hand… For a start, there’s already another Dublin pub called O’Donoghue’s, a few streets away on Merrion Row. It’s well-known for its live trad music, and has apparently been around for over 200 years.
More to the point, O’Donoghue is a bland, unmemorable name. It’s like O’Neill’s (of which there are also two in the south city centre). People have to say “O’Neill’s on Suffolk Street” - not just to distinguish them, but because there are so many Dublin pubs named with generic Irish surnames, that there’s nothing to stimulate your memory. Of course, after 200 years, pubs like O’Neill’s on Suffolk Street and O’Donoghue’s on Merrion Row develop enough character and reputation that they stand out in people’s minds. But 200 years is rather a long time to wait to build a reputation.
On the other hand, at least there’s no difficulty getting a seat these days.
