On one of my evenings in Dublin, I couldn’t miss out on nightlife in the city. From live music to inviting pubs to buskers entertaining in the streets, there’s a reason Dublin has garnered its reputation.

This night we decided to stop by a few pubs we had on our list. First up was The Duke Dublin, a Victorian pub full of patrons drinking and eating. While there was an outdoor terrace, we opted for an indoor seat tucked away in the corner where we each ordered two pints. I got the Rockshore Irish lager (a beer I wish was available in the United States). Fun fact: A popular literary pub crawl tour meets on the second floor of this pub. Unfortunately for us, these tours were fully booked on the days we were in Dublin.

After The Duke, we then made our way to the other pub on our list: The Brazen Head, Ireland’s oldest pub. People have been coming to this watering hole since 1198 and, throughout history, it was a popular meeting place for Irish rebels against the English.

Live music, a spacious outdoor area beneath lanterns and quirky rooms adorned with vintage décor can be found throughout this pub. Another Rockshore Irish lager was on tap for me here, as it was just too good to pass up (especially knowing I wouldn’t be able to get it again once back in the States).

We walked along the River Liffey after our time at The Brazen Head, as we wanted to walk through the Temple Bar area before going back to our hotel. Home to the famous Temple Bar pub, this area was absolutely buzzing with life.

Bright lights dangled all the way up the walls of some pubs, and every corner had a pub with doors open and live music pouring out. We even passed a bar with my surname, O’Riordan’s Bar!

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor