Contrary to popular belief, Ireland’s not all trad music, Guinness, and Jameson (although Irish whiskey is understandably huge). American perceptions are largely informed by the classic Irish pub—which is about as apt as learning about Italy from Olive Garden.
Thankfully, the team behind famed New York City Irish bar The Dead Rabbit have sought to “de-leprechaunify” that image, both through its award-winning pub and, now, sponsoring trips to the Emerald Isle—one of which I was recently able to join.
Set in Manhattan’s Financial District in a building raised in 1828, The Dead Rabbit, which opened in 2013, reflects the Ireland of today, while still keeping a foot planted in tradition. The walls are adorned with art and photography from contemporary Irish artists. The eclectic music, curated by the bar’s director of music, Liam Craig, is decidedly light on Dropkick Murphys. They still pour pints of Guinness—and they do it well—but the real draw is a well-stocked exploration of Irish spirits from both big names and up-and-comers.
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This attention to detail has made The Dead Rabbit widely acclaimed, but there’s only so much of actual Ireland you can experience on this side of the Atlantic. Traveling through Dublin and Belfast on this trip not only underlined that bar’s singular vision, but also showed its homeland in a fresh light. Most of The Dead Rabbit team hails from Ireland, so it was a return of sorts. And for the non-Irish (or at least non-native-Irish), the tour served as a welcome correction to the aforementioned “deeply silly leprechaun-centric stereotypes.”
Now, the trip didn’t wholly reject tradition. A tour of the Guinness brewery, the most famous in the world, took up an afternoon in Dublin, as it was not only bustling with tourists, but also preparing for a notable expansion. (If you’ve ever wanted to live next to the Guinness factory, good news: Apartment buildings are being built on-site).
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Later, Guinness hosted an event at a local distillery partner, which highlighted the Ireland of today and tomorrow, featuring a mashup of Irish musicians of various genres. QBANAA, a Cuban-Irish R&B singer, crooned with a voice that evoked SZA and Amy Winehouse. Meanwhile, Roe, who blends poppy guitar riffs with witty, melancholic lyrics, would be right at home opening for Boygenius or Liz Phair. Like any locale, Ireland isn’t exclusively white, straight, or cisgendered, and the music scene vibrantly reflects that.
Our stay in Belfast began with an art show so diverse that anyone viewing Ireland through shamrock-tinted glasses would be caught off guard. Some pieces conveyed the Irish immigrant experience, while photography depicted Belfast’s underground queer club scene. It was as impressive as anything you’d find in a major American city.
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Many of the artists were at the show, celebrating their pieces that will soon be added to the walls of new The Dead Rabbit locations—outposts in Washington, DC and Austin, Texas are coming soon. That afternoon we grabbed food from John Long’s, a Belfast staple renowned for having the best fish and chips in a country full of them. Perfectly battered cod and ample servings of freshly-fried chips made for a crunchy, flaky bite that instantly met the fanfare surrounding the spot.
The following morning we stopped by the headquarters of Crown Creative, the agency The Dead Rabbit collaborated with on building out its concepts in the U.S. We were introduced to a variety of local craftsmen—carpenters, ceramicists, and glass cutters alike—all of whom were hired to bring the new bars to life. Art and music aren’t the only fields spotlighted in the bar; everything from the coffee cups at the newest location—the Irish Exit pub, located in Penn Station—to bar stools and chairs is made by Irish craftsmen.
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Perhaps no moment more clearly spoke to the mission of The Dead Rabbit—along with the makeup of modern Ireland—than a tour of Crumlin Road Gaol, the remains of which are being converted into a distillery for McConnell’s Irish Whiskey. The heritage brand, established in 1776, is now being revived by the Belfast Distillery Company.
The old Crumlin Road Gaol sits just outside of the city. It operated for 150 years before the last of its inmates were released in 1996. Many of its former inmates still reside in Belfast today. It’s an ugly part of the city’s history, but also one that stands as a testament to its resilience. The jail is closed. Belfast and all the people in it are still here. And Crumlin Road Gaol’s remains are being used to carry Irish tradition into a new era.
Until you’re able to make the trek to Ireland, pop into The Dead Rabbit next time you’re in New York (or, soon, in new Austin, TX, and Washington, D.C.) for a peek into what the nation has to offer. And when you finally cross the pond to see it first and foremost, remember that Ireland is Guinness.
It’s whiskey, trad music, and cozy pubs, sure. But it’s also modern and transgressive, angry, joyful, and beautiful. If you visit, try to enjoy what’s there now, as well as what’s to come.
