Dublin Castle: May it never close
May the Dublin Castle never die: behind the licks of bright red paint and Irish flags is a pub and music venue with history that stretches far back further than Camden’s indie heyday. Way back when, it stuck to strictly Irish music, but became one of NW1’s best-loved live venues after Madness made their name there. Later, Blur were among the Britpop acts who used the Castle to make it big, and later Amy Winehouse was another regular – and, just like at the Hawley Arms, she could sometimes be found serving behind the bar. So fond are locals of the Castle that it’s even had it’s own song dedicated to it.
Astonishingly, it still has three or four bands playing a night, DJs playing until the early hours on the weekend and a jam night every Tuesday. If that’s not enough music for you, then rely on their jukebox, which is always blaring away. Don’t miss the free table tennis, either, which runs midday until 5.30pm.
Crucially, though, there’s decent beer, almost endless atmosphere and the knowledge you’re somewhere The Libertines, Billy Bragg, the Killers and countless others all killed at. You mightn’t get a seat – but why would you want to?
