I’m not
a big fan of award shows, but I must say, I was happy to see Bono and the lads sweep
their categories at the Grammy’s last night (Sorry, Mariah Carey).
The venerable U2 always takes me back to Ireland. Perhaps it is because I
had the fortune of serving the band drinks while working in a Dublin pub a number of years ago (note gratuitous
celebrity name dropping here).
Frankly, the band makes me homesick for Ireland, and I’m not even from there. When I revisited last
May, I made sure to stop by the location which all U2 fans visit while in Dublin: the U2 owned Clarence Hotel.
Built in 1852, the majestic building sits on the River Liffey just at the edge of Temple Bar, a raucous nightlife area packed on the weekends with drinkers
and revelers. It is a prime location, although sadly, too pricey for my travel budget ($475 a night for the
cheapest room). But like all hotels, cheapskates like myself can lounge in the lobby and drink in their bar
without actually being a guest. I wasn’t able to steal any monogrammed towels, however.
From what I saw, the hotel appears rather impressive. Although housed in a structure built more than 150
years ago, the interior is chic and modern. Even the hotel’s famous Octagon Bar, wouldn’t look out of
place in Manhattan—nor would the cost of a drink in this overpriced, but otherwise pleasant waterhole.
Now call me a traditionalist, but given the choice, I much prefer weathered old Irish pubs over some slick martini
bar while in Dublin. That is, after all, the essence of the city. Nonetheless, the Clarence is still worth
a stop. Now that Bono has five more Grammy’s to his name, maybe he can finally rest on his laurels and hang
out there a bit more often.