Culture
19 May 26

The Cobblestone named Pub of the Year at Irish Restaurant Awards

“At the Cobblestone, we aim to be more than just a pub; we host the country's finest music sessions, showcasing the incredible talents of seasoned performers and budding artists alike," reads The Cobblestone website.

The Cobblestone, a family-owned Smithfield landmark for 35 years, has been named Pub of the Year at the All-Ireland Final of the 2026 Irish Restaurant Awards, held at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road.

The pub, described on its website as ‘A drinking pub with a music problem’ is the project of proprietor Tom Mulligan, who comes from a long line of musicians. He transformed the small pub on Smithfield Square into a hub for Irish music, dance, and culture where it has served as a stage for numerous prominent artists, including Lankum, The Mary Wallopers, Lisa O Neill, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, The Len Collective, Moxie, Doireann Glackin, Junior Brother, Alannah Thornburgh, The Bonnymen, Caoimhín, and Clare Sands.

The pub is also showcasing a new mural of 'Dubliners' member, Luke Kelly, painted by Midlands-based artist Shane Turner. Luke Kelly's legacy will also be celebrated at an upcoming Smithfield festival, supported by Dublin City Council.

In October 2021, the landlord of The Cobblestone's property submitted a planning permission proposal to demolish the majority of the pub to construct a 14-story hotel, effectively forcing its closure after over a year of forced closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The community responded with a protest march from the Cobblestone to the Dublin City Council administrative offices. Hundreds protested the continued erosion of cultural spaces, with artists from the Dublin folk scene carrying a coffin to the City Council buildings to symbolise the threat to Irish culture. The hotel planning permission was ultimately rejected.