Earlier this afternoon, The Bernard Shaw announced that their bar, eatery and events spaces would be closing at the end of October.

The news comes just a few short months after the Bernard Shaw was refused permission by An Bord Pleanála to continue operating its iconic exterior beer garden and dining area.

This latest closure is being put in the context of several other significant closures of arts and social spaces in Dublin in recent years.

Dublin Flea, Hangar, Subset Street Art, the Tivoli and many more, now The Bernard Shaw and Eatyard. And how many places do Press Up own in Dublin? 30+? And when a crash comes, when it does, it's the artists, the indie bars & restaurants they'll want to pull the country back up. https://t.co/bkbwF5pK18

— Laura Ryan (@LaurNiR) September 9, 2019

Musicians and artists, for whom the Bernard Shaw was a haven, have also been sharing their thoughts about the loss on Twitter. TodayFM presenter Kelly-Anne Byrne wrote: "Sad news, in my 41 years I have never comes across a worse government than the current Irish 1, so many individual cultural places lost, places that define the city I come from. If Leo Varadkar turns up at any of my gigs trying to look trendy, I might jst drop kick him 2 the head".

Sad news, in my 41 years I have never comes across a worse government than the current Irish 1, so many individual cultural places lost, places that define the city I come from. If Leo Varadkar turns up at any of my gigs trying to look trendy, I might jst drop kick him 2 the head https://t.co/woADfzCPJ6

— Kelly-Anne Byrne (@KellyAnneByrne2) September 9, 2019

Others paid personal tributes to the pub. Journalist Louise Bruton called The Bernard Shaw a "second home", while Dublin artist Mango said it was like "losing an old friend".

Pre-wheelchair days, Bernard Shaw was my second home. Pitchers of Buckie,daytime pints with no end in sight and the comfort of knowing that some pal - any pal - would be in the smoking area if you threw the head in. Mouldy shifts, sweaty dances & NYE sessions that shook the earth https://t.co/BIC8PzPanY

— Louise Bruton (@luberachi) September 9, 2019

It feels like losing an old friend.
My whole musical journey in life has had that place peppered through it.
My first album launch, Boom Bap BBQ. MathMan’s Beat clubs.,Our first headliner, MangoChella.
Gone.
For what? pic.twitter.com/OAiM6GLAzz

— Mango (@MangoDassle) September 9, 2019

As well as that, many paid tribute to The Bernard Shaw's creativity ways of paying tribute to the big, progressive social movements in Irish society, including the repealing of the 8th amendment:

One of my favourite memories of the Shaw was the day the referendum passed and there was just a row of weeping women laying flowers at the Savita mural and then heading in for a deserved pint pic.twitter.com/Jibx9g6ipM

— halloween tinsel (@motlinebling) September 9, 2019

In a statement announcing the closure of the Bernard Shaw, the owners and crew finished on a hopeful note, saying that "we are going nowhere & we won’t go down without a fight. We’ll start something else, somewhere else [ plans are afoot ] , and keep fighting the good fight."

They also paid tribute to the creatives who had passed through their doors throughout the years.

"There are so many young creative, clever, smart people in Dublin & Ireland at the moment – there’s lots to be optimistic about – but they need the spaces to meet each other, make plans, and make them happen!"

This will be a seismic loss in Dublin - and will no doubt lead to people pushing even hard for a change to Dublin's careless treatment of its social spaces...