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BARFLY The Times They Are A-Changing Half Board L
ast month saw the launch of a brand new brewery which aims to convince pub goers to change their minds and try some ‘new, refreshingly Irish’ beers. Based in Glasnevin, Changing Times Brewery is backed by the families behind some of Dublin’s best known pubs, as well as publican Benny McCabe and brewer Shane Long. Those behind the new initiative say that the idea for the brewery came from feedback from customers over the years, which led to conversations between the publican families, prompting them to create their own brewery. Speaking about the launch of Changing Times, Willie Aherne of The Palace Bar on Fleet Street said, “We set up this brewery to give pub goers something new, something locally brewed, authentic and refreshingly Irish. Our customers were saying they were in the mood for change and that we should be brewing our own range of beers.” His remarks were echoed by Paul Sheehan of Sheehans Pub, Chatham Street, who added, “Change has been good for modern Ireland. We’re no longer a country that is stuck in our ways or who does things just because that’s the way they have always been done. That is the spirit behind Changing Times - there’s always time for something new. So you could say Changing Times is about changing minds, one sip at a time.” With plans to expand their product range in early 2025, the brewery is currently providing two products, Daydreamer Lager and After Hours Pale Ale, which both contain an abv of 4.2%. In the short term, products will be stocked in the bars of Changing Times founding members, including The Palace, The Long Hall, The Swan, Devitts, Sheehans, and The Ferryman to name but some of those involved. Additional pubs are expected to come on board in the next few weeks. changingtimesbrewery.com Leonard’s Corner in New Hands A changing of the guard at Leonard’s Corner after nearly a quarter of a century, came as a surprise to many recently, as the previous owners Gerry and Phil shared a farewell message on their social media channels announcing that they were passing on the reins of their “pride and joy to other hands.” Thanking the many loyal customers and staff who helped make Leonard’s Corner “a very special place” they added, “It hasn’t been an easy decision to move on, but we feel it is the right time. It is now our turn to have our adventures.” To the relief of locals, the transition happened very quickly, with the landmark pub at the junction of South Circular Road and Clanbrassil Street now under the tried and trusted stewardship of John McMahon. As Gerry and Phil pursue their new adventures, we look forward to seeing what the owner of Circular Bar and Lucky’s on Meath Street has planned in the coming months. @leonardscorner 40 Over on Harold’s Cross bridge the year began enthusiastically with the advent of Board, a new non-alcohol space, boasting over 200 board games for visitors to enjoy there. However, as dry January came and went, it seems that it became increasingly challenging to get the concept to work successfully. Now, in a bid to ensure the venue’s survival, the nonalcohol pioneers have decided to expand their offering, with the introduction of beers, spirits and cocktails alongside plans to serve a Low ABV menu at the Board Bar. Explaining what the new changes will mean in practice, a spokesperson said that, “Roughly speaking - for beer we’ll go with under 3%, wines under 8% and tall drinks under 5%.” That said, their non-alcohol offering remains consistently strong. “We’ll continue to offer the most comprehensive N/A drinks menu in the city. We’re keeping our 50-100+ n/a and mood altering drinks, and we’ll continue to explore and expand on that in 2025.” In the spirit of those who have ‘failed again and failed better’ the folk at Board are looking forward to the future with renewed optimism. “We will continue to have notions and ideas that may or may not work. To paraphrase a great man – Sail we may, fail we must…” For info and bookings see boarddublin.com/half-board