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BARFLY PUB FRONTAGE Between opening a brewery and
setting up a new shop in the former Fitzgerald’s Bar near O’Connell Street, it’s fair to say that it’s been a pretty busy twelve months for publican Willie Aherne. The latest venture by the proprietor of The Palace Bar sees him immortalising his father by emblazoning his name above the door of his new city centre hostelry. The lettering on the front of Bill Aherne’s pub is described by signwriter Colm O’Connor as “Novarese font with gold leaf outline, yellow ochre lettering with four colours used in the shading”. The gentleman of letters has also been hard at work over on Leeson Street, where he recently brightened up the signage at M. O’Brien’s, this time using a finish of burnt umber and black shading. For a more leisurely look at his nice handiwork on some of the city’s loveliest pubs, head over to his insta page. @colmoconnor_signwriter GOING, GOING, GONE… They’ve been hiding in plain sight, but not for much longer. We’re talking about 110 works of art that graced the walls of Grogan’s during the legendary drinking period from 1979 to 2019. Having been recently salvaged by social enterprise Sum Good, they’re set to go under the hammer at The Market Bar this month, and with no reserve and no limits, this is a great opportunity to get your hands on a unique piece of Irish art history without the need for a broker on speed dial. The much anticipated event kicks off at The Market Bar at 3pm on Sunday October 12th, with doors open at 2pm for those early birds who fancy a pint and another gander at the works beforehand. The items can currently be viewed at invaluable.com, while the whims of secret buyers, and those lurking behind their screens at home, will also be facilitated via live online bidding on the big day. All proceeds are destined for the Kickstarter Kitchen, a fantastic cause on a mission to change the lives of those facing barriers to employment by offering free professional chef training and recruitment services to anyone who needs a second chance. See ya there! @marketbardublin TAKE IT TO THE BANK Politically this has been a very dark year, with every day bringing news of yet more damage to democracy under the Trump regime and ever more atrocious happenings as part of the abominable genocide in Gaza. Indeed there are times when it seems like there’s nothing much we can really do in our small corner of the publishing world, beyond using the platform that we have to spotlight efforts by groups and businesses across the city doing their best to help alleviate some of the suffering in Palestine. One small initiative that recently caught our eye is the sale of handmade chocolate bars made by Brona Chocolates, with wrappings designed by the artist Borga Guillot at The Bank Bar and Restaurant on College Green. 100% of proceeds will go to Gaza Go Bragh and Tea Collective, two organisations supporting those impacted by genocide in Gaza by contributing to urgent, life-saving work on the ground there. While it may seem like a small thing, last May’s fundraiser as part of the Coffee For Gaza initiative ultimately resulted in The Bank’s owners, The Chawke Group, making a €10,000 donation to The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, eloquently showing that even very small things can sometimes have a big impact. Please support if you can. @thebankbar 34