Established in 1833, the year after Glasnevin Cemetery opened, John Kavanagh's, known by many as The Gravediggers, is now run by the eight generation of Joseph O'Neill who gave the pub to John when he married his daughter. Built into the walls of the cemetery ( famous for being the first graveyard where peoples of all faiths could be buried ) the gravediggers would knock on the wall with their shovels when they were ready for a drink after their shift. At the time there was a shortage of glass so the diggers would bring their empty jam jars, hence the saying
" Having a jar." The other patrons were the grievers,
back in the days, the hearse would be left outside while the mourners would have a drink prior to the burial. To deter mourners arriving drunk the city cemetery committee enacted a law to restrict burials to the mornings.
Unique too in that there is no public phone, no television and no music. What could have been the best session in Ireland never happened..after Luke Kelly's funeral, U2, The Chieftains and The Dubliners all arrived in with their instruments ready to play a tribute to Luke, when they were told to pack up and that was the end of that ! Another famous visitor, the late Anthony Bourdain, famed chef and journalist, paid a visit in 2003 and said it was one of his top five places in the world for a drink. Definitely worth a visit after that recommendation !
Comments