The new age is here and the pubs of old are being torn down, to make way for the new look. The Bunit and Simpson at 12 Bridge street Ringsend sold for €2.5 million with an adjacent shop unit and is now a new public bar called The Raytown with a function room, lounge and off licence named Hobbler’s End (above). They still sell good beer and food and there is a very friendly atmosphere.

However, most of the new pubs such as The Coyote Lounge of D’Olier Street , Fireworks of Tara street, The Mint of Westmoreland Street, Eamonn Doran’s Of Temple Bar are all a bright reflection of the old ones but are they as enjoyable to the people of Dublin?

I don’t think so. They seem to lack the intimacy of a bygone era, indeed an era when Dublin was built. Almost every one has a burly character on the door who can, if he wishes, refuse you entry. The new drinks available are a bit extreme with alcopops and other weird drinks on the list.

The old pint of porter has been left to traditional pubs, and there are still quite a few of them around such as The Bridge Bar of Westmoreland Street, Davy Byrne’s of Duke street, the Palace of Fleet street, McDaid’s of Grafton Street, Mulligan’s Of Poolbeg Street and The Old Stand of Exchequer Street to name a few.

These are pubs, along with many on any backstreet, who will serve you without doormen or service charges. I still prefer these older pubs if I feel like a drink. I’m not very old but I grew up with these landmarks of Irish history and cannot change my ways to fit.

I would need to buy a trendy shirt, have a shave and get a cool haircut and to be honest I don’t feel like doing all that. The age of bright lights and worldliness is here, are you up for it?