Nestled in the beautiful Baggot Street Village on the Southside of Dublin, only a short stroll from St Stephen’s Green on your way to the Aviva Stadium, Searsons of Baggot Street, established in 1845, is a historic dublin pub with a well established reputation for being one of the finest bars in Dublin.
Having undergone an extensive refurbishment to restore the property to its former glory Searons now boasts a beautiful Beer Garden to the rear complete with high definition screens for all your sporting pleasure. Heated and covered for those chilly days and nights but it can also be wonderfully open for those balmy summer occasions.
Poet Patrick Kavanagh and playwright Brendan Behan had a long affinity with Searsons in the 1940s and 1950s. Their friendship was always tempestuous and volatile and on many occasions boiled over at the counter.
While the literary connection affirms Searson’s cultural heritage, this old watering hole has a very distinguished licensing history dating back to October 1845 when the name Henry Tobin, Grocer, Wine & Spirit Merchant, appeared above the door of what was then nos. 21-22 Upr. Baggot St. This was both an important and prosperous thoroughfare in Dublin’s narrative as Baggot St. Surgical Hospital was located at no. 9 on a street heavily populated by surgeons, solicitors and merchants. The affluence of surrounding Victorian Dublin brought a steady steam of business to Henry Tobin’s busy pub and grocery. Henry Tobin remained at the helm here until 1884 when he was succeeded by one of Ireland’s most distinguished and successful licensed trade operators in William Davy, Grocer, Wine & Spirit Merchant. In 1890 William Davy completed a lavish Victorian renovation on this old house that was to remain in situ for almost 100 years. Following his demise his executors ran this old pub until September 28th 1923 when his widow Mary Josephine sold out the leasehold interest to brothers William and Michael Searson.
Over the next 40 years Searson’s established an unrivalled reputation as a well run establishment that attracted strong local patronage and a strong connection with the sport of rugby because of its proximity to Lansdowne Road, now Aviva Stadium. William Searson passed away on August 20th 1959 and the pub was sold to the Hardy family at public auction for £30,000 on May 26th 1961.