The Quiet Man is something of an anomaly in a world of plastic-paddy pubs. Sure, they have Kilkenny and Guinness on tap. Setanta Sports lights up the big screen on Sundays and there’s also traditional and contemporary Irish music most nights. On Mondays, they even have set dancing classes so you can high-step it like you’re in steerage on the Titanic. But first and foremost, this is a good, solid, local where it’s far more about good craic than leprechaun tat.
It's also an institution for the people of Flemington, who aren’t especially well serviced for pubs that aren’t brimming with pokies. Legitimately Irish bar staff will pull you a beer with a cheeky glint in their eye. It’s mostly the big names joining the Guinness – James Squire, Stella Artois and Heineken, but it’s a frosty pint from clean taps and that’s what counts.
The dining room forms the significantly warmer and less sticky side of the building. It’s here they’re ticking off the stews and Sunday roasts, and if you want a side of potatoes there are eleven different options, ranging from fries to baked to munster champ (mash with spring onion and bacon). What the Quiet Man lacks in flash, it makes up for in hearth. After all, there can be few things better than sidling up to the open fire with a pint of creamy Guinness to fortify you.