Chris McMorrow Artist
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The Blue Light pub was built in the 18th century from hand-cut stone in Barnacullia – meaning ‘top of the woods’ in Gaelic – a small village community beside the old granite quarries in the Dublin Mountains.
Because taxes on imported spirits were so high in the 1700's, smuggling of alcohol was rife and under cover of darkness, when customs officials were not around, the locals would light a blue ship’s lantern at the front of the pub which could be seen by the smuggler boats, below in Dublin Bay. The Blue Light shining from the mountaintop signalled to them that it was safe to come ashore and haul their contraband up to Barnacullia.
Today there are no smugglers but there is still a clear view of the bay, enjoyed by a loyal eclectic patronage from all over the county and beyond, especially popular with the biker crowd
For more about the venue itself, visit the Blue Light Pub website.