A half-past-three Hemingway Daiquiri in Hawksmoor Dublin.

Directly across the bar stands Darragh Boylan. To some, he is known for being a frequent competitor in all manner of cocktail competitions; to others, he is the intermediary marking the transition from the bar into the decadent restaurant behind it. To me, he is the man making my drink.

At just 23 years old and with two years in the industry, Darragh was a finalist for Irish cocktail bartender of the year.  Having worked in the industry myself for six years, I have never seen such a long-lasting passion for the craft. On any given day, if you were to ask, he would tell you he absolutely loves what he does.

I asked him what inspired him to go into bartending. 

“I was terrified of alcohol. Irish drinking culture is drinking in a field when you’re 16 and getting blackout,” said Boylan. “That’s not something I ever did. So, when I was just about to turn 18, I began to study alcohol because that’s what I do best. I’m quite academic in that I like to know things before I do things. As targeted advertising goes, you get ads based on what you’ve looked up. Out of the blue, I got an advertisement; Dublin Bartending School were doing a giveaway for two places. I said to myself, ‘why not? ‘ and I won the two places.

“After a post-course hiatus, I was teaching music in Irish in different primary schools and up in the Gaeltacht, and out of nowhere, my local bar in central Balbriggan were opening a cocktail bar called ‘Her’s Upstairs’. So, I threw my CV in with a bit of spoofing on it as we all have and I got the job. It wasn’t easy; it was 200 covers a night, everyone drinking cocktails all while not really knowing what I was doing. I almost got sacked four times just from that, and now I’m one of the cocktail bartenders of the year. ”

I asked him to grab a cocktail to shoot some photos and he excitedly rushed off. He had given me his lunch break for the chat and photo shoot. In high volume hospitality, such precious time away from the chaos of a ticket printer whirring at full speed or an onslaught of thirsty guests is not to be given lightly. It was time for me to ask the question I was most curious about.

What would be your top three cocktail bars in the city?

“I’m gonna do a two-parter for this, and that is Bar 1661 and The Sackville. [Bar 1661] is a bar that, when I went in for the first time, treated me with so much love and care and hospitality and showed me all these amazing drinks, and now I’m really good friends with most of them. Beautiful, beautiful cocktails. The menu of Bar 1661 acts as a sort of Michelin Guide. Where it’s so diverse and has so much on it.

“Then the Sackville is quite frankly my favourite cocktail bar in the city, where it’s just classics done really, incredibly well. And they’re all delicious, and it’s such a really quaint, small bar but such a nice vibe. The lighting is great; the music is great. Fantastic.”

Opened in April of 2019 by Dave Mulligan, Bar 1661 originally started as a pop-up in 2017, with the concept behind it being to open Ireland’s first Poitín bar. The name itself is derived from the year the British outlawed the private distillation of Poitín. And so far, it’s working. With numerous accolades in the short time since opening their doors, namely Irish Bar of the Year 2025, ‘your favourite bartender’s favourite bar’ seems to be what you can see more and more of in the seven years since the doors were opened.

Dating back to 1914, The Sackville Lounge has a moniker coming from what O’Connell Street was named during its time under British rule.

Known for being a notoriously bite-sized boozer, it was for a long time a run-of-the-mill bar you’d find on any given street in inner-city Dublin. It wasn’t until the aforementioned Dave Mulligan took over in 2025, that it got its name for being a classic cocktail-focused bar that is known for what some say is the best Irish Coffee in the city.

“Number two, I’m gonna say Juno out in Drumcondra. I’ve a lot of friends working there. When I first moved there, it was the first place I could walk into and not feel alienated going into just another bar, you know, and it was just really fun. Their beverage programme is incredible. Really, really delicious.”

A more recent pub that shares a similar lineage with the Sackville Lounge in that it’s an older venue with a modern menu. Juno is what was originally known as The Red Parrot until 2023. Whilst still keeping to its roots with a local feel, they’ve since adopted a menu that keeps things contemporary.

“I’m gonna end with a late bar, and that is 37 Dawson Street, because it’s just always just good craic when you go. They have industry nights every Sunday. A lot of really talented bartenders in there as well. Great spot to get a late drink.”

A Georgian-era building that’s seen a rebirth back in 2012, like the other two bars mentioned, they’ve stepped away from a standard pub aesthetic and into a late bar that’s more than just that. Follow the money: the same tip you give your bartender ends up in the tills of spots just like this, and for good reason.

And so, that was Darragh. With ten competitions under his belt and a podium spot the majority of the time, there are two things that stand out about him. He adores Dublin and loves bartending. With success stories like Dave Mulligan, especially given that Bar 1661 has made it to the Top 100 bars in the world as of Tuesday, September 22nd, we are walking amongst future giants in the industry. Just like restaurants, the amenities we take for granted are total passion projects built on the hard work of those who choose time and time again to not have a choice when it comes to quality.

He aims to compete in the world series next year, so for him and for the Dublin bar scene, I for one sincerely hope this article gets a follow up and he has the time to give me the time when he’s recognised as one of the world’s best.