In Dublin, most good pubs are quickly hunted down and, to their owner’s delight, never left neglected. But every city has its blind spots, locations just off the beaten track that leave a good pub unnoticed to locals, tourists or an area’s workers.

O’Neill’s on Pearse Street may be one such pub. Located near the railway bridge that’s had a Guinness ad plastered across it probably since the O’Neills started serving here (1888), its footprint contrasts greatly with that of its namesake on Suffolk Street. The former is situated on a busy, vehicular street with few retail or entertainment units nearby. The latter stands just off Grafton Street. The former hasn’t opened on Sundays in about 10 years. The latter buzzes morning, noon and night.

Yet this pleasant, relaxing pub consistently hums along, mainly it seems to the tune of tourists staying nearby or in one the eight guest rooms upstairs. On the night I visit I’m unsurprised to notice a man sitting at the bar drinking Guinness with the expression of someone ready to pounce on conversation. The American asks me how to tip a barman if he’s paying on card. No need to tip barmen here, I reassure him, and he’s delighted to get chatting. Arizona. First time in Ireland. Here to discover ancestry. Staying 20 metres up the road, where the family have crashed out after the long flight. The nearby barman hears these lines in his sleep.

The good weather on the evening in question has detracted those who might have been there otherwise. The emptiness reveals the true amount of space offered by this pub of dark wooden furnishings and walls covered in framed portraits and pictures. There’s the long counter in the smaller bar, perfect for perched, one-to-one, reflective or chest-offloading pints. The counter running along the opposite wall offers the same. The little snug adjoining it facilitates the confessional pint with a partner, or the gathering of friends who want to lose themselves from the world.

Move to the darker lounge section and you’ll find a range of table constellations, nooks and crannies to suit your numbers or dynamic. My mind rewinds to previous winters and the cosy atmosphere the larger section offers: soft lighting; the gentle burble of conversation; a good range of beers and whiskeys (it offers whiskey-tasting sessions); and the absence of numerous TVs blasting out sport. This pub always offered an ideal spot for an audible winter’s night or a December Saturday evening drink after Christmas shopping.

Tourists and a small milieu seem to have sustained this pub. Just like its namesake on Suffolk Street, it offers many corners and pockets for a drink, but without the same commotion. It seems justifiably easy in its own, calm skin.

Prices (27 June 2018)

Pint of Guinness: €5.20

Pint of lager: €5.80

330ml bottle of lager: €5.30

Measure of whiskey: €5.00

Soft drink: €2.80