Gridlocked between the restaurants, bars and hotels of Temple Bar, Rory’s Fishing Tackle feels like a remnant from a bygone era. Established in 1959, not much about the store has changed – including Rory himself, who opened it all those years ago. “This shop is the exact same as when we opened 50 years ago,” he tells us, proudly. “Back then, there was only retail on this street. It’s all upmarket now. All restaurants and pubs, it’s completely changed.
“We’re here so long now that old customers’ grandchildren are coming in,” adds Rory. But while the shop retains its old-fashioned charm, he’s no slouch when it comes to keeping up with the latest in fishing technology. “When we started there were only about 20 or 30 different rods to cover everything. Now you would have 20 rods for each species. There’s no end to it.”
In the past Rory’s client list has included Bono, Jack Charlton, Bill Clinton and – spot the odd one out – Lily Allen. Or “the one with the hair,” as she’s known by Rory’s daughter, Mary, who has worked in the store for 25 years. “I don’t think she’s a fisher. She bought one of our famous t-shirts.” Ah yes, the classic ‘If This Shirt Is Missing, I’ve Gone Fishing’ design.
During my visit to the shop, the customers who dropped in were all eager to give it a glowing review. “My wife and I came up to Dublin today. She goes clothes shopping, I come to Rory’s,” says Thomas Delohery from Clare. John McWeeney remembers Rory’s youth club fishing lesson in 1966. He’s been shopping here ever since. “It’s the best shop in Dublin for fishing advice. Rory and Mary, if they don’t know their stuff, nobody does. They’d know every lake and river in the country, and other countries for that matter.”17a Temple Bar, Dublin 2.
677 2351, rorys.ie
by dean van nguyen
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