The Merchant's Arch takes corporate dinners, Christmas parties, evenings for visiting delegates, civil weddings and receptions for up to 150 seated guests in its private event room, and smaller groups of up to 40 on a private mezzanine. The venue is a traditional Irish pub, restaurant and live music bar in a historic building on the Dublin quays, at the foot of the Ha'penny Bridge in Temple Bar.
Seminars and company events
The venue targets corporate gatherings and MICE groups, and its central position makes it an easy evening choice for international delegates staying in the city center. The private room has its own entrance, its own bar and its own bathrooms, so a company group stays separate from the public pub. An AV sound system, a projector and two HD screens allow a short presentation, a video or a few speeches before dinner. A dedicated events team handles the planning from the first exchange to the night itself, and organizers can come in beforehand to taste the food across the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.
Weddings and receptions
Couples can hold a civil ceremony, a drinks reception or a full day of celebration here. The main room seats 150 for the wedding meal and offers views of the Ha'penny Bridge. The mezzanine is offered for pre-wedding gatherings and second-day celebrations, a format often requested by guests traveling from abroad.
Rooms and capacities
The private event room seats up to 150 guests. It comes with a private entrance, a private bar, private bathrooms, an AV sound system, a projector and two HD TVs. The Private Mezzanine seats about 40 and overlooks the main bar and its live music stage, which suits a relaxed group that wants the atmosphere of the pub without being in the middle of it. It works for finger food or a seated meal.
Catering
The kitchen cooks to order and describes its food as elevated Irish comfort cooking, sourced from local butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers and artisan bakers. Event formats range from a plated dinner to sharing platters, buffets and canapés, with sample festive menus and bespoke menus on request. Dietary needs are handled by the kitchen. At the bar, the venue pours Guinness, cocktails and a wide range of Irish whiskey, and live music plays every day in the main pub.
History and setting
The venue occupies a historic building that it describes as one of the best known in the city, at the river end of Temple Bar. The arched passage that gives it its name leads from the quays into the cobbled streets of the district. Inside, the building combines its period structure with a modern pub and restaurant fit-out.
Getting there
The Merchant's Arch stands on the south quays beside the Ha'penny Bridge, in Dublin city center. O'Connell Street and the Luas red line at Jervis are a short walk across the river, and Tara Street DART station is about ten minutes on foot. Dublin Airport is around 30 minutes away by car or airport bus, depending on traffic.
