Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery, Dublin, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Pearse Lyons Distillery is a working Irish whiskey distillery set inside the restored St James's Church on James's Street in Dublin 8. The church has medieval roots as a stop for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, and today two copper pot stills stand within its walls, which makes it one of the more unusual places to see in Dublin's old distilling district.

The story behind it

St James's Church grew out of a church founded in the Middle Ages, and it was a waypoint for pilgrims travelling from Ireland to Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain, where the tomb of St James is said to lie. The graveyard around it holds burials from many centuries. In time the building fell out of use as a church and stood empty.

It was brought back to life by Pearse Lyons, who came from a family of Irish coopers, the craftsmen who make whiskey barrels. He restored the church and opened the distillery in 2017, naming it after himself. The project returned production to a part of Dublin with a long history of brewing and distilling, and it focuses on small-batch Irish whiskey.

What to look for

• The two copper pot stills set inside the former church, a striking sight where you might expect pews and an altar.
• The church building itself, which still reads clearly as a place of worship even though it now serves a very different purpose.
• The churchyard around the building, a reminder that this ground has been used for burials over many centuries.
• The link to St James and the Camino, which explains why pilgrims once passed through this corner of Dublin.

Tips for your visit

• Go inside by joining a distillery visit, and check current opening hours and booking details before you set out.
• Allow time for the visit itself plus a short wander around the building and its grounds.
• The Liberties area is close by, and the Guinness Storehouse is within walking distance, so it pairs well with a wider day on foot.
• Daylight shows off the exterior and churchyard best, so plan any photos for the daytime.

See it on a quest

The Dublin Incident: Alien, Whiskey & Clues is a good way to see this place. You walk to it as one stop on a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.

Dublin in Flames: The Whiskey Hellfire takes a whiskey-flavoured route through the city. You reach the distillery on foot as part of the walk, hear about it on the spot, and work out a puzzle there rather than just looking at the building from the street. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.