One of the classic Irish pubs in Dallas has closed: Trinity Hall Pub, which had been at Mockingbird Station for 20 years, closed its doors.
Owner Marius Donnelly said in an email that after 20 years he had decided not to renew his lease and was planning to spend the weekend cleaning up the room.
“Our lease expires at the end of this month, so we closed to tidy up and clear the pub,” he wrote in a note on the door.
On Facebook, he described it as “the classic Irish goodbye” where you sneak out without telling anyone.
“Before we get into the weekend, we’d like you to know that Trinity Hall pulled the classic Irish goodbye,” said his post. “We slipped away while you were at the bar and taking another round.”
Trinity was among the many bars to suffer after COVID-19, and the bar closed for almost a year in mid-2020 before Donnelly reopened in June.
He founded the pub in 2001 after many years in the hospitality industry, including as Director Food & Beverage at the hotel chains Omni and Hyatt.
The Trinity had a typical and authentic pub feel with its dark woods, brass fittings, worn wooden tables and chairs, vintage photos and paintings, Irish flags and football team banners, Gaelic scripts and busts of famous people.
The place was popular with all walkers: cinema-goers in the nearby Angelika. The SMU community. The cast in productions at the Pocket Sandwich Theater. Beer fans as it was ahead of the craft beer craze with a wide selection of European beers. Music fans as traditional Irish live music is played here regularly. Sports fans as rugby and football matches were broadcast. Trivia fans as it also hosted Trivia Nights.
The room at the Mockingbird Station had many corners that made for good group and work meetings, as well as a huge outdoor terrace.
The food was good too, with Irish specialties such as colcannon and shepherd’s pie, as well as well-prepared versions of bar food such as cheese fries.
Donnelly was an accomplished operator who kept trends such as vegan food on the cutting edge; he was an early operator who cultivated this market with a special vegan menu.
Over the years the Trinity has made many CultureMap lists, from the best places for the holidays to the best places for a group to the best potato dishes.
In his suicide note, he quoted the Monty Python song “Always Look on The Bright Side of Life” and said, “Our 20-year lease had expired, our hearts are filled with your smile, your songs and your laugh and now, our friend Eric said it best when he spoke to Graham Norton. Think good thoughts, if you remember us, invite your friend to have a pint in a pub this weekend, and “if you’re on the gristle.” chew of life, don’t do it “grumble … whistle …”
His post ends with an encouragement to check out one of the many other Irish pubs in Dallas, including Lochland’s Dallas, Skellig Dallas, The Playwright Irish Pub Dallas and The Celt in McKinney, and Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House in East Dallas.
“Thank you for being wonderful guests and giving us the opportunity to serve!” he said. “Thank you very much.”
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