The history of Bruxelles began in the late '60s when The Zodiac Lounge became the birthplace of the Irish rock scene. The subterranean lounge below the gothic Grafton Mooney saloon was adopted as a home from home by the new beat generation led by Brush Shiels and Skid Row and later Philip Lynott and Thin Lizzy.

Although the Harry St pub didn't become Bruxelles Bar until four years later, it was the gathering place of the (literally) underground rock movement.

Terry O'Neill, Thin Lizzy's first manager, recalls the significance of the Zodiac Lounge and the people who regularly frequented it in those days. "Skid Row and Thin Lizzy used it as their base in the early days. McDaid's was a folk music bar and we made the Zodiac our own place."

Both groups held their band meetings in the Zodiac and met there socially when they weren't at work. The Zodiac attracted many others from the contemporary beat scene of the day. Cahir O'Doherty of The Gentry was a regular, as was Mike O'Brien, lead singer with The Real McCoy; John Farrell, singer with The Movement and the late Ollie Byrne who then managed Skid Row and went on to fame as manager of Shelbourne FC.

The Zodiac lounge took its name from the unique collection of hand painted tile illustrations of the twelve signs of the astrological zodiac on the walls of the ground floor saloon bar that traces its history back to 1886.

From 1886 to 1973, the bar was known as The Grafton Mooney, part of the Mooney chain of Victorian pubs, one of the first of its kind in Dublin. There were Mooney bars throughout the city centre at one stage including The Parnell Mooney, The Earl Mooney, The Abbey Mooney, The Horseshoe House and Mooney's of Doyle's Corner as well as bars on South Richmond st, Baggot St and Manor St.

James G Mooney acquired Number 7 Harry St in 1885. One year later he bought number eight and work began on the existing building. There was a long history of bars and alcohol vendors in Harry St. In the mid-19th century there were at least five licensed premises on the street including two vintners, two wine and spirit merchants and at least one gin palace. Number seven Harry St housed one of Dublin's first 'gin palaces', Duvall's.

Harry St's history goes back to the mid-18th century when it was a pathway running through a patch of city owned land marked by two giant dung heaps known as Flint's Croft. The street, as we now know it, was built as part of a city development begun by the Wide Streets Commission in the middle of the eighteen century. The work was begun in 1710 by Joshua Dawson who built the street that bears his name as well as Grafton St, Ann St and Duke St. Dawson built the Mansion House which he used as a private dwelling. The Wide St Commission developed Harry St and Chatham St and linked them with Aungier St and South Great George's St.

The Harry St building on the site of Nos 7&8 was designed and built by renowned Dublin architect, J.J. O'Callaghan, widely known as a diehard Gothicist. Other well known city buildings attributed to O'Callaghan include Dublin's first synagogue on Adelaide Road; the Dolphin Hotel on Essex St which has been described as the last important secular Gothic building in Dublin; Callaghan's of Dame St and the London and Lancashire Fire Insurance building on the junction of Westmoreland St and D'Olier St. Nos 7&8 Harry St combines all the distinct features in O'Callaghan's Gothic trick bag, particularly the round tower on the Swan Yard side with its distinctive winding staircase.

The Mooney bars were regarded as bars of distinction as far as city pub lore went. 'You had to be the best working at Mooneys, you had to be 'spot on,' retired barman, Alfred Millar told Professor Kevin Kearns for his book 'Dublin Pub Life and Lore.' Millar began his apprenticeship at 15 and got an introduction to Mooney's when he befriended Irish author, Myles naGcopaleen/Flann O'Brien or Bryan O'Nolan. O'Nolan met Millar when he worked in Fleet St's Pearl Bar and wrote a letter of introduction for him that got him a job in Mooney's of Doyle's Corner. 'They had a certain standard, Mooney's did,' recalls Millar, 'oh yes, it was very hard to get in.'

Mooney bars were not working class regulars in the tradition of most Dublin locals. The Grafton Mooney, given its location next to the city’s high end shopping street, drew a more transient and well heeled clientele. 'Mooney's was never noted for having a good pint,' recalls Millar, 'they were more concerned with selling wine and whiskey and they did a great plate of ham.'

During the war the Grafton Mooney became a popular gathering place for American soldiers on furlough from Belfast. But for many years it was just part of the city streetscape, a Mooney bar.

So it was by happy coincidence that a new movement of young musicians sought a place they could call their own and settled on the Zodiac Lounge, a two room bar beneath the Grafton Mooney.

By 1974, when the Grafton Mooney's name changed to Bruxelles Bar, many of those rock pioneers had parted. Thin Lizzy and Skid Row had embarked on international careers and, in the case of Thin Lizzy, moved their centre of operations to London. The scene in Dublin, meanwhile, shifted location to Duke St's The Bailey and Kehoe's of Ann St.

The new bar in Harry St adopted the name 'Bruxelles' to mark Ireland's joining the European Economic Community (EEC), a precursor of the European Union whose headquarters was based in the Belgian capital. In other ways it marked a new beginning too for Dublin pub life and the birth of a new standard and attitude in hospitality.

Since those early days, Bruxelles bar has become synonymous with the new Dublin music scene. Because even though the bands moved on, they left behind a gathering place for likeminded souls. When the bar extended into what is now The Flanders bar, its part in the lore of Irish rock was established.

This has been endorsed by the visits of some of the biggest names in rock, including Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Anthrax, Journey, Nickelback and Mastodon to the bar. On one memorable occasion when Rolling Stone guitarist, Ron Wood joined local rockabilly hero, Seannie Foy, onstage, backed by Dave Egan on drums and Imelda May on backing vocals, they were watched by Axl Rose and guitarist, Slash of Guns N Roses.

Wood, who always likes an opportunity to pick up an axe, soloed with Dublin blues legend, the late Jimmy Faulkner, in the saloon bar. On that occasion the Rolling Stone dropped in with snooker legends, Jimmy White and Ken Doherty. Faulkner and his band, including former Skid Row drummer, Noel Bridgeman, ran a regular Tuesday night session in Bruxelles. The Mary Stokes Band has had one of the longest residency sessions in Dublin with her popular Sunday night blues workout. The popular Wednesday open mike night, The Zodiac Sessions has maintained that tradition. Visitors of note include Joe Bouchard of Blue Oyster Cult who sang the classic 'Don't Fear the Reaper.' Paddy Casey has joined in on occasion as has Mundy, Jerry Fish of Mud Club fame, former Hothouse Flower, actress and solo performer, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Eibhin Eviston who brought Laura Izibor along.

Paul Weller has often made a point of having a pint in Bruxelles during his many visits to the city down the years. Oasis took over the Zodiac bar for their after show events in the '90s, entertained by Paolo Hewitt on the decks. The Charlatans' singer, Tim Burgess did the honours himself when his own band took over the bar for a party. Bruxelles hosted an after show party for Californian country rock pioneers, The Eagles. Indie favourites, Snow Patrol and Ash have partied there as has Andrew Ridgley of Wham! and Keren Woodward of Banarama.

The list goes on and is as varied as it is exhaustive. Michael Flatley danced on the bar, Tom Jones has dropped in for a pint. Girls Aloud ate lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger ate lunch in Bruxelles on a St Stephen's day and later named their daughter, Ireland. Bruce Springsteen dropped in alone and unannounced one day. So did James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers who bought a pint and sat at the bar, alone, to enjoy it. John Denver drank a pint in Bruxelles just a week before his tragic death in Colorado. The legendary Kris Kristofferson, Chris Penn and Tina Turner have visited the pub as have Mel Gibson, Liza Minnelli, James Belushi and Jonathan Rhys Myers. Bryan Adams and Billy Joel have both been through the doors. And the rap world has not been misrepresented either. One wag famously referred to American rap hero, 50 Cent as 'half a Euro' when he and his crew dropped in. NaS and Nelly have also dropped by. The bar became the unofficial clubhouse for the cast and crew of The Commitments when it was filmed in Dublin in the early '90s.

In more recent years the pub has become well known as a hangout for international sports stars. Former Shelbourne manager, Ollie Byrne came to Bruxelles in his youth when he managed Skid Row. He returned to attend the dedication of the statue to Phil Lynott that now stands outside the pub, erected by the Irish rocker's own fans. Roddy Collins, brother of world champion boxer, Steve and former Bohemians' manager, was once a regular visitor. Former Republic of Ireland manager, Brian Kerr is a fixture. Former Irish international Keith O'Neill brought Paul Gascoigne and his fellow Middlesbrough teammates to Bruxelles. Since then Keith has been a regular visitor along with his many celebrity friends. Boxers Francie Barrett and world champion Bernard Dunne have paid their respects.

Irish rugby international, Brian O'Driscoll has often cited Bruxelles as one of his all time favourite Saturday night fun spots. His Leinster and Irish teammates have been known to delay their championship celebrations until they get back to Harry St. English Premiership sides like Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur on rest and recreation breaks in Ireland, have included a night out in Bruxelles among their itinerary.

Bruxelles is, as the legend says, a cosmopolitan pub and embraces diversity. It is all about its customers, feeding them, entertaining them but above all, making them welcome.