Dubarry of Ireland - Reviews and experiences

I remember the day I first pulled these boots on. Cold morning, quick coffee, felt sturdy right away. They fit well, kept my feet warm and I actually liked the look — not too flashy, just right. I wore them through a bunch of walks that fall and into winter and thought, okay, these are good. Then about a year and a half later the sole started to flake. Annoying. I dug up bank records, phoned the retailer, tried to be calm about it. The whole mess felt like a hassle. Took them to a cobbler on a whim to see if it was fixable and that’s where the mood flipped. The cobbler knew what to do and was honest — said he sees this kind of wear but could repair them solidly. Watching him work, seeing the sole glued back properly, that was the turning point. Slipped them on after and they felt almost new again. I won’t pretend I wasn’t bummed about the trouble getting there, but I am happy now — happy I kept at it and happy with how they perform after the repair. If you’re like me and live in wet winters, keep receipts and don’t give up on a decent cobbler. Glad I did.

I remember pulling those boots out, halfway through getting ready for a slow Sunday, and that little moment when I realised something was off — that’s when I felt oddly satisfied. Not satisfied with the brand, no, but satisfied that the photos I’d taken actually proved what my eyes were saying. I’d bought the Dubarry ladies’ boots a while back, they looked great and I kept them for nicer days. I only wore them a handful of times, saved them, they sat at the bottom of my wardrobe until I decided to wear my older pair out first. When I finally dug them out the soles had split along the heels on both shoes. It was obvious from the photos — hardly any tread wear, but the soles peeling away.
I sent the pictures to Dubarry expecting at least a chat. Instead I got a short reply about a one-year warranty and that the model was old. They said the boots were from 18/19 and that was that. So, the satisfied bit was knowing I wasn’t imagining it — the boots are barely used but failed, which points to a manufacturing issue or being sold old stock. I’ve had other shoes last much longer, so this was disappointing. Plenty of others seem to have had similar problems, and the company hasn’t really owned up to it. I use boots like this for short walks, errands, the occasional wet day — so yeah, I noticed. Don’t get me wrong, they look nice, but when soles split with minimal wear you’d expect better follow-up. At least the photos backed me up.