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If there is a better home away from home than an Irish Pub than I have yet to find it. When traveling to another city my wife and I always look for an Irish Pub in which to relax at the end of a day of touring and shopping. For the most part I find an Irish Pub very warm, friendly and welcoming. Aside from a cold drink and a warm meal I normally find great Irish music and people with a great sense of humour who at least appear to be interested in who you are, where you are from and so on.
Irish Pubs in Canada are quite often different from what you would find Irish Pubs to be in Ireland. Some would say that there are Irish Pubs for example that are only "Irish" on St. Patrick's Day. A few plastic shamrocks on the wall and serving Guinness does not an Irish Pub make. On the other hand, some are very authentic. Beautiful bar areas, with skilled hand-carved wood and mirrors reflecting the variety of product available. Live music several nights a week. My personal favourites are those that allow musicians to gather in a corner to play and sing for those lucky enough to be there at the time.
Pubs in Ireland can be found in every town regardless of how large or small the town may be. Many of the Pubs in Ireland are in older buildings and would be considered by some as neglected or run-down which is a sharp contrast to most of the Irish Pubs found in Canada or the United States. But I don't visit an Irish Pub for the interior design. I visit an Irish Pub for the atmosphere they create. The "craic". William Butler Yeats once said "There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven't yet met". In my opinion, this quote is the invisible welcome banner that hangs in front of most Irish Pubs.
I'm no historian and do not know the history of the Irish Pub. But I could make a few assumptions about how they became so prevalent and popular. Irish Pubs are a place to meet, greet and socialize. And we humans, as a species, love to socialize which includes talking, laughing, singing and dancing. The urge to socialize is almost as strong as the need to eat and drink: basic necessities of life. So why not combine the two. And leave it to the Irish to figure out a way by establishing Irish Pubs in almost every community. Nothing short of brilliant!
Irish Pubs can be found across Canada in both small and large towns and cities. Please use the Navigation list to your left to find Irish Pubs in Canada or Ireland or please use the search tool above to find an Irish Pub near you. There are reportedly 11,000 Irish Pubs in Ireland so I ask for your patience. It may take some time to list them all here at WeAreIrish.ca.
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