7 YEARS! 7 whole years!!! You’d get less for grand larceny ! 7 whole years of the quest of visiting every Irish Pub on earth, and to be fair each year gets more enjoyable. In 2024, I think a new record was reached – 40 Pubs (see list below )AND a new continent discovered* (*in the same way Columbus “discovered” it) , to assuage the internet trolls. We also had an interview with the Daily Mail – luckily it was with the Travel section so it’s only a minor compromise of my integrity and values. Working from home this summer provided me the opportunity to visit even more London Irish Pubs than ever , of which it turns out there are hundreds. But now, here are the 10 Best Irish Pubs of the year, rated purely on such metrics as vibes , craic , soundness and other such subjective notional concepts . Who knows where 2025 will take us, but ideally to a Pub in some post-Soviet enclave and/ or Antipodean former colonial possessions . Slainte and bless each and every one of ye for reading / following and to all the pioneers taking Irish Pubs to the world. You can also follow me on Instagram here; https://www.instagram.com/publicanenemy/

• (*these are all those visited in 2024: The Dublin Castle, Camden, Tig Neachtins, The Crane, Freeneys, (all Galway city), The Sheephaven, Camden, Both Mc&Sons, Skehans, The Pineapple, Nancy Spains I, Gibneys, The Tipperary, The Cock , The Floirin, The Hope, The WB yeats, The Cow, (All London, Molly Malones, LA, O’Caines, Palm Springs, The Shanty , Tucson, Kelly’s Irish, Austin, Mannions, Tottenham, Horse and Coaches, Covent Garden, 12 Pins, Finsbury , The Hercules, Homeboy, Angel, McCaffertys, Molly Blooms, Dalston, The Crown and Cushion, KK McCools, Turnpike Lane, Freenys,Jono’s Ilford, O’Gilins, Lisbon, The Corner Irish pub,Lisbon, O’Luains, Cascais , Quinns, P.J.O’ Connors, Wood Green, Hogan’s Vauxhall , Sir Colin Campbell, Kilburn, The Dolphin, Kings Cross, Shepherd & Flock, Shepherds Bush, Feeneys The Dog. )

10. The Tipperary , Fleet Street, London:

Squeezing into the top 10 , it’s back once again, like a Renegade Master! Firstly, I must note it didn’t take an excessive length of time to get to this pub. Yes, I reiterate, the journey was not a lengthy one from my original location to this destination, the Tipperary. The Tipp is simultaneously London’s oldest and newest Irish pub and has so much lore and legend it’s hard to say what’s what. Is it, as some say, the first Irish pub outside of Ireland? And was it the first pub in London to serve sweet, sweet Guinness? And was it here, on October 4th, 1969, that Ringo Starr of Beatles fame inadvertently invented the alco-pop “Smirnoff Ice” by requesting 2 squirts of windowlene into his vodka tonic?? Questions, questions, questions! Some would refer to this Pub mythologizing as “Blarney” or a bit of the “gift o’ the gab,” but more accurately in Ireland we would describe it as bullshit. The pub themselves have a sign reading ‘since 1605′ when it was named , Anglo-Saxoningly , ‘The Boar’s Head’ up until the late 19th Century when it was bought by an Irish company JG Mooney & Co, a Dublin based spirit merchants and the progenitors of the Irish Pub concept abroad. How proud they would be to know the trail they blazed , and gaze upon the pools of neon green vomit outside of The Randy Leprechaun, Tenerife of the present day. The Tipp is currently closed again, till 2027 apparently, where it will remain under wraps until it reopens and then closes again in circa 2035 . The ebb and flow of the Irish Pub abroad.Full Review n’ ting here: https://publicanenemy.com/2024/04/04/irish-pub-of-the-week-472-the-tipperary/

9. O’ Caines , Palm Desert , USA

Palm Springs, located some 2 hours east of Los Angeles, has a distinct Flintstones aesthetic , from its palm trees to its rounded stone bungalows to its foot powered cars with dino-heads sticking out the top . It was was a playground to the rich and famous in the 1950’s& 60’s , a kind of hideout from LA, away from the prying eyes of reporters and today has a huge LGBTQI+ Community. Frank Sinatra is also buried around somewhere (in a cemetery, not just in the middle of the desert). In some random desert strip mall with promises of both Ceol & Craic, we find O’Caines – not just IRISH, but the Irish-est pub in existence! In O’ Caines, more is more, and they have gone whole hog and packed the place with every Irish thing they could humanly affix to the walls. It even has a gift shop for Irish gifts, including Gardaì cuff links and hundreds of plaques, posters, and even a 200-year-old statue of St Paddy. If you wanna get down, right down on the ground – O’Caines! The place must be the largest Irish pub I’ve been to, which is odd as it’s the only one located in a desert. Apart from those in Bray, which to be fair is more of a cultural desert. (You can read bout this and other American Irish Pubs here https://publicanenemy.com/2024/06/01/publican-enemy-the-usa/ )

8. KK McCools : Wood Green , London,

One of the best things about these impromptu visits is you travel blindly , more in hope than expectation. I had spotted KK McCools from atop many a London bus, it’s unspectacular signage located in an obscure un-gentrified corner of identikit Zone 3 North London. And yet, on savoring a pint in KK’s, within 1 hour I had called friends from far and wide to come sample their delights – including their sub £5 pints , Taytos of the world and their internet jukebox. A premises so innocuous but provides everything you want from a local ; a pub that looks like a film set of what a local pub should be , so picture perfect pub-like it is. Think carpet, wooden panels, natty pool table, line of aul boys at the bar supping pints, Rastafarian gentleman next to them. And the bar gal personally put a different logo on each of our pints of Guinness, a bespoke touch of class as she single-handedly runs the entire bar all night . What a place.

7. The Shepherd & Flock ; Goldhawk Road:

The best thing about trying to visit every Irish pub in the World , along with the endless glamour, is the fact it takes you to places of lore and myth off the beaten track- Jakarta, Burundi, Nunhead, Kilburn, Mansion House , Wood Green, and Tucson Arizona. It has been years since I’ve gone so far west- I’m a Hackney lad in a Waltham Forest lad’s body, so with a journey of over an hour to the arse end of the Hammersmith Line, you hope its worth it. The Shepherd and Flock is a cozy boozer consisting of one lounge a la The Floirin which works if the lighting is low, as you’re all sharing the same cabin and you can hear what they’re all going on about either side of you. You get 2 pints of Guinness AND a bag of Taytos for £10, and the bar woman brings them over – loyal followers will note the tell tale quality assurance signs. The pub is busy but not packed, as it would be if QPR were playing, but interestingly I note a sticker in the jacks proclaiming solidarity between QPR and the nascent Kerry FC from back home. QPR used to be sponsored by Guinness back in the 80’s , making their shirts the most desired in the land. All bonuses in my book. Rated highly by both Timeout and friends who know the score.

6 Kelly’s , Austin:

Austin is the Galway of Texas, trading on its alternative reputation for abundant live music, alternative stylings and many, many corporate hippies . Kelly’s Irish pub may be a low rise building in a strip mall, but step inside and it’s the real McCoy. The bar is fashioned as kind of a thatched cottage, which is whimsical , but not the main draw here. Firstly, its super busy on a Tuesday , which is great. But its the attention to detail that makes Kelly’s work. Floating behind the barman , on a board of purest joy , are bags of cheese and onion Taytos, the touchstone of any true Irish pub. “The owner flies home and gets them” our server says, which explains why the bags are all wrinkly and shrunk like after an 8 hour flight. I imagine the owner strapping hundreds of Taytos to their person in a big coat before boarding , a commendable effort toward creating that perfect ambiance. But the piece de resistance is the menu. After several days of Tex-Mex , my attention is caught by the Irish culinary fusion dish- The Spice Bag!! As we have a level of disclosure in our relationship, I must admit I have never had a Spice bag, seeing as I left Ireland in 2005, before it became exotic, but those who know me will know I am a gastronomic gambler, ( see sheep’s head dish , Iceland) I go for it,and it is a banger, thus breaking my prejudices against eating in an Irish Pub abroad. Bella , perhaps longing for a taste of sweet Britannia, goes for the fish and chips. It’s funny how i had to travel 4000 miles to Texas to try Ireland’s culinary gift to the world, our Tex Mex if you will. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to go into Spice bag discourse, as there a plethora of Gen Z tiktokkers who will do that for you). Kelly’s also has won the Best Guinness in Texas Award , not to be sniffed at when you consider Texas is 33 times the size of Ireland in terms of land , population and registered yodellin’ cowpokes.

5. The Sheephaven ;

It was about 10 years ago when I last came upon the Sheephaven, but in the midst of the current ‘Guinnessance’ , on a visit of a cold February evening, I wrote of this staple of the London Irish pub scene:

”A haven for Sheep and sport lovers alike, and with an amazing pint of Guinness as well . Last time I was there, I had the pleasure of chatting shite with pint-sized, Scotch-Irish goal machine Ray Houghton, who fittingly never has to pay for a pint the rest of his life. I remember asking him (circa 2012) who was better- Guardiola or Mourinho; he thought the later, whereas I the former. History has proved me to be the winner in that argument , although here I am still paying for my own pints, so who’s the real winner? The answer is Ray Houghton. It’s also quite sexy now, which is mad cause last time it was full of aul lads standing for the anthem.”

4. Molly Malone’s , Los Angeles ;

Understandably, there was much trepidation on visiting the first ever American Irish Pub in Publican Enemy History!! Slagging off America’s Irish fixation is fish in a barrel, so I endeavored to choose what hopefully was LA’s best, most authentic Irish Pub and avoid the Paddy O’Houlihan’s Sports Bar n’ Craic Factories of the world. A high stakes journey, as anyone who’s tried to drive across LA can testify. My choice was  Molly Malone’s, of Fairfax. Despite being the 1000th Molly Malone’s I have visited , this one has a number of promising signs that it might be legit. It’s got no natural light , despite it being perma- sunny here, which helps massively in creating the Irish vibe. There are long wooden benches and even a demi-snug at the end , which we make for instantly. Molly Malone’s was founded in the 1960s, which is also usually a very good sign as it’s prior to the great commodification of ‘Orish Pubs in the 90’s. According to its website, its where they recorded scenes from such iconic films as Leaving Las Vegas , Patriot Games and Leaving without Dick. Must have missed that last one. Also , legendary Proto-Celtic Punk band ‘The Flogging Molly’s’ started here and are named after the place, so respect the heritage. The pints are actually pretty damn fine and I am impressed overall with the whole frickin’ operation. I can’t remember how much they cost , ’cause you have to factor in exchange rates and also for the first time, tips. I may be an accomplished traveler and genuine homme do monde, but I ain’t never tipped a bar person , not even if they were slinging out multiple free pints, nor if they rescued my first born child from a fire, but who am I to go against the grain and tradition of this land ? If you are gonna tip the barman for pintas though , they better be pretttttttttty decent. And luckily they are – perhaps the best in the West , you could say. Molly’s is undoubtedly a shining beacon of Irish American Taverns . Some of the local alternatives on the Sunset Strip, namely “Jameson’s Irish Pub ” and “Rock & Rileys” are described by local friends as ‘ touristy heaps of crap’, so the gamble sure paid off .

3, O’ Luains, Cascais, Portugal

Arabella Rose Day is a hero. Sometimes, after traveling half way across some European city, by taxi/ tram or (ideally) funicular you realize you’ve dragged someone for miles to an absolute craic-vacuum. Out of politeness, we might stay for two drinks just to make it seem we haven’t wasted a considerable part of our day just to see a handful of Aul fellas melting as they watch Crystal Palace vs Brentford at 12;00 instead of going to the nearby UNESCO World heritage sight. Sometimes though, you come across a pub that is so perfect , you stay for far longer than intended. One such spot is O’Luains, Cascais. The coastal town of Cascais is the poshest postcode in Portugal and is famed for the being the bolthole of European Aristocracy during WW2.(Casino Royale was apparently based on the one here in nearby Estoril). Now, Luain is the Irish word for Monday, and I’ll tell you why I do like Monday’s as this place is a real delight .There is much to like – their Google reviews state that it’s the best pint outside of Ireland; lofty claims but it is certainly the finest I have tried in the Iberian peninsula and accompanying autonomous regions, so their word is their Bond.. The finest imported Taytos are served; purple flowers wind around the façade , shaken but not stirred by the cool breeze wafting  through the alley in from the nearby sea. While Inside, its giving cottage, homely and snug  and for some reason has a fantastic poster of the 80’s golf comedy “Caddyshack”.Bella instantly declares it her favourite Irish pub ever and she would know having been dragged to hundreds .

2. Tig Neachtain’s, Galway City :

Are Irish pubs Irish Pubs? This seemingly nonsensical question is one i get asked all the time all pendants rebuke my clearly mythological mission to visit every Irish pub on earth. Do Chinese people call them Chinese restaurants? Do Brazilians call them Brazil nuts? Such mysteries of life we may never know. So , I don’t usually include Irish Irish pubs (or English ones) in the canonical list , as the focus initially was on the glamorous locations across the globe. Yet, at this point , I don’t live in Ireland , and have not done so for 20 years next year. So a trip home is like a holiday and on a recent trip to Galway in Feb of this year, I remembered how good an Irish pub can be . And so to Tig Neacthain’s. I wrote at the time:

”Neachtain’s may autocorrect to ‘naughtiness’ when you’re trying to type it on Whatsapp, but this pub is a classy affair. Looking resplendent in its purple frontage, the inside is a pub that has grown organically labyrinthine . No Irish Pub Ltd could ever replicate its charms, even with an unlimited budget for old books, rusty milk churns and faux vintage whiskey ads. Take that, Irish Pub and Grill, Abu Dhabi! The place is made up of snugs , which fit max 4 people at a go; which means everyone is in on the conversation, scheming and fermenting, cheek by jowl. They have a fine selection of Beamish, Murphy’s and Guinness , the holy trinity . Tourists love it, locals frequent it , I love it. Outstanding stuff from this Literary pub. It gets busy, but once you’re settled into that snug-life, there’s few finer spots on earth.”

1. O’Gilins, Lisbon:

So Irish pub of the year goes to this bastion of Lisbon nightlife. Back in Lisbon and after 8 year and a 93- Irish pub interim, I returned to O’Gilins. Here’s what I wrote at the time:

” O’Gilins dates back to 1995, long before the invasive tuk-tuks of Euro 2004 , when this area was the dodgy port side red-light district. According to lore, the owner rebuilt it by hand salvaging the wood panels, and it has 5 of the key signs of a legit Irish public house, which are, in no particular order; 

1. Sponsoring the local GAA club

2. Named after a Real person. Take note, “Cheers Irish Bar”

 3. Has the old Guinness taps

4. Has the Proclamation somewhere on the wall

5. On entry, you are assailed with ninja-esque precision by the waitresses getting you your order before you’ve even sat down.

If prompt service is a cornerstone of any Irish pub, then these gals are navy seals level. As soon as you merely contemplate the possibility of getting another drink., they appear beside you ready to dispense their hooch. The pint is expensive, at €7.35, but admittedly it was muito bom. Quickly the place becomes rammed, and there’s no possibility of going around taking pictures of the wall tat as is my wont because it’s poppin’ off. Within minutes, the place is gone mad, and old, young, even the on- Tour Indoor bowls team from Dusseldorf are getting into it. There’s no room to move but somehow, through a gap between someone’s elbow, the waitress gal magics her way through- “you want one more?”. In a jam-packed pub, I don’t have to queue for the bar once, which is incredibly impressive. This being Portugal, its only really kicking off at about 1:00 AM.  A mix of Irish Bar know-how and Lusitanian zest means it’s one of the best nights ever in an Irish Pub abroad.  I try to record a video  to capture the moment but each video is drowned out by the hordes belting out Oasis and I am too drunk . Everything you’d want from an Irish pub in one of Europe’s finest cities and a grand night out. ”

So those were the top 10 of 2024 – thank you so much for reading and following . A huge thank you to my very good friends who got me the ticket to the US for my 40th- Dara, Masie, Brendan, Hollie, Chiara, Tommy, Betty, Rick, Lily, Mafalda &Rich, Cousin Patrick, Dave, Mikko, Eoghan, Neev, Niamh, Ian & Fam, US desert fish Tom and Mali, Emma and Archie and to my folks Colette and celebrated author Ciaran. And most of all to Bella for being with me through all these travails.