KERRYMAN ATTEMPTS TO VISIT EVERY IRISH PUB ON EARTH : Psycho-geography, Anthropology, Pints.

”The Pub is the Gym of the mind”

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It’s Paddy’s Day 2025. After the mild success of last Year’s top 33, we have expanded the List of the Greatest Irish pubs to a nice round 50- now with added U, S and A ! Some have risen, some have fallen, but all merit their place on this list where they are ranked by such illogical metrics as craic, vibes, aura , soundness and structural integrity. Bear in mind that these are only ones I have visited so far, so it is factually and morally impossible to argue with me.

As of 2025, the Irish Pub has experienced seismic shifts. In London, for instance, the Irish pub is having quite a moment. The long established piece of free-sheet The London Standard recently published a piece for London Fashion Week , where the fashionrati listed a high volume of Irish Public houses in their uptown top ranking- we had The Dog and Bell, Mannion’s & The Devonshire ( Is the Devonshire Irish? I suppose it is Irish the same way Terry Wogan and Des O Connor are Irish. If you get me). In the past few years, a kind of Pubcore /fetishisation of old-man pubs & pints emerged from the post-COVID landscape. Understandable, remember, as for almost 2 years, socializing was literally outlawed, like some sort of real-life Footloose , except with meeting people for pints in place of soft shoe shufflin’ . The one very thing you couldn’t do was have a delicious pint poured to perfection with comrades in arms. Add in the economy ( stupid) making an £8 pint of hoppy IPA a luxury too far for many . And thus, the perfect conditions were set for the Stout-led, welcoming Irish pub to emerge . Abroad , dans la continent, Irish pubs are pretty much split into two camps : studenty-alternative rock- literature- tortured -poet ones , and the Full-Irish -Come-on- the -Celts- bars of the Costas Sol and Bravo . Meanwhile, shockingly high overheads threaten Irish pubs back home, the OG’s of the genre. Some of those listed below have been doing it for decades, some mere months. Some will linger like Guinness farts under a duvet . Some will disappear like a Guinness fart off a windy coastal cliff. Yet all are worthy of a place on this coveted list.

50. Gracie O ‘Reilly’s , Kuta , Bali, Indonesia

Still holding up the rear ! Full marks for location; hidden on the Australian island of Bali , somewhere in a gated residence is ‘Gracie O Reilly’s’ . Gracie’s is nothing to write home about, save for the fact it is frequented by an actual Balinese leprechaun called ‘Famous Seamus’ who reads the bingo numbers in a flawless Northside Dublin accent ( see pic above ; Seamus is on the right) .Which I wrote home about! One hopes he is still there, reading an unending cavalcade of bingo numbers into all eternity like an Ingmar Bergman scene. Read more, here:https://publicanenemy.com/2018/0

49. KK McCools : Wood Green , London, (NEW ENTRY)

One of the best things about these impromptu Irish pub 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 yet 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.

48. Mad Murphy’s , Tallinn, Estonia (NEW ENTRY)

Situated in the perma-christmassy main square of Tallinn Old Town,  Mad Murphy’s is the politically incorrect second floor boozer and by reckoning its finest of the Iri Pub genre. Mad Murphy’s is a textbook Irish pub abroad ; lots of screens, live music and pretty much the best pint you can get in Estonia. Depictions of balding , middle aged leprechauns festoon the walls while they have a less Irish but very elaborate dragon candle holder by the window. Mad Murphy’s is surprisingly good for a pub off a main square, which is usually a no-no, like going to a restaurant with all pictures of the food for people who are too thick to imagine what spaghetti might look like and need a visual prompt. Full review of Estonia here.

47. O’Neill’s (Not that one), Pafos , Cyprus (NEW ENTRY)

A milestone pub this one, what with it being the  50th Irish Pub spectacular!! Located on the main tourist strip is O’ Neill’s– not to be confused with Japanese owned Super pub consortium of the same name. O’Neill’s is a pub designed for sun seeking tourists so you kind of know what you’re going to get- a lot of faded tattoos and leathery skin . It always amazes me how these pubs work abroad in this heat. One crucial factor in defense of O’Neill’s, and of all Irish pubs in unrelenting climes is worth mentioning – the role of pub vs bar. The service overall in Cyprus as always is great , so it is with dismay that in one particular local non Irish bar- pounding live music, bottles of vodka in ice buckets , a lot of unbuttoned shirts etc… the waitress asks us to put away our playing cards , saying ” you can’t play cards here- this is a bar”.  Feeling scolded, conversation is difficult over the pounding euro dance hits so we just sit and drink our bottle of ouzo. By contrast, O’ Neil’s pub ( and all Irish/ British pubs ) are exactly the kind of places where you can talk , play cards and everything you can’t do in a bar. With that , it shows the value of the Irish pub as an alternative hub of contemplation , albeit with Sky Sports news on 24/7. In O’Neill’s we have a good chat, relaxingly drink pints of the local inoffensive brew Keo and admire the collection of crockery that the bar has assembled for some reason. I arrived at O’Neill’s with mild ambivalence and sneering detachment , and leave with an affection for it’s faux crockery and wooden paneling and stained glass. To dismiss the Cypriot Irish pub would be, in my view an honest Myth-take.

46. Pefki Irish Pub, Rhodes, Greece: (NEW ENTRY)

 Pefki Irish pub certainly lives up to its billing by being an Irish pub in Pefki. Pefki was a small unassuming fishing village up until the rise of mass tourism and is now just a unremarkable generic resort town. Pefki Irish pub then is exactly how you’d imagine an Irish pub would be in a generic tourist resort town . So what does it have ? Its got a Feck it License plate , a framed picture of Elvis for some reason and the 1916 Proclamation on the wall . “ Many people take a photo of that…I don’t know what it is “ the Greek barman says. Punters slowly start to trot in wearing Hawaiian shirts and garlands and bored kids drink mocktails and watch the transfer news on Sky Sports News. But you’re not here to discuss the similarities between Rhodean art deco facades and Boho recherche-Rococo stonework patterns , you’re here to have a pint and go pink in the sun. Which is what I do. As we walk away from Pefki Irish Pub, I note in the distance the unmistakable murmur of Garth Brooks ”Friends in Low places ” as it dribbles out of the sound system , mixing seamlessly with the bleating of the wild goats grazing on the periphery of the town. Lovely.

45. The West End , Fenit, Co. Kerry , Ireland

• Threads

Every St. Stephen’s Day, as a rule, my family descends on this village tavern armed with enough stringed instruments to adequately support the London Symphony Orchestra; with the sole aim of entertaining the hoi and the polloi of the Armchair Republican stronghold of Fenit and its environs. Every year, without fail, they allow us. And serve us endless free pints, like bards of old being cosseted for their otherworldly talents. Please note, I am legally obliged to mention them. And because it gives me the chance to say I have performed live from The West End.

44. The Tipperary , Fleet Street, London (NEW ENTRY)

Squeezing into the top 50 , 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-p

43.Freeney’s, Galway City , Ireland

If you like flick knives, decorative boxes of embalmed fish, fine pints, and a roaring fire, Freeney’s is for you. If you don’t, well I don’t know how to help you.

42. Scholar’s Lounge , Roma (NEW ENTRY)

I stopped off at  Scholar’s Lounge , Rome ,after a visit to the Largo Argentina to see the spot where ( Spoiler Alert) Julius Caesar was merked repeatedly. This is the wonder of what I do, combining  classical high culture with the mundane; one moment observing the power of  Imperial Rome, the next listening to  Maniac 2000 in the bosom of my culchie brethren. And speaking of plebs rustica , there are many ,as it was a momentous day when I visited – the Finale do Campione D’Irlanda (All -Ireland Final) between the forces of righteousness, Kerry and the evil empire of Dublin. Both of the first two pubs I reach, in preparation for the match, have RTE2 on , showing what appears to be the 1994 remake of the Little Rascals. This adds a layer of confusion to proceedings as it is beamed onto big screens , perhaps leading foreigners to believe that the watching of Little Rascals is key to Irish culture and a central pre-ritual of Gaelic Games. Scholar’s lounge is the biggest and brashest pub in all of Rome, and is full of real life Irish people waiting for the game .” Watch how they pull that Guinness, its pure shite” warns a pinkened, middle-aged, -Dublin -Jersey wearing centurion. Scholars has won a couple of Best Irish pubs in the world awards , which I surprisingly have never been invited to so will assume they are a sham.

41. Feeney’s, London (The one in Mark Lane)

Not to be confused with Freeney’s, Feeney’s is the most underrated pub in all of London. Charmingly authentic, pint sized and the greatest thing to come out of Leitrim since (INSERT SOMETHING FROM LEITRIM HERE) , Feeney’s also does an amazing pint, winning the coveted PEEYPA Pint o’ the Year in 2023 and coming second in 2024 !!! And it’s in front of a huge Brewdog which acts as a magnet for tossers in the area, keeping Feeney’s for those in the know .

40. The Sheephaven , Mornington Crescent , London:

A haven for Sheep and sport lovers alike. 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.

39. The Dubliner, Malta :

Malta is a right aul’ mix bag of Italian Arabic , British , Norman influences all crammed into a tiny island adrift in the Med. The Dubliner was the best Irish pub I found, but special mention must go to ‘The Pub’ , a hole in the wall in Valletta where pugnacious Boozesmith Oliver Reed drank himself into oblivion in his insane final round. This was a good one – https://publicanenemy.com/2018/05/28/supermalt-or-the-irishman-who-went-to-malta/

38. The Cock Tavern, Euston (NEW ENTRY)

Shoreditch. Stoke Newington . Hackney. Clapton. Fleet Street. Soho. Peckham. Usually I frequent fancy dan Irish Pubs in the more salubrious quarters of London. But the fabric of Irish pubs is a rich tapestry and in order to weave it truthfully we must take the rough with the smooth. Warts an all! Biodynamic Orange wines alongside sambuccas and pints of Carling. So what of the lesser spotted….spots?

A cursory Google search suggests that in Zone 1, down an alley next to an underutilized thoroughfare, just off the commuting node of Euston, famously home of nothing in particular, lies The Cock Tavern. I had never heard of this one even after 20 years of London living, nor have I ever met anyone who had frequented it. The Cock is what is commonly referred to as a P r o p e r B o o z e r, and everything that entails. Pool tables. Dart boards. Telly showing the Gee Gees. Though this spot may be next to the British Library, one of the greatest centers of learning and knowledge in human history, let it not be said that one cannot learn a lot about the world by sitting in pubs like The Cock.

The Cock really likes Celtic and the Basque Nationalism and really dislikes Fascism.Politically, its slightly to the left of Ho Chi Minh . Who could disagree with that? Tis rough n’ ready, with its shrine to the aforementioned Celtic and its £4.50 pint in Zone 1. It’s resisted all the redevelopment around the Kings Cross area resolutely,a bit like of those grannies who refuse to sell their house to the evil property developers so they build all around her anyways, and as a local independent pub, it’s preferable to a million soulless Wetherspoonses, or even the ubiquitous creeping dread of the nearby O’Neills. My brother worked in that same O ‘Neills in Kings X, permanently baffled by men ordering Lager Tops and people asking him if he made bombs because he was from “Southern Ireland”.So, like a reluctant bi-sexual, I can’t say I love The Cock, but it was an interesting experience.

37. O’ Caine’s , Palm Desert , USA (NEW ENTRY)

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/ )

36. Mulligan’s , Amsterdam

Mokum’, the ‘Venice of the North’, or the ‘Dam is one hell of a fine city if you stay away from exactly all the shitty places that a teenage British tourist would go. And for pubs, that means going to Mulligan’s. Housed in a trademark slanty shanty, Mulligans is a home for folk-volk in the city and has Celtic music legends festooned on the walls, although none of any of the members of Boyzone, nor Westlife, or even Boyzlife, the short-lived super group, for that matter . More here: https://publicanenemy.com/2022/04/22/double-irish-with-a-dutch-sandwich/

35. Mannion’s, Tottenham, London:

Mannion’s defies description as an Irish small town pub seemingly transposed to gritty North London, a sacred space that is both timeless and seemingly existing in a magic realm all of its own. So many things to like, but most of all the watchful eyes of Samuel Beckett standing astride a stage-type thing , burning into your soul, or the lovely mural of the owners on horseback like an 80’s Sci-Fi novel. Wrote I at the time;

”You can never be disappointed if you have zero expectations, as my Grandpa used to say. And that’s why he was fired from his job as Motivational Speaker. And yet, I went to Mannions on a whim, finding it on Google maps not 10 minutes from my home in Walthamstow but never once on my radar in 20 years of London life. We chanced it on the day Ireland beat South Africa in the rugby, and what an evening was had. Let’s start with the art; a painting of the owner and his wife on a black horse, the eyes of a massive Samuel Beckett staring at you from below the TV and behind the bar a Tayto based anti-sectarian fresco. Then the barman , not happy with the keg he’d just changed , asked if we wanted about 6 pulled pints on the house . We stayed for a lock in and played pool with the barman in between him serving the regulars. All of this on our first visit. It twas as if a fever dream. Perhaps if we were to return, all we would find is a derelict building and and a black and white photo of us all at the bar, dated 1921. So yeah, pretty good this one.”

As of 2025, Mannion’s has somehow become the darling of the fashionista crowd, cementing the fetishization of the Irish Pub in the mind of young Londoners.

34. JJ Murphy’s , Sofia, Bulgaria

On the frontiers of Europe , at the heart of the Post-Soviet paradise of Sofia lies JJ Murphy’s, on the inside a very authentic Irish pub , outside a courtyard with feral cats and unseasonable warmth. Bulgaria may have the fastest shrinking population in Europe but this place was rammed of a Saturday afternoon so kudos to Mr Murphy , who may be the proprietor or possibly a fictional mascot?

33. The Toucan, Soho, London

The place is one big ole Guinness ad , the furniture is like giant pints, its cramped, impervious to natural light so it shouldn’t work but it does. With about approx 43 Guinness taps on the go, and a cosy cellar space , the crowds constantly spill outside onto the Soho streets , giving it a perpetual block party vibe. Toucan play that game !

32 . Minas Tirith, Palermo , Sicily

Did you ever spend an entire New Year’s Day watching all 3 of the extended versions of Lord of the Rings back to back with nothing but a takeaway pizza because your fragile mind craved the triumph of purity against an oppressive, destructive, uncaring world? If so, then you might want to go to the world’s foremost and only LOTR-themed Irish pub, which for some reason is in Palermo. A Lord of the Rings pub makes total sense, cleverly blending one of the most successful film franchises of all time with the world’s most favorite brand of hostelry. Put them together? You’ve got a sure-fire success! See how many Elfish related puns I shoehorn in and tell me what your elf eye’s see here – https://publicanenemy.com/2019/06/30/drink-yourself-si-cily/

31. Duffy’s, Krakow:

An absolute gem of a city, Krakow has something for all if your primary interests are reasonably priced boozing and man’s inhumanity to man. My advice- stay away from the touristy pubs of the old town, and go instead to Kazimierz , the former Jewish Ghetto to the South. Where you’ll find Duffy’s, as authentic of a pub you’ll see right down to the smell of years of Guinness seeped into the flooring.Krak- ho here https://publicanenemy.com/2023/03/04/king-krak-irish-pub-no-56-58-krakow-polska/

30. Shamrock Bar , Roma:

Standing out for its location, the Shamrock Bar would have been the local for thirsty gladiators and plebs alike circa 47 AD due to its proximity to the Croke Park of its day, the Coliseum. Draped in vines on the outside and football scarves on the inside, its a pretty spot but I’m not sure how Irish it is. But seeing as the Romans spanned most of the then-known world without bothering to go to Ireland (even though it was right there,) this later day concession to Hibernia is acceptable. 2 Thumbs up !

29. The Flan O’ Brien’s, Bath ;

Encountered on a random day out in the picturesque but slumbersome town of Bath, Flan’s is a elongated treasure with a very nice pint and a homage to one of the country’s finest writers. As a side note , pubs named after literary icons are by and large decent -( WB Yeats, Beckett, Peig ) and thankfully not the default James Joyce option that’s been done to death.

28. The James Joyce; Athens Greece

You can see how James Joyce works as a logo though ; he’s the Colonel Sanders of the literary / pub world, instantly recognizable even in silhouette due to his pencil ‘tasch, fetching eye patch and penchant for farts. Listen, I’ve been to many a pub, but there aren’t many that stand overlooking one of the greatest marvels of human cultural achievement ; you’re thinking the fancy McDonald’s in Bray, but no , it’s the Acropolis of Athena . That alone merits it’s place in the pantheon of fine pubs. https://publicanenemy.com/2017/09/17/acropolis-now/

27.WB Yeats: Finsbury Park

Continuing the literary theme, where better to add than the WB Yeats of Finsbury Park. Despite looking like Saltbae there on the bar mat, Yeats spearheaded the Gaelic Literary Revival, summoned demons in a seance in his free time and proposed to and was rejected by ; not once , not twice but thrice by the subject of his infatuation, Maud Gonne, who instead went for nationalist giga-chad Sean McBride. Maud Gonne regret that one ! So how could a sensitive soul like Yeats get back? Through the medium of Poetry, that’s how:

This other man I had dreamed A drunken, vain-glorious lout.He had done most bitter wrong , To some who are near my heart,Yet I number him in the song; He, too, has resigned his part in the casual comedy; He, too, has been changed in his turn,Transformed utterly:A terrible beauty is born.

The WB Yeats is brought to you by the owners of the Auld Shillelagh, you best believe they know what they are doing. The pint is mighty, Taytos are on tap and they have what all bona fide Irish Pubs should have- the Proclamation of the Republic on the wall.Pints come in at £6 exactly. Yeat’s rates.

26. Molly Malone’s , Singapore :

Molly’s , the oldest pub in Singapore, holds the dubious honour of ‘Most expensive pint I have ever had in my life’ and at £11.50 stands a good chance of never being topped. I ordered the local beer too, (Tiger!) as I thought it would be cheaper. Lord knows what the Guinness costs. Molly’s is pleasant enough and has some stand out authentic wall tat including a Wolfe-Tones bodhran and a faded Dubliners LP. According to the blurb, the whole pub was moved piece by piece from Ireland (I imagine not literally individually as that would have cost them loads in stamps) much like the Legendary Bubble’s O’ Leary’s in Uganda.

25. The Cluricaune , Bologna:

Bologna loves an Irish Pub and a good night out, what with all the students and world’s oldest university. The roll call of legends who studied here is comparable only to Tralee IT, with Dante, Petrarch, Umberto Eco, Enzo Ferrari and even Erasmus, who was there on a what he presumably called a ‘me‘ year. This means their pubs are jumping, with the Cluricaune as the prettiest under the trademark alcoves. Scientia sit potentia!

24. Mc and Sons, All Versions – London :

Located near Southwark in South London, Mc and Sons caters for all your spiritual needs in a faithful recreated old style Irish pub. I celebrated my birthday in their snug, where an affable barman fed us loads of pints through a hatch as we cocooned ourselves from the rest of the world and played a classic bar ring toss game that is infinitely more entertaining than you are imagining. What more could you want? Thai food. Really really good Thai food on top of a cracking pint.To top it off, they then have another arguably even better one in Vauxhall! Commendable work by Mc and indeed all his sons, wife, extended family and employees.

23. Skehans, London :

Just look at it there. Truthfully, I don’t know exactly what Feng Shui is, but you do get good vibes off a place just for the way it stands, and such is the case with Skehan’s. Standing proudly on the corner of a South London street, inviting you in with its lovely flowers & wee front garden area , Skehan’s doesn’t scream Irish pub, it doesn’t need to but you can tell by the good pints, constant live music and air of conviviality that pervades it’s galleries.

22. O’ Luain’s, Cascais, Portugal (NEW ENTRY)

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 .

21. Fagan’s, Malmo, Sweden :

Swedish Snug-nugget from Svenska’s Second City, Fagan’s is a very fine example of a low key Irish pub and is in no way affiliated with an all singing all dancing posse of cockney pickpocket street urchins . They are associated with the local GAA team, so you know they are legit. V. cozy on a mildly subterranean level that the Swedes do very well.

20. The Celtic Druid , Bologna

The Druid is a great example of a foreign Irish pub, in that it is primarily for locals and students as distinct from being the exclusive haunts of ex-pats and sun- reddened tourists. Almost everyone there was Bolognese, so how Irish was it? Well, it has Harp, Bulmer’s, Smithwicks on tap, its wooden AF and they even do a Celtic Spritz, a glass of Bulmer’s with a glug of Apperol which is banging. Where the Irish pub becomes the alternative pub is the sweet spot , and the Celtic Druid weaves magic on the regs.

19. Foxy Johns, Dingle

If you ever find yourself wanting one of the best pints in the country while simultaneously needing a puncture repair kit, a 10m length of garden hose or a canister of camping gas, then you need Foxy John’s of Dingle , a nod to the Spirit Grocery of old, where pubs at the turn of the 20th century had to diversify and offer a range of services, usually as hardware stores or even undertakers. This is not to be confused with the modern Brewdog pubs, which have the dual function of being a pub and a creche for cretins .

18. Molly Malone’s, Jakarta :

Located in Plaza Senayan Arcadia Lantai Dasar No. 9, RT.1/RW.3, Gelora, Kecamatan Tanah Abang, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10270, Indonesia, it’s little wonder Molly’s memorably took me 2 hours to find via Tuk Tuk . Sadly, I read it’s no longer located at the back of an air conditioned shopping mall at the heart of the most populated city on the most populated Island in the world. Which is sad, because it was a proper Irish pub and one of the most unusual of spots I’d ever encountered . Support your local Irish pub guys , because you’ll miss ’em when they’re gone ……

17. Kelly’s , Austin: (NEW ENTRY)

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!! . 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.

16. The Shepherd & Flock ; Goldhawk Road:(NEW ENTRY)

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.

15. The Fiddler’s Elbow , Roma , Italia.

The No.1 choice for those who know their fiddler’s arse from their fiddlers elbow, this one was my top pub after a Roman Holiday and an all-day pub crawl. Some might prefer the more expansive Scholar’s Lounge , or the Abbey Theatre but I thought Rome’s oldest Irish pub led the way despite being a windy ole corridor . Apologies for my attire in this photo as it was 38 degrees so i look like an American. You can see how Rome was visited in a day here : https://publicanenemy.com/2023/08/10/irish-pubs-60-70-rome-thats-grand-tourismo/

14. The Corkonian , Cologne; Germany

Cologne has endured misfortune over the years , first of all to be levelled by the British Army during WW2 ,then to be twinned with Cork, possibly by deception, so hence we have the city’s finest pub, the Corkonian. I had a mighty time here , observing some of the most drunken Irishmen on holiday I have ever seen . You can see the whole story here: https://publicanenemy.com/2019/02/17/ode-to-cologne/

13. The Florin, Holloway Road, London (NEW ENTRY)

In modern times , watching football usually means finding an illegal stream on your phone, off of a website flanked by a never ending chat box of stream-of-consciousness- mindlessly-offensive racist drivel typed up by anonymous trolls .Just like in Granddad’s day! Then you miss all of the game’s goals due to incessant buffering and constantly having to snipe pop-ups like its Stalingrad circa 1943 only this time the enemy is Bet365 ads .Dismayed by this, , I decide to watch as God intended. In a pub surrounded by people disproportionately invested in it. So my friend suggested a nearby Gooner pub, the Floirín on Holloway Road, North London, a stronghold of Arsenal, the historic team of choice of the London Irish .

The pub itself is a free-standing building consisting of one big saloon like in the Wild West. Once the football commences though, it is transformed into a cinematic football experience, lights down low, complimentary cracker platters set out, the pool table covered. Special mention at the Floirín must go to the pint. Yeah yeah, they have the Excellent Guinness plaque, sure. I know people are quite invested in Pint-chat, and I don’t really know the science of it all to be fair. What I do know is , the Floirín is the only pub outside of Ireland where when you spill some, it turns not to a mere liquid but to solid cream. It’s not just a good pint. Its molecular structure is superior to all others. It’s like a different substance. These pints are dangerously good, so smooth they are. And the staff here are exactly how Irish pub staff should be: friendly, efficient, piss-taking, perfect pouring. Although I came in a stranger, I leave as a floiringner.

12. The Three Carrots, Belgrade :

To this day, I am none the wiser as to why it is called the Three Carrots, but that doesn’t stop it being Belgrade’s finest Irish pub and the most originally titled on this list. A competitor Belgrade pub – the Drunken Ducks – was named after a duck who once got drunk there , but it’s the carrots that take the cake here. Belgrade is a great city to visit too so add to your list- read more : https://publicanenemy.com/2019/10/21/publican-enemy-2-part-special-millennial-balkans-serbs-up-everybody-herz/

11.The Crane , Galway

As real as it gets, the Crane of Galway is noted as being one of the finest pubs for Irish traditional music in the country. Despite its fame , it has made no concessions to the modern era, and remains unchanged from 20 years ago when I lived next door. So there’s no Irish loaded nachos , nor any Hard Selzer and little natural daylight or any of that carry on. The pint however, is pure cream.

10 . Molly Malone’s , Los Angeles ; (NEW ENTRY)

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 .

09. O’Gilin’s, Lisboa (NEW ENTRY)

Back in Lisbon and after 8 year and a 93- Irish pub interim, I returned to O’Gilins, Lisbon. 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 taps4. 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.

08. Dick Mac’s , Dingle , Co. Kerry

Dick Mac’s is a place of legend in Irish pub lore, to such an extent it has a hollywood-esque walk of fame outside on the narrow footpath. Opened in 1899, it hasn’t changed massively I’d say, although now they have a brewery nearby. It’s got whiskey, wood , snugs, Dolly Parton as a fan, and they also make leather belts. Dingle is probably a world leader for Irish pubs – and Dick Mac’s is the Mac Daddy.

07. The Dog & Bell, Deptford :

Like when everyone asks you if you’ve seen the Wire, many queried if I knew of this magical South London spot.Long had I heard rumours of a fine establishment deep in the depths of Deptford. People would whisper in reverence to one of the finest examples of the Irish Pub genre, from its decor to its ambiance to its craic laden alcoves. Embarrassingly, this glaring gap in my cv had to be remedied post haste . Looking as if it has been lifted out of Galway or Dublin, this place is one for the ages. Serving fine Guinness and Murphy’s, live music and stained glass throughout, this little Doggy did not disappoint. Confusingly, discombobulatingly authentic, you’d swear you were somewhere in Galway City. This spot is a beaut.

06. Ned Kelly’s , Ponta Delgada , the Azores, Portugal

”I’ve been traveling for about 6 years now and visited about 50+ odd pubs and , let’s be honest here, the overwhelming majority have been either faux Irish-pub by numbers , or more recently , aging ex-pat sun shields devoid of life. Ned Kelly’s blows these out of the water and reinforces everything that a good Irish Pub abroad should be. Firstly , it clearly says Irish pub and whatnot, but they haven’t spent silly money putting all discarded milk churns around the place, it’s a nice open space with nods to Ireland but still with a distinctly abroad flava. They have a proper Guinness tap , with proper Guinness glasses ,and in the ultimate seal of approval, they bring the Guinness over to you and ask if you want another one when you’re done. As this is a small town , it is a go-to for a range of people on a night out- tourists, locals, dodgy geezers, college students , which give it a proper atmosphere, as if this is the only place like this in a 1000 mile radius , which it is ! I am not a learned man , but if I were to describe Paradise on the Mid -Atlantic, it would be Ned Kelly’s. Even the mad mural of Cuchulainn at the back can’t take away from what is a fantastic pub , so good that for the first time in Publican Enemy lore, I go back a second night ! That and because there’s no where else.”

5. Patrick Foley’s , Ghent, Belgium

Ghent is a classy city that knows its drink so we you’d expect a stylish canal side affair, a syncretic beacon of Irish and Flemish high culture. Patrick Foley’s straddles both cultures imperiously, a byword for how to do a really nice Irish pub abroad. Located outside of the main town square, it overlooks a grand canal to the front down a leafy, traffic-free road. Inside, it is darn classy. The highlight definitely is the luxurious beer garden- having a substantial beer garden is a canny move for a foreign Irish Pub, as a dark wooden cozy bolt-hole is fine if you’re in the west of Ireland battered by the wind and rain but less accommodating when in a sub-tropical heatwave or facing the inevitable impending climate disaster. It has the world’s smallest snug and an Oscar Wilde dining room , and all manner of alcoves and hidey holes . Bella and I both concur that this is one of the finest of the Irish pub abroad genres and that may only be slightly influenced by the 9% strength of each glass of Belgian beer we’ve had.

4. Blythe Hill Tavern , Catford (NEW ENTRY)

A journey of such length always builds up the expectation. And to hear tribute of the Blythe Hill Tavern and its many accolades , the anticipation was even greater. The grade-II listed BHT , as no one calls it, is proceeded by its fame not only as a grand local boozer, but arguably amongst the finest in the land. Yes, even finer than that O’Neill’s down an alley in Ilford, if you could imagine such a thing. But don’t take my word for it! It features highly in Timeout’s 50 Greatest London Pubs, it won the CAMRA Best pub and Cider Pub in the Southeast of London, the bloody 2018 World Cup of Pubs, the Nobel Peace Prize for Pubs, the Eurovision Pub Contest ( made up), and is known to all Guinness aficionados as having what those in the industry call “absolute creamers”.

After wandering through nondescript suburban South London, you come across what appears to be fairly standard looking corner pub .Tellingly, the eye- catching Guinness mural on the gable wall hints at the pleasures that may lie within. The Blythe Hill tavern is off to a flyer from the get go. The layout of the pub pleases me- you have various lounges and salons all within reach of a bar. The barkeeps all have nice ironed white shirts – a touch of class. Despite there being a rowdy rugby game going on, I’m never left more than seconds waiting at the bar before a pint is firmly thrust into my hand . The clientele is a true mix; rugby fans,- jubilant Italians, sad, sad Welsh people, aul lads watching the horses, baseball-capped-mustache bros and a group of regulars whom the owner goes over to have 60 seconds of designated craic, like an absolute pro . It’s the ideal location to record a podcast in , which I did do with top lad Brinsley mcNamara off of Weird Ireland . You can hear the full recording of our very enjoyable chat here interrupted only occasionally by a wayward corgi and me eating taytos directly into the mic. The Blythe Hill Tavern is as good as they say, a mighty mighty pub like its neighbour Skehan’s , one that’s a space for all, be they hipsters, aul lads watching the horse racing or 2 fellas recording a podcast in the smoking area.

3. Tigh Neachtins, Galway City , Ireland

Back to Galway, a city close to my heart dating back to University days, where Neachtain’s looks the business from even from 50 meters away. Looking resplendent in its purple frontage, the inside is a pub that has grown organically labyrinthine, and like a truly great Irish pub, it has to be named after the family owners or whichever individual had the great idea to birth such a spot. 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.

2. The Wicklow Arms, Bilbao

Back in 2017 , I traveled to Bilbao alone with a dream . Go to the Irish pub and write about what happens. If this had been a washout, we wouldn’t be here 8 bloody years later and literally tens of vaguely interested cult followers . So the Wicklow Arms has a soft spot in my origin story. But for good reason. The place is tiny , as you can see from the left photo (This photo of course is from when my phone didn’t have 6 cameras on the back of it, so they look blurry from the mists of time). In that tiny cupboard of a place, they serve the most Guinness in all of Espana , and staff and clientele were the friendliest Basquetards I have ever met . Everything that’s good about Pubs abroad; merriment, devilment , all condensed into a 4×4 m . Lovely stuff.

1. The Auld Shillelagh, London

And here we go.It remains in its lofty position. Even as it grows in popularity, my love remains. I moved to London in 2005, so that’s pretty much half of my life spent outside of the motherland. Armchair psychologists could proffer that this whole blog is one man’s attempt to reconcile the plight of the immigrant, at once disconnected and looking for arbitrary connection to a former home. But as Freud never actually said, the Irish are impervious to psychoanalysis, so it might just be that the Auld Shillelagh is a very good pub that was round the corner from where I lived for some 12 years . Maybe both are true in fairness. But having lived in Stoke Newington, I always remember walking in that front door and straight away the bar staff would say hello to you as you approached . These same staff are always on it; slinging out lovely pints to hundreds in a bar where they are literally on top of one another , darting in and out in a poetic ballet of porter. And when it’s quiet they bring your pint over to you. Like all great Irish pubs, the Auld Shillelagh mimics the Irish temperament; at times perfect for solo pint -looking at your phone introspection and melancholia, but capable of transforming to life affirming revelry depending on the day that’s in it. All Ireland finals, Euros , World Cups, i have seen countless defeats in these narrow halls. If you want to show someone the magic of an Irish pub, what the hype is about, without fail , I bring them here. Tellingly, this was also the first place i went when they allowed you go to back to a pub in ye olde Covid era . I also have a painting of the place on my wall at home, so it could only be here .

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