Irish pubs can be found in almost every corner of the world and there’s a good reason for their popularity – they’re cosy, unpretentious and welcoming to everyone. It helps that the Irish know how to make good drinks, too – be it a creamy pint of the black stuff (Guinness, of course) or an amazing whiskey such as The Dead Rabbit or Teeling Single Grain. Throw in great Irish grub and traditional music, and you’ll be in happy land for hours. With St Patrick’s Day coming up on 17 March, here’s our guide on where to get the best Irish pub experience across the network – without having to travel to the motherland.
1. Mulligan’s Irish Music Bar, Amsterdam
True to its name, there’s regular live music and always something Irish happening here. Chances are you’ll get to watch Irish sports, hear traditional music and even catch step dancers in action. The bar serves an excellent pint of Guinness, of course, and its graffitied terrace looks right onto the river Amstel from which Amsterdam took its name in the 13th century.
2. The Drunken Poet, Melbourne
You won’t see any shamrock-covered walls or other cheesy knick-knacks here. Instead, there are photos of famous poets and writers – Irish and otherwise – and the relaxed atmosphere makes it a favourite with the Irish who live in the city or are just passing through. A low-key bar during the day, it’s bustling at night – with live music six nights a week, including Irish on Friday and open-mic nights every second Thursday – but never loses its warm, cosy vibe.
13 million: Estimated number of Guinness pints expected to be consumed around the world every St Patrick’s Day. The annual event on 17 March celebrates the feast day of the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
3. The Auld Shillelagh, London
So it looks a wee bit tiny on the outside but once through the doors, you’ll be amazed by its size. From a tiny pub with several stools, a dartboard and one loo in 1991, it’s now three times bigger and even has a beer garden in the back. There’s live music on the weekends and live screenings of big sporting events on multiple screens. It gets especially rowdy when there’s an Irish team or Irish sport on TV. Plus the staff is so nice – they’ll bring your Guinness to the table so you don’t have to wait at the bar until it reaches perfection – the pub is like home to many of its Irish customers.
4. Molly’s Shebeen, New York
Except during Prohibition, when it was a grocery store, this venue has served as a bar since 1895. Its current incarnation, founded in 1960, is one of the most traditional Irish bars in New York – complete with sawdust floors and a working log-burning fireplace (a bonus during New York’s harsh winters). A number of Irish beers are available on tap and whiskey-lovers will be more than cheery here. The food at Molly’s Shebeen is a must-try as well, especially the famous shepherd’s pie.
5. Muddy Murphy’s, Singapore
One of the oldest Irish pubs in Singapore, Muddy’s – as it’s affectionately known – was designed and built to scale in Dublin, dismantled and shipped here in six containers and assembled by Irish pub fitters at Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade in the late 1990s. It moved in 2013 and is now back at its original spot that’s been renamed Claymore Connect. It has seven international beers on tap, including Guinness and Kilkenny, as well as bottled beers, wine and spirits. The food is impressive, too, with comfort dishes like the Old School Irish Stew, and beef & Guinness pie. Muddy’s is also a popular haunt for sports fans as it hosts live telecasts – rugby, football, tennis, Formula 1 and more – on big screens.
To book a flight to these destinations, visit singaporeair.com
SEE ALSO: 6 natural wine bars around the globe
