Happy St. Patrick's Day! I was blessed with my mom visiting from Canada and so we rented a car and did a tour of the Western Cliffs.
Over the few weeks here I've really gotten a sense of how different the pubs can be. In North America, there are attempts at replicating the convivial, communal and homey nature of that the pubs here have but none are as natural as what generations have created as a meeting place in Ireland.
Beyond that there are so many different types of pubs. I went to Dingle, which is on the Ring of Kerry, and there I went on an epic pub crawls where I really experienced all the different pubs.
There's the Old Man Pub.. seemingly not as 'Irish' to a tourist but MAN after visiting the other pubs that I would presume to be an 'Irish pub' I really got a sense why a true Irish pub is a relaxing home away from home - no matter the decore.
The other types of pub I discovered were really old buildings that have basically been converted into discos.. the complete juxtaposition of ancient looking stone walls with blaring top 40 music and lazer beams is really something to be seen. This is a good 'last stop' on a pub crawl.. but only if you're up for dancing or are desperate for another drink.
Then there's the Plastic Paddy pub. This is a term here used for Irish stereotypes all put together for tourists to enjoy. From the outside, I am most drawn to these pubs but quickly learn why my friends from Ireland bring me to the least obvious choices for a pint.
I spent St. Patrick's day in Galway. It was grand.
How was your St. Patrick's Day? If you'd like to share, comment below. I'm curious because the whole drive back there were loads of commentary on how the Irish are baffled by how celebrated this day is around the world!
