The history of Irish brewing is more than 5 000 of years. It happened that the Irish fertile soil, soft rain and cool wind make the favorable conditions for planting barley. The most of pubs were created on the base of the local brewing to let people drink only fresh and high quality drinks. The style and atmosphere of the Irish pub was dictated by the history. Yes, they are specially designed and yes, they are really atmospheric. Let’s read more about it to come to the point.
History of Irish Pub
Traditionally, Irish people live by farming, fishing and agriculture. The population of Ireland is about 4.5 million of people. They are about 140 000 of family farms, 1400 fishing boats. So, let’s pretend that you are at the port after the long voyage. Your way home goes through the windy and rainy fields. This is the moment when you need a good friend and a pint of beer to get warmer. Here is the history of Irish pub. This is not a cafe or bar, but the house of special culture, a place, where you can find the latest news, place to relax and spend good time with friends.
Speaking about the typical pub somewhere in the Irish village that is more than 50 years, you can see the walls with the pictures: here is the village football team, an old barman with the last cigar (it is prohibited to smoke in the pubs in Ireland since 2004), independent day, a new sign under the pub. The pub is furnished with the wooden furniture, the opal-glass windows. The interior is decorated with mosaics. The bar counter is wooden and massive. Are you interested?
Walls Design
First of all, the wooden interior is important. The wood is used to decorate the wall and entrance zone. The wood of Irish pub must be brown or dark-grey colors. They make the atmosphere of the past ages. This is also the colors of the sofas, chairs and other furniture. You may add some red or dark red. Pay attention to the pictures of Celt artists. The Irish artists spend their time in the pubs, taking some inspiration. So, their pictures make the pub interior aristocratic and artistic. This is a usual practice when the pieces of art on the walls of the pub are copied to give them the effect of natural aging. So, it often happen that the pictures on the walls are the big proud of the pub owner.
The upper part of the wall must be decorated with bricks or stones. The stones can be different colors, close to natural. The white, green, cream colors are also popular. The square ceramic tiles with the plants and animals are also often used. They are bright and eye-catching. The posters from the 60th can be a good addition to the original Irish style. Every little thing is important. Every detail makes the special atmosphere in the pub: bottles, glasses, beer glasses, pictures, old photos, Guinness products! You can meet something rare and precious here! It is very difficult for a new pub to find a small portion of these relics.
Lighting Tendencies
Let’s speak about the lights. It is better to make the half-light in the room. The rude lamps-hats are placed above the bar counter. They look like the street light. The table lamps are not popular. The lamps are also placed on the walls here and there to be decorated with the metal elements.
Glassy Elements
The glassy elements are as important as the ceiling lamps and beer. The decorative glass is not clear but matte with the Celt mosaic. Irish pubs are used all opportunities of the glass. They are the mirrors, painted glasses, windows, smoked and matted windows, stained-glass artworks.
Brassy Elements
The brassy elements, polished and shiny, make the pub atmosphere rich and ritzy. The effects can be maximal due to the contrasts of the dark wood and golden shiny brass. The painted metal elements are attractive and atmospheric. They are used for the door hands, handles, locks, shelves, rails.
Wooden Elements
So, here is the wood. Wooden elements are the base of the Irish pub. Thus, wooden panels are good for the interior and exterior decoration. The wooden floor concept is used for ages to make the interior cozy, aromatic and natural. This is an important element for Irish, German, English pubs. If you want to make your pub authentic, you may use different sorts of wood for decoration. You can also use the elements of aged wood to have a vintage interior.
What a good idea to use only antique wood. If you want to make your pub atmospheric, you should use old wooden decorations for designing interior. It usually plays the key role to make the contrast of the history and modern world like the old furniture in the modern pub.
TOP 4 Classic Pubs
The Brazen Head, Dublin
Officially, this is the oldest pub in Dublin. You can rent a car in Dublin and go to find the pub easily. This place is well-known all over the world. If you want to feel the atmosphere of the old Irish pub without leaving the capital, you should come here.
The Pavilion, Cork
This modern but true Irish pub welcomes you every evening. You can hear the music or DJ concerts once a week. The atmosphere is friendly. You can see a lot of performances, comedies, mass singing and drinking. Try to learn Irish dialect.
Moran’s Oyster Cottage, Galway
The building of the pub was built in 1800. You can try the ousters here. There is also a unique competition in eating ousters. Welcome!
Grace Neill’s Bar, Donaghadee
This pub is also old. It was opened in 1611. It was awarded with many different awards for service, decoration, interior. There are many sailors, soldiers, businessmen and Irish workers come here every day to talk to each other with the pint of beer.
