M. D. Healy - Pubs of Ireland County Mayo

Pubsof Ireland

County Mayo

Foreword by Shay Healy

Copyright 2012 by M. D. Healy. All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmittedin any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrievalsystem, without permission in writing from the author.
Smashwords Edition

Cover photos by M. D. Healy

All photos by M. D. Healy

May - Traditional Irish Music Festival -Louisburgh
May - Achill Walks Festival - Achill Island
June - Castlebar Music Festival - Castlebar
June - Festival of Music & Performing Art - Westport
June - Castlebar International Walks Festival - Castlebar
July - Ballina Salmon Festival - Ballina
July - Achill Seafood Festival - Achill Island
July - Crossmolina Community Festival - Crossmolina
July - International Folk Arts Festival - Belmullet
August - Westport Music Festival - Westport
August - Killala Community Festival - Killala
August - HealyFest Music Festival - Ballycastle
August - Belmullet Festival - Belmullet
September - Westport Food Festival - Westport
September - Kite Surfing Competition - Achill Island
September - Traditional Music Festival - Belmullet
October - Westport Arts Festival - Westport
October - Foxford Walks Festival - Foxford
December - Christmas Walking Festival - Westport

When things go wrong and will not come right,
Though you do the best you can,
When life looks black as the hour of night -
A PINT OF PLAIN IS YOUR ONLY MAN .

When money's tight and is hard to get
And your horse has also ran,
When all you have is a heap of debt -
A PINT OF PLAIN IS YOUR ONLY MAN .

- From Flann O'Brien's
"The Workman's Friend"

Tableof Contents

THE IRISH PUB by Shay Healy

It is a place of congregation, a politicalsoap-box, a music venue, a clubhouse, a home from home, a drinkingparlour, a holy shrine, a mad house, a boxing ring, a house oflaughter, a psychiatrists couch and it represents the place thatis closest to heaven on an Irishmans journey through this valleyof tears.

Whilst it isnt written into the IrishConstitution that every village, town and city in Ireland isobliged to have a pub, they have them anyway.

In towns and cities they are sometimesinclined to be brazen husseys of the trade, reeking of cheapperfume and reckless romance. More times they snuggle, softly anddemurely, between a shoe shop and a funeral parlour, its yeastflavoured atmosphere paying homage to the wonder of hops.

But the Irish pub is not solely a domesticIrish phenomenon. The Irish pub is a ubiquitous component part ofevery civilized and uncivilized society in the world. It is amagnet for those who like the buzz of dialogue, good-natured banterand music that is joyful.

They say an Irishman is the only man in theworld who would crawl over a line of naked women to get to a bottleof Guinness. This is a heinous slander, as any Irishman worth hissalt would not go for less than two. No namby-pambys needapply.

The Irish Pub manifests itself as a latehouse and early house. There are long halls, secretive rooms calledsnugs, back-rooms and shebeens. It has inside toilets and outsidetoilets; but the architecture doesnt much matter as long as it hasthe mysterious ingredient known as the craic. *

You can neither see, touch, or hold it, butit is a universal truth that refuge from the storm, can best beprovided by having the craic in your local Irish pub.

Shay Healy

Dublin

November 2011

www.shayhealy.com/

* Craic is an Irish term for fun,entertainment, and enjoyable conversation in a pub or othervenue.

McCarthys 8th Rule of Travel:

Never Pass a Pub That Has Your Name on it!

- Pete McCarthy, McCarthys Bar

This photo book is an effort to capture andpreserve the beautiful architecture and art of the traditionalIrish pub, an endangered species in Ireland. The reader may look atthis book as the start of an historical preservation project, withmore Pubs of Ireland photo books to follow.

Inside you will find a collection of myfavorite Irish pub photos taken in June 2012. Pubs have familynames (Byrnes, Finnerty's, McCarthys, etc.) or specialty themenames (The Broken Jug, The Shebeen, etc.) over their doors. ManyCounty Mayo towns and villages are well represented in this Irishpub photo feast.

The 800+ year old tradition of the Irish publives on. The Brazen Head, Irelands official oldest pub, openedits doors in Dublin in 1198 AD. It is still going strong today. Inmost cities and villages throughout Ireland, you will findtraditional Irish pubs with unique colorful, artistic, intricatelydesigned fronts, very pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, pubs inIreland, especially the rural ones, are closing and disappearing inlarge numbers due to society changes triggered by no smoking lawsand stricter penalties on driving after consuming alcohol.

I hope that you enjoy viewing these specialphotos of County Mayo pubs. May you be blessed with an opportunityto visit Ireland to view these colorful traditional Irish pubs andapply McCarthys 8th Rule of Travel.

Biggin's Bar, Ballinrobe

Bourke's, Foxford

Broken Jug, Ballina

Byrnes, Castlebar

Cheers, Hollymount

Clarke's, Ballindine

Copper Beech, Strade

Cox's Snug, Castlebar

Cox's, Castlebar