Professional pint-pullers and part-time therapists, Ireland’s barmen and women have had a ringside seat to some of the biggest changes in society. Here, seven long-serving veterans from some of the country’s best-loved pubs look back on their decades in the trade
‘I’ve never had to throw anyone out in 40 years in the trade’ – Davey Keogh at The Palace Bar
Irish society has changed a lot over the years and nobody has had a better ringside seat than the career barmen and women who have kept the traditional Irish pub alive.
From the smoking ban to Covid, drink-driving legislation to changing attitudes to alcohol, the Irish pub has struggled to keep up with society, but it’s also one of our best tourist attractions and biggest international exports.