The "ould man's pub"

Fr_Fitzexactly · 20-04-2013 02:07PM #1

To me the ould man's pub is a quintessential part of Irish culture and should be preserved as long as possible. Its sad to see these places lose their character when they are revamped into places that supposedly cater for a younger crowd. My own pet hate is fruit machines inside in pubs and massive TV's on the wall. To me a TV in a pub should be a small yoke no bigger than 15" placed in an area where the 2 or 3 people wanting to watch the news can see it and the volume not too loud, only when there is a GAA match on should they bring in a bigger telly.

A good pub should have at least 2 different types of stout on tap and Smithwicks. owned by a local down to earth pair who will tell you all the nooze in the aree and have a chat with you and know what drink to give you without you asking for it. The walls should be covered with oldschool advertising and depictions of what life was life back in the day like a b&w photo of a farmer with a cap on trying to start a Lister diesel engine or cutting turf with a slean. No mobile phone coverage inside except for one window where everyone puts their phone and none ever get robbed. Dim warm coloured lighting none of this fancy LED stuff only oil lamps and carbon filament bulbs.

On a cold night the fire should be lit and people sitting closest to it should have to throw in the logs or turf and coal themselves. All the furniture should be old style and well worn.

None of this fancy schmancy €10+ cock tail bars with smarmy young upstarts working and drinking in there, blaring music and funny coloured bright lights and bright furniture everywhere and randomers who call you a creep if you dare to talk to them. Feck that sh1t like. Worst are the "mock nightclub" pubs where you can hardly hear yourself think.

IM0 · 20-04-2013 02:10PM

denied. next.

20-04-2013 02:12PM

A pub should be welcoming and friendly, a place you can go and relax and have a few drinks.
There is no need for the "old world" stuff, that's for the American tourists.
The best ones are usually those that haven't been "restyled" in recent years and retain their character & locals, they may even be grotty, but the locals like it all the same.

FloatingVoter · 20-04-2013 02:12PM

It should also have a wall out the back for pissing against. The women can use the posh toilets in the chipper.
Food should be Taytos cheese and onion. You have onion and cheese if you prefer.
Coffee and tea will be served at half past never on Judgement Day.
Opening hours are at the discretion of management.

B0jangles · 20-04-2013 02:13PM

That awkward moment when you're sitting in a nice cosy corner in a strange pub and realise that there are 4 aul fellas glaring at you from the bar because you're sitting in their spot...

bgrizzley · 20-04-2013 02:14PM

Formica counters only please, bonus points for worn white patches on it.

RikkFlair · 20-04-2013 02:16PM

Neachtains pub in Galway, my kinda pub.

Fr_Fitzexactly · 20-04-2013 02:18PM

Deleted User wrote: »

A pub should be welcoming and friendly, a place you can go and relax and have a few drinks.
There is no need for the "old world" stuff, that's for the American tourists.
The best ones are usually those that haven't been "restyled" in recent years and retain their character & locals, they may even be grotty, but the locals like it all the same.

I have been in ould man's pubs that have probably never seen an American tourist in their lives. It does add to the character. I'd say its more for the benefit of the ould fellas than the yanks tbh

The Backwards Man · 20-04-2013 02:22PM

A pub where when you ask for a glass of whiskey or a half of whiskey they know what you are talking about.

deconduo · 20-04-2013 02:22PM

Fr_Fitzexactly wrote: »

To me the ould man's pub is a quintessential part of Irish culture and should be preserved as long as possible. Its sad to see these places lose their character when they are revamped into places that supposedly cater for a younger crowd. My own pet hate is fruit machines inside in pubs and massive TV's on the wall. To me a TV in a pub should be a small yoke no bigger than 15" placed in an area where the 2 or 3 people wanting to watch the news can see it and the volume not too loud, only when there is a GAA match on should they bring in a bigger telly.

A good pub should have at least 2 different types of stout on tap and Smithwicks. owned by a local down to earth pair who will tell you all the nooze in the aree and have a chat with you and know what drink to give you without you asking for it. The walls should be covered with oldschool advertising and depictions of what life was life back in the day like a b&w photo of a farmer with a cap on trying to start a Lister diesel engine or cutting turf with a slean. No mobile phone coverage inside except for one window where everyone puts their phone and none ever get robbed. Dim warm coloured lighting none of this fancy LED stuff only oil lamps and carbon filament bulbs.

On a cold night the fire should be lit and people sitting closest to it should have to throw in the logs or turf and coal themselves. All the furniture should be old style and well worn.

None of this fancy schmancy €10+ cock tail bars with smarmy young upstarts working and drinking in there, blaring music and funny coloured bright lights and bright furniture everywhere and randomers who call you a creep if you dare to talk to them. Feck that sh1t like. Worst are the "mock nightclub" pubs where you can hardly hear yourself think.

What?

Fr_Fitzexactly · 20-04-2013 02:23PM

deconduo wrote: »

What?

You no espiko Ingleesh, mang??

Super-Rush · 20-04-2013 02:26PM

Wrong.

Pubs should be the local shop during the day and the local pub by night.

The only alcohol on tap is Guinness and everything else is in bottles.

The counter is only to be used to serve drinks at and not for drinking at because the owner couldn't be arsed moving things.

There are no tables just a few chairs scattered around the floor.

There is no tv unless the county makes it to the All Ireland final or Ireland make it to the World Cup.

The jacks and the smoking area are in the same place.

FloatingVoter · 20-04-2013 02:31PM

Super-Rush wrote: »

The jacks and the smoking area are in the same place.

Smoking area ? Whats that ? A man can smoke where and when he pleases.

wilkie2006 · 20-04-2013 02:33PM

I just think that, y'know, making your way in the world this weather just takes everything you've got. For me, being able to take a break from all my worries really, really helps. A lot, actually. I just think, "I'd like to get away, where everyone knows me to see and they're always glad I turned up." I want to be where I can see that everyone's troubles are all the same. In short, I just want to go where everyone knows my name.

jaffacakesyum · 20-04-2013 02:34PM

I wish younger people liked old man pubs more

Sick of going out with people my age and the usual pre-drinks + club with a busy pub in between if I'm lucky!

slavetothegrind · 20-04-2013 02:34PM

i would add to the op that the only food allowed would be the afore mentioned tayto, pink snacks, and toasted ham and cheese batch sambos done in the plastic mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Pints availible would be stout ( the ordinary kind none of your poncy icey cold stuff)
smithwicks
And Spaten, a decent lager from our German cousins because in fairness we never managed one in this country.

No telly at all.
A projector can be set up for important games only.

Good quality bar stools with footrests, they may swivel or not but should be comfortable for a minimum of 8 pints.

Trouble not tolerated at all, no complete arseholes.

Village idot abuse allowed as long as it's over his head and he is not harmed.

ceegee · 20-04-2013 02:35PM

Fr_Fitzexactly wrote: »

To me the ould man's pub is a quintessential part of Irish culture and should be preserved as long as possible. Its sad to see these places lose their character when they are revamped into places that supposedly cater for a younger crowd. My own pet hate is fruit machines inside in pubs and massive TV's on the wall. To me a TV in a pub should be a small yoke no bigger than 15" placed in an area where the 2 or 3 people wanting to watch the news can see it and the volume not too loud, only when there is a GAA match on should they bring in a bigger telly.

A good pub should have at least 2 different types of stout on tap and Smithwicks. owned by a local down to earth pair who will tell you all the nooze in the aree and have a chat with you and know what drink to give you without you asking for it. The walls should be covered with oldschool advertising and depictions of what life was life back in the day like a b&w photo of a farmer with a cap on trying to start a Lister diesel engine or cutting turf with a slean. No mobile phone coverage inside except for one window where everyone puts their phone and none ever get robbed. Dim warm coloured lighting none of this fancy LED stuff only oil lamps and carbon filament bulbs.

On a cold night the fire should be lit and people sitting closest to it should have to throw in the logs or turf and coal themselves. All the furniture should be old style and well worn.

None of this fancy schmancy €10+ cock tail bars with smarmy young upstarts working and drinking in there, blaring music and funny coloured bright lights and bright furniture everywhere and randomers who call you a creep if you dare to talk to them. Feck that sh1t like. Worst are the "mock nightclub" pubs where you can hardly hear yourself think.

Where in Ireland does your pet hate of fruit machines in pubs occur?

Shamozzle · 20-04-2013 02:36PM

Any "man" found to be wearing a pair of chinos is to be thrown into the open fire.

suicide_circus · 20-04-2013 02:38PM

The jacks should be dank and foul smelling with no soap, no mirror, no bogroll and no toiletseats and with dried scutter on the wall.

mikemac1 · 20-04-2013 02:38PM

Rohans in Nenagh

So small you'd be struggling to fit two hurling teams in there

Lots of interesting phots on the wall.

No TV except if the GAA is on. No foreign games here!

Keg of Guinness is under the counter. Locals swear it's the best pint in town as the keg is so close to the tap. I dunno, probably just in their heads.

No Murphys as that's a Corkmans drink!

The urinal is a wall out the back

If you don't want to talk hurling during Championship season you can GTFO

Owned by the same family for three generations.

I think it's a wandering kip but the OP would be a fan

20-04-2013 02:40PM

Prefer the old man's pub where you can actually sit down with a few mates and actually hear each other and have a laugh.

Nice Guinness and occasional live music and bobs your uncle.

osarusan · 20-04-2013 02:43PM

Here's the spot for you OP.

http://www.vfi.ie/Gallery/534-The-Blacksticks-Bar

About a 1 minute drive away from where I grew up. I remember my mother sometimes taking me there, ordering a pint of Guinness, and she'd drive home while I held it on a tray in the car for my father to drink at home.

SEPT 23 1989 · 20-04-2013 02:44PM

The less natural light the better,infact no windows would be perfect

Chucken · 20-04-2013 02:46PM

osarusan wrote: »

Here's the spot for you OP.

http://www.vfi.ie/Gallery/534-The-Blacksticks-Bar

About a 1 minute drive away from where I grew up. I remember my mother sometimes taking me there, ordering a pint of Guinness, and she'd drive home while I held it on a tray in the car for my father to drink at home.

The Mills??

osarusan · 20-04-2013 02:47PM

Chucken wrote: »

The Mills??

Yeah, that's the place.

mikemac1 · 20-04-2013 02:58PM

The VFI could fix that website.

I get broken links when I try to see where it is

crockholm · 20-04-2013 03:04PM

Cleanliness is optional,Stags head is nice and clean,my local (back home) isn't, but I love em both. I can just about tolerate a tv on during the day, but if it's sky sports news,i'm outta there.

My local, est.1798 (great year to go into business) has only guinness and harp on tap, everything else is in a small fridge or a bucket of ice mooched from the neighbouring pub.

Outhouse toilet/smoking area- easier to just piss in the lane, if it's a no.2, hold it. No lights in there,and thats not a bad thing.A bit of a competition to see who can get thier stubbie into the highest crack in the stone wall.

There are no womens toilets, so the very very seldom female must use the house toilets,though it is funny to send the non-local ladies out to the mens,just for sh!ts and giggles.

And where would you be without a weirdo/alc old barman. Any non-local woman that comes in gets asked for a lock of her hair, hence,at the whiskey shelf there is a row of locks of womens hair,what he does when he finishes(usually 2ish) I dont want to know.

Someone from HSE told him to stop selling groceries(it's one of those pubs) and bizzarely asked him to remove pictures(???),but did nothing about the toilet situation.

Ciderswigger · 20-04-2013 03:12PM

mikemac1 wrote: »

Rohans in Nenagh

I think it's a wandering kip but the OP would be a fan

Was just going to say Rohans.
And +1 on the kip bit. But each to their own.

Fr_Fitzexactly · 20-04-2013 08:12PM

ceegee wrote: »

Where in Ireland does your pet hate of fruit machines in pubs occur?

Feckers bringing them in from England and changing the coin mechanism to accept euros yet the screen still reads £ and pence

Cantona's Collars · 20-04-2013 08:26PM

suicide_circus wrote: »

The jacks should be dank and foul smelling with no soap, no mirror, no bogroll and no toiletseats and with dried scutter on the wall.

I know a pub like that and it's very popular with young wans.It's actually a great spot for a session,had a fair few in it.No telly,no draught beer and one toilet.

20-04-2013 08:30PM

Fr_Fitzexactly wrote: »

Feckers bringing them in from England and changing the coin mechanism to accept euros yet the screen still reads £ and pence

Are you sure it's just not an old Irish (punts) one?

The "ould man's pub"

Are ould mans pubs the best kind of pubs 295 votes

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