I've been in Irish pubs where almost every fitting is original and others where very little is, yet both can somehow feel completely authentic. It got me thinking about what it actually is that makes an Irish pub interior feel right.
For me, it isn't, it's about choosing pieces that work well together and give the room a sense of history, place and personality. Whether those pieces have been hanging there for generations or have been carefully sourced for a brand new pub doesn't really matter. It's the overall feel of the place that counts.
Creating a Sense of History
Many of Ireland's great traditional pubs have evolved over generations. A mirror might originally have arrived from a brewery, a photograph could have been put up because somebody in it was connected to the pub, or an advertising sign appeared behind the counter and simply never came down. Furniture and fittings were changed at different times, and gradually all of those things became part of the place.
That layered look is a big part of the appeal of an old Irish pub, but I don't think you necessarily need decades to achieve it. A carefully chosen collection of old advertising, historical photographs, vintage Irish prints, mirrors, signs and other interesting pieces can give a new or refurbished pub a real sense of history from the beginning.
For me, the key is not making everything too uniform. Mixing different subjects, periods, sizes and styles gives an interior much more depth and interest. Even if an entire collection has been sourced at the same time, there's no reason it should look like it was.
Start With the Walls
I've always thought the walls of an Irish pub can tell you an enormous amount about the place. I've spent much of my life dealing in Irish pub memorabilia, vintage Irish prints and advertising, and some of my favourite pieces are things that would once have been considered completely ordinary.
Old brewery and whiskey advertisements, historical photographs of Irish streets and towns, railway posters, sporting images, enamel signs and advertising mirrors were all part of the everyday visual landscape of Ireland. Years later, they give us a wonderful glimpse into the Ireland they came from and naturally sit very well in a pub setting.
When I'm putting together a collection for a pub, I like to mix different sizes, subjects and periods rather than making everything too coordinated. I think a good pub wall should be interesting enough that you can sit down with a pint, look around and keep spotting things you didn't notice when you first walked in. That's part of the enjoyment of it.
Give It a Sense of Place
One thing I think can make an Irish pub feel a little generic is decorating it simply around the idea of "Ireland", because Ireland isn't one place. Dublin has its own history and identity, as do Cork, Galway, Kerry, Belfast, Limerick and every town and village around the country.
Historical Irish photographs and old prints are a great way of bringing some of that local identity into a pub. Streetscapes, landmarks, sporting moments, advertisements and photographs of everyday life can connect an interior with somewhere real and give the pictures on the walls a reason for being there.
I think this works particularly well with Irish pubs overseas. If the owner has a connection with Cork, for example, some old Cork photographs and advertising can help tell that story. The same goes for Dublin, Galway or anywhere else. It makes the pub feel more personal, and it also gives customers something interesting to look at and talk about.
Mixing Old and New
An authentic Irish pub doesn't need to be a museum, and I don't think everything in it has to be antique. Modern lighting, comfortable seating and all the practical things needed to run a pub today can sit perfectly happily alongside older pieces. It's really just about getting the balance right.
A newly built bar can have an old advertising mirror behind it, a modern frame can hold a photograph taken a century ago, and new furniture can sit comfortably beneath vintage Irish advertising and old brewery signs. A well chosen collection of older pieces can completely change the feel of a new interior and give it a connection with the past without pretending that the pub itself has been there for 150 years.
The Beauty of Imperfection
There's something about a pub that's a little too perfect that never quite feels right to me. If you look around an old pub, you'll see the evidence of all the people who have passed through it over the years. Timber gets marked, brass dulls, floors wear, signs fade and counters collect scratches that nobody can remember putting there.
I've always liked that. It's probably the same reason I'm drawn to old advertising and pub memorabilia that shows a little age. A pristine piece can be beautiful, but something with a few knocks, marks or signs of wear can sometimes be far more interesting because you know it has had a life before it reached you.
Older pieces can bring some of that history into a newer pub too. The building itself might be new, but a historical photograph, an old advertising image or a vintage mirror can have a story stretching back many decades. I think it's that mixture of different ages and histories that helps give a room depth.
Remember What a Pub Is For
Of course, you can have a beautiful counter, a great collection of vintage Irish advertising and walls filled with fascinating historical photographs, but ultimately it's the people who create the atmosphere of a pub.
The publican, the staff, the regulars and everyone else who walks through the door will always contribute more to the personality of the place than anything hanging on the walls. The objects provide the backdrop, but it's the conversations, stories and everyday life happening around them that bring the room to life.
For me, that's really what creating an authentic Irish pub interior comes down to. Give the place some history, some interesting things to discover and a connection to somewhere real. Choose pieces because they have a story, because they work together and because they add something to the room.
Whether they've been hanging there for 50 years or have just been carefully sourced for a new pub isn't really the important part. It's choosing the right pieces and putting them together in the right way that makes the difference.
