I still won't wear green no matter what you say

[the_siobhan]

I went to two different Irish pubs last weekend.

Toronto is lousy with pubs that claim to be Irish and English. Apparently the key to selling a lot of beer in this town is to hang a Guinness sign in front of your door and adopt a name like "The Pride of Cork" or the "The Ass and Sparrow". I have no idea why but places that market themselves as being fresh from the mothership see a lot of the pieces of coloured paper with pictures of the Queen on it. Maybe it's the connotation that they hail from places that know how to make decent beer, but I don't see a lot of pubs that claim to be German or Belgium in the city. So I dunno.

Anyway, the first one was one of the typical modern half-bar-half-restaurants that slaps an Irish name on themselves, makes the waitresses wear a green scarf, puts Guinness on the draught list and figure they're done. Here's a hint for you, if you think that Irish "poutine" is a dish made with potatoes, cheese and gravy you have no frickin' idea what you are talking about.

The second place was a completely different story. An actual Irish pub. As in a place full of Irish people, where Irish people go to hang out with other Irish people and listen to an Irish man singing Irish music written by other Irish people about stuff in Ireland. And where conversations take place about what part of a little tiny island they all come from.

And from the moment I walked in that door I was six years old.

See like a lot of newcomers my parents' first friends were people they met through the local immigrant community - pubs mostly. My dad's family lived in an area when he was young that was given the nickname Cabbagetown because of the Irish and Scottish immigrants, so most of his friends going to school were from the same background. When my family first arrived it's was those old buddies along with his family members that formed the initial ready-made social circle. Everybody in my little world had an accent. At parties they played music by bands that sang about the rebellion against British rule or made rude jokes in Gaelic. My mother would listen to the Irish programs on the multicultural radio station to get news and music from home.

After a few years of living here of course, they picked up new friends among neighbours and co-workers and their social circles became more mixed. Once I started school and making my own friends I started spending time around adults who came from different backgrounds. Because the change was so gradual and I was so young it never really occurred to me that a change had happened at all.

And then one day, 40-odd years later I walked into an Irish pub. And instantly I was six.

(Fortunately beer can cure that.)

Comments

[futabachan.livejournal.com]

I don't see a lot of pubs that claim to be German or Belgium in the city.

Biermarkt wants you to believe that it's Belgian.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

I've never been there.

And I know I speak heresy, but I'm not a big fan of Belgian beer.

[xthlcm.livejournal.com]

I would kill and die for a Belgian pub in this city.

Giant bucket of mussels with fennel and garlic with thin salty crispy fries and a Affligem Blond? Oh please yes.

[50-ft-queenie.livejournal.com]

There used to be a place in Toronto that sold just that. It was called Cafe Brussels and it was wonderful. I still dream about their roasted garlic and goat cheese appetizer.

[greylock.livejournal.com]

http://www.belgianbeer.com.au/

It's a chain in Australia and NZ. As chain pubs go (and I had no idea how extensive it was until just now) it's a decent spot for a Sunday afternoon. The food's always nice, but like Sio I'm not a big fan of Belgian beer, especially when a pint will set you back almost US$17.

[megiddo-lj.livejournal.com]

Beer Bistro is like that. Granted, it's overpriced and a tad too upscale for my taste, but they have all of the above.

[empressjad.livejournal.com]

I have the same feelings when I hit a true Irish bar. My mother is from Limerick City, and I spent *a lot* of time there when I was small. Even the sound of an Irish accent drags me right back to being a kid. My grandmother could speak English, but rarely did, so for a long time, I was fluent in Gaelic. Now...not so much. I'm happy that the schoolls in Ireland are now teaching Gaelic as a requirement... the culture should not be lost.
And yeah, once the songs start........

[shara.livejournal.com]

Are you going to tell us which pub it is? Tease! ;)

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

The Irish Embassy and McVeigh's respectively.

[50-ft-queenie.livejournal.com]

I've yet to go drinking at McVeigh's. I really should rectify that.

[spikella.livejournal.com]

I was just going to request that indulgence...

YAY McVeighs!!!
that pub is an integral part of my Sundays growing up. My six year old self (and 5 and 4 and, 7 and up) remembers it fondly. Every week after mass at St. Mikes, my dad and I would go.

Sometime you should join me at the Irish Supporters Club. I love the Irish class there. AND there's a pub IN there.

early hours tho... and far out of the way

http://www.irelandsupportersclub.ca/

[victorianrose23.livejournal.com]

I am actually incredibly jealous of you. I hail from Irish and Scottish stock, but don't have anyone in my immediate line that is from either country. I think my grandfther on my dad's side was first generation Irish-American. his name was beautiful - Cairns O'Brien Hyland. I feel a strong pull towards my ancestry and really wish I had grown up amoung people I felt more of a kinship with.

[ravensee.livejournal.com]

We must do that again sometime. Bill Craig is a hoot!

[tristam08.livejournal.com]

agreed!

[nicklausse.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I know the feeling. I'm perpetually five at Oktoberfest. Fortunately that involved (sips of) beer then too.

[greylock.livejournal.com]

You can tell a bad Irish-themed pub by the amount of U2/Lord of the Dance-style music that gets played.

[megiddo-lj.livejournal.com]

I've been told by a recent transplant from Ireland that Galway Arms is his favorite 'authentic' Irish pub. It's way out by us (Queensway and Royal York) and he comes from downtown to 'be abused by his own people' which, I suppose, is a roaring endorsement. We've been a few times, but are no judge of authenticity other than to say the folks there are actually Irish.

[sola.livejournal.com]

If i ever open a pseudo-Irish pub, it will be called The Strangled Boy. That should keep 'em back.

[shnells.livejournal.com]

i get that "i am six " feeling in indian grocery stores. that's where us brown folk would find each other. that and the religious/community centers. but grocery stores is really it. it's amazing what a store with shelf full of pickles and basmati rice will trigger in my memories.

i never really cared for the whole pub thing. had to walk by too many irish/english pubs in london while walking in school and got scared a few too many times by very drunk, scary construction types of guys chasing behind us kids.