The pub in Ireland is as rooted in the national character as the church, indeed Flann O’Brien himself referred to them as ‘licensed tabernacles’. But few people know the story behind the Irish pub, its evolution, and the role it has played in the history of the island.
Serving the Ages is a 6 x 24′ series exploring the establishments that define the evolution of Irish pub culture from the Gaelic Hospitallers to super-pubs of today.
The story of Irish drink culture becomes the tale of the Irish nation, from Neolithic times to the Celtic Tiger. Everyone from St Patrick, to Oliver Cromwell, to Daniel O’Connell and William of Orange have played their part, and every pub in every corner of Ireland has its own story to tell.
First Harvest - Niall lays down the early history of brewing, from Mesopotamia, to Brehon and Norman Ireland. He visits the Hill of Tara, the Brazen Head and Clontarf Castle and learns how Gaelic and Monastic brewing techniques evolved in the medieval era. .
Resistance and Repression - Niall follows the evolution of drink culture from Henry VIII to 1798. Much of today’s legislation and establishments evolved from the laws, alehouses and taverns of this era. Pubs such as The Boot Inn, The Bleeding Horse and The Cat and Cage played host to William of Orange, Oliver Cromwell and the United Irishmen.
The Victorian Era - The distilling and brewing industries of today finally start coming into their own and, beginning in Johnnie Foxes, O’Connell raises the banner of ‘Ireland Sober, Ireland Free’. Pubs suffer little through the Famine, and many establishments and licensees such as Birthistle’s and Connolly’s play a central role in the Land League and Home Rule.
Rising, War and Independence - Niall tours the pubs that played a central role in this revolutionary era. O’Grady’s and Donnellan’s were targets for the Black and Tans while the Castle Inn acted as safe houses for Collins and his men. The Oval acted as the headquarters for the 1916 Rising, and Lonergan’s was occupied by both Free State and republican troops.
Between The Revolutions - Pubs play a vital role in the political and social life of those in the Irish Free State and Republic. Morrissey’s in Abbeyleix stands as a testament to the old multi-purpose bars of old, Nally’s has supported local sport through the ages and McDaid’s and Grogan’s inspired the likes of Behan and Flann O’Brien.
From Television to the Tiger - From the introduction of television to the Celtic Tiger, the more the culture evolves the more it stays the same. Pubs such as the Salmon Pool clean up their act for the ladies, the Showbands kick start Irelands youth culture and superpubs like Café en Seine, binge-drinking and drink tourism define the 1990’s.
Irish history to date has been told as a story of conquest, repression and revolution, with a certain section of society deeming itself worthy of the title ‘Irish’. Yet in contemporary multi-cultural Ireland, this purely Celtic idea of Irish history is very narrow. Every culture, whether they be conqueror or conquered, ‘native’ or ‘immigrant’, have helped to evolve the Irish pub into the form and shape we see today.
The series will familiarise the audience with the best of Irish pubs, as our presenter traverses the country, waxing lyrical with the characters and personalities that have taken the ordinary pub and made it an expression of themselves.
With the observational quality of The Irish Empire and the travelogue aspect of Amu and No Frontiers, this series will appeal to history or travel buffs alike, while also attracting a young adult audience interested in Ireland and its thriving pub culture.
[...] Serving The Ages [...]