Turtle Bunbury

Writer and Historian

 
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Published Works The Irish Pub

BOOKS

The Irish Pub, Turtle Bunbury & James Fennell (Thames & Hudson, 2008)

The Irish Pub is due to be launched by Thames & Hudson in September 2008. The book looks at 39 of Ireland's finest traditional bars, photographed during extensive tours of the country over the summer and autumn of 2007. Further thoughts on the book and the present state of the Irish pub industry can be found through the various links in the contents below.

Ireland is synonymous with pubs. Traditionally, the pub was the focal point of community life. For some, alcohol encouraged joyful moments, an emigration of the soul from sometimes unhappy realities. But for most people, the pub was there for sheer delight. You never knew who you’d meet, or what strange wisdom someone might pass on. Ideas rebounded from the tobacco-stained walls into every snug and cranny; giddy fiddles and rattling tongues could enliven the darkest corners.

Yet in 21st-century Ireland the traditional Irish pub is rapidly disappearing.

This nostalgic and entertaining tour presents nearly 40 pubs from all four provinces that epitomize the essential charm of old Ireland. They range from the richly decorated Victorian bars of Belfast and Dublin to country shop bars that double as grocery stores, where the décor consists of shelves laden with tins of fruit, packets of tea and lightbulbs. James Fennell’s atmospheric photographs and Turtle Bunbury’s engaging and informed descriptions capture the essence of each pub and provide a rich chronicle of a unique facet of community life.

Here is a tribute to the way things were, a representative record of what survives and a reminder of the continuing allure of the Irish pub. For today the Irish pub has become a fixed feature of the social scene across the globe. In these pages, everyone can find the real thing.

CONTENTS

1. The Concept.
2. On the Road.
3. The Chosen Pubs.
4. Conclusions.
5. Personal Qualifications.
6. A History of the Irish Pub.
7. Acknowledgments.
8. Media Coverage.
9. Bibliography.
10. Places to Stay.


'Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers.'
Cliff Clavin, Cheers

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