Imagine it is the Middle Ages and you’re a spice merchant travelling thru the green, wet lands of Eire. You may just take some time to stop into an Irish pub for a drink and a rest. Boozers – short for public homes – were places that didn’t require a membership to enter, unlike personal homes. So while the wealthy had memberships to other multinationals, pubs were used by the committed lower classes. The history of the Irish boozer is soaked in culture and lore. An Irish boozer of the middle Ages was a rough-hewn place of natural wood furniture and stone walls. They bore huge fireplaces and hanging oil lamps over wood or cobblestone floors. As well as ale, an Irish bar sometimes sold necessary food and hardware items. The Irish bar was a warm, welcoming place where folk socialized, sang, relaxed, told tales, and exchanged gossip and rumours. [Read more...]