Madness everywhere! I'm in an Irish pub in Atlanta and newspaper cuttings on the wall show they celebrate the IRA!

[Doodley]

Last edited Sun Nov 24, 2024, 11:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Yes, they support what was a terrorist organization here, a terrorist organization that killed 1800 people.


EDIT TO ADD THIS:

To be clear, they also had a "Remembering the hunger strikers" poster, paying tribute to Bobby Sands and other hunger strikers.
That wasn't old. It was a "40 years later" tribute to them dated 2021. Yes, that is celebrating terrorists.

[Scrivener7]

1. I was once at a St. Patrick's party at a bar in New York where it turned out they were raising money

Last edited Sun Nov 24, 2024, 09:53 PM - Edit history (1)

to buy guns "for the cause."

I had no idea until months later.

It was pretty common in the US. Forever.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

20. wow... i had no idea.

[Docreed2003]

63. In the late 90's

I was in an Irish pub in Chicago & an older Irish gentleman struck up a conversation, asked me my family connections to Ireland, and ask me if I'd ever considered "contributing to the cause". The conversation went from charming to unsettling quickly

[wnylib]

89. My ex's mother, a 5th generation Irish American,

used to donate regularly for guns for "the cause." She told me once that there were visitors to her church who privately collected money for the IRA. Don't know if that was true. She was not the most honest person.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. lol

did u walk out

[Raine1967]

3. What Pub and what Neighrhood?

Are you being sarcastic?

Seriously, if you are not joking, call the place out.

[Doodley]

6. Not joking. I thought maybe this is just America! I lived in England most my life. I know many Americans

supported the IRA. For example they have a framed poster here saying "Remembering the Hunger Strikers," specifically mentioning Bobby Sands. These were IRA terrorists who were imprisoned and went on Hunger Strike. Bobby Sands died and made himself a martyr.

[soandso]

35. Senator Joe Biden

Tried to change an extradition treaty with the UK to prevent IRA in the US from being extradited. I don't recall if he was successful.

[PufPuf23]

52. I was in County Down the day in 1981 when Bobby Sands died visiting relatives for the 1st and only time.

Found out one branch of Irish family was Catholic (3/8s Irish and the rest Western European mutt); and that my great grandfather had sold the family store and gone to California in 1880 with intent to bring family to the USA. Great grandfather abandoned family. Grandfather came to California in 1888 looking and finding his father. I knew of the existence because father's oldest brother had kept written contact with a 1st cousin.

Had no idea great grandfather came to California before grandfather and was lacking in personal knowledge that family was Catholic or specifics of the Troubles. My Jewish now exe-wife played fiddle in a band that played Irish music was my level of awareness though Irish surnamed. We had driven a rental car from Rosslare to Galway to County Down and stayed on a farm where my great grandfather and grandfather had lived as a child. I have a tile from the of their childhood home here in my office.

Bobby Sands died that first night. Northern Ireland went on strike. Relatives from Belfast and elsewhere came to the farm because of the strike and the oddity of my visit. There was a picture of JFK on the wall in the dining room. The countryside as quiet with UK military checkpoints. We went to the parish and met the priest and visited the ruins of a flax mill ruin on the River Mourne where family had worked. We were pulled over in the empty countryside by a group from a military helicopter that landed in the field in front of us after tailing us by air.

That evening part of the family took us to a pub in the small, largely Catholic, village. We went in quietly through a back door as the village was subject to the general strike. The pub was owned by a woman who had re-immigrated back to the village of her family after owning a bar in Brooklyn. Lots of singing. Some folks had taken temperance pledges. All were hardcore supporters of the IRA, singing IRA songs. One of the family members, my 2nd cousin, that lived on the farm was an IRA widow with a teen son. While we were in the pub the IRA came through the village, hung banners and spray-painted slogans on buildings. We went on some hikes but stayed the next several days on the farm.

Our schedule was to go to Dublin the day that turned out to be the day of Bobby Sands' funeral. Family dove with us to border where there was a military checkpoint. Every town and village on the highway to Dublin had funeral parades. We had a hotel booked and the car drop in downtown Dublin, got near, parked the car on a sidewalk and walked to planned destination with luggage. Caught an airport shuttle and flew to London on first plane seats available.

[Doodley]

59. What a story! I bet it there were some scary moments. Thanks for sharing.

[Abolishinist]

4. That could be troubles.ome.

[hlthe2b]

5. I guess you've never spent much time in Boston or NYC's most traditional Irish pubs.

This is not that rare. But, in the decades since the peace accords (Good Friday Agreement, 1998), I think it might be time to consider this merely a historical artifact.

I assume the OP is being sarcastic, but I honestly can't tell if a couple of others on the thread are as well.

[Doodley]

8. As I said in another reply, they have a "Remembering the hunger strikers" poster among newspaper cuttings that

are supportive. No, I've not been to many Irish pubs here, but coming from England, I remember the terrorism well, and that the IRA and its objectives were overwhelmingly rejected in every election by the people of Northern Ireland.

[Meowmee]

12. The support for the ira, a terrorist organization

which was also aligned with and trained by another terrorist organization, the plo, and its supporters, has been here for forever sadly and is hypocritical at the least. I also lived in England when they were blowing up innocent people with bombs in London. It was a terrifying time that I will never forget nor forgive.

[Doodley]

43. Thank you. The support seems to be here on this thread! I am "naive" because I am shocked to see sympathizers.

[Meowmee]

45. You will almost never get through to this type of person

I learned that long ago. But keep stating what you believe anyway. Also thanks for this post because it alerted to me to how many people here on DU have these views- it’s not shocking to me because I was attacked by similar types a while back. It’s important to note that the ira were not only butchers of innocents in those bombings but also of many of their own who they also murdered.

[Doodley]

50. That is the difference between American media, even back then, and the British media. Even though the UK has

the gutter press, there are decent broadsheets like the Guardian, broadcasting standards, and the BBC, that is the gold standard in journalism, even if it isn't perfect. Look at Robert Kilroy Silk, shamed for attacking Muslims, and forced to resign. That is an everyday thing by an American president (Trump) and he is never held to account. The media can't even do that. It is just a different standard. There is no real debate of the issues. Shows like Newsnight don't exist. That's not to say there isn't a lot of Democrats that can't see through the propaganda asking them to support a terrorist organization. Anyway that's my thought FWIW.

[Meowmee]

75. I don't like the BBC or the Guardian anymore

But the G still have some good articles. I can’t remember the coverage on the IRA at the time we were living there which was a long time ago. I remember being terrified when we sometimes went to London, and hearing the details of the terrorist attacks. We were caught in delays/ traffic for hours once due to a suspected bomb in a mailbox there.

I have not read about what happened with Silk, good for them for speaking out against him at least. Some of the media here have spoken against the orange psycho but it has come to nothing, and they mostly enabled him tragically.

[wnylib]

90. Who is sympathizing? I think that people are just commenting on

people and situations that they have seen or heard.

For example, I mentioned in an earlier post that my ex MIL used to tell me about donating to the IRA through "visitors" to her church. That was in the 1970s. I have no idea if she was telling the truth. I definitely did not sympathize.

[Doodley]

91. I certainly did not intend to imply you were a sympathizer, but there are the "both sides" type posts here,

and attacks on me personally as I have called out the pub for sympathizing. I appreciated your response and apologize if it seemed I was suggesting otherwise.

[Doodley]

92. In fact, I just read a post that says the IRA were freedom fighters, not terrorists. Pretty disgusting.

[hlthe2b]

14. The violence was generally rejected; the cause of the IRA, not so much except by Protestants and English.

There was a very big difference between the Catholics and Protestants in terms of their beliefs vis-a-vis " the Troubles" which underlies the very issue. Those differences likewise were prominent among Irish in Boston, Chicago, NYC, and other areas of the US with large populations. You might do some reading on the horrible deadly consequences that came from BOTH sides during the troubles. It was NOT all one-sided. "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" was not just a catchy U2 song...

Regardless, I don't see why after 30 years you want to dredge this up again as though those Pub owners were somehow plotting to reestablish the IRA again. If, so I frankly think that is ridiculous. It was their heritage, but nonetheless, I'm guessing they aren't wanting to celebrate that which we all abhor.

Have you studied the history of this episode of history for England and Northern Ireland? I'm surprised a bit at the comments if so. I must be much older than some on this thread who don't seem to know much about it.

[Scrivener7]

19. And "Black 47" wasn't just a bar on Second Avenue.

[hlthe2b]

21. No. Indeed.

sigh...

'

[OutNow]

7. Stop stirring up s*hit

The Good Friday agreement was signed in 1998 and brought peace to both Irish countries. Sein Fein is the most popular political party in both sides of the border.

The struggle for a united Ireland is closer to victory than any time in the last 200 years. You shouldn't be shocked that many Irish Americans have always supported the goals of the IRA.

[Doodley]

10. Please read my previous reply, and please don't accuse me of stirring any pots. I don't support the IRA. Do you?

[hlthe2b]

16. Do you really think the IRA is widely & actively operating today 30 years after the Peace Accords were signed?

Do you think the area is rampant with violence?

Honestly, Doodley, this surprises me. I don't want to annoy or anger you. But, I think you need to do some historical reading on this as well as to educate yourself on the status of Northern Ireland today. The main area of political conflict has to do with Brexit in recent years. Yes, I get that you spent time in England. But the issues are far broader than a single perspective.

[Doodley]

22. I'm happy to answer your questions.

Do you really think the IRA is widely & actively operating today 30 years after the Peace Accords were signed?
Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #16)

No. I never said I do.

Do you think the area is rampant with violence?

No. I never said I do.

Honestly, Doodley, this surprises me. I don't want to annoy or anger you. But, I think you need to do some historical reading on this as well as to educate yourself on the status of Northern Ireland today.

Oh really? You think you know better than me, do you? I don't anger easily. Just as well, because you are assuming a lot about me and are coming across as very patronizing.

[hlthe2b]

27. One of my two masters degrees before I went into medicine was in history and I did

study the history of Ireland, England, Scotland, and yes, "the Troubles" with comparisons to the Middle East-- publishing findings in a Master's Degree dissertation, so yes. I do probably know a bit more unless you have studied it systematically. I'm sorry if you find that patronizing, as it is not my desire to insult you. But based on your reactions and assessments, I have to think you are not as well-read on the history---more recent and preceded by previous centuries--or at least very limited in your perspective. If that isn't the case, perhaps you want to reread what you actually wrote and perhaps clarify. I note several on this thread arriving at the same conclusion, so, while I stress that I don't wish to embarrass or as you say, "be patronizing" to you, you do come across as very limited in your knowledge and perspective.

[Doodley]

31. What have I written that is inaccurate according to your superior knowledge? Could you be more patronizing?

[hlthe2b]

34. I get that you are defensive. I will leave the thread--hoping you WILL

do some more reading on the issues and get a broader view of the complexities of the issues that continue to echo to this day. People don't forget and may have reasons to feel sympathy for those who were victimized or persecuted in years past--but that does not mean they are latter-day "terrorists" as you proclaim.

[Doodley]

36. You can't answer my question. You basically claimed I don't know what I'm talking about. You

insulted me, and instead of giving examples when asked, you say you will leave the thread. You could apologise, but you choose to patronize me again.

[hlthe2b]

39. You've shown no inclinication to listen. So, at a later date if you would like to have a constructive discourse, sure.

But, this has escalated beyond that. Have a good evening.

[Doodley]

41. Listen to what? I'm waiting for you to provide one fact that you claim I got wrong. Again you insult me. Apology please.

[meadowlander]

9. First time in an Irish American pub then?

[Doodley]

23. No the first, but don't frequent them!

[H2O Man]

60. Seriously.

[leftstreet]

11. LOL n/t

[Lithos]

13. Where?

I've been to a few in the Atlanta area and do not recall much other than Football and other sports being posted.

L-

[Doodley]

24. O'Reilly's, Sandy Springs (not auto parts!)

[Lithos]

32. Nice

I know of it, though have never gone to it. I spend more of my time either around Vinings over to Buckhead and over to Downtown. Will check it out next time if I have a spare evening.

L-

[Doodley]

69. I'd be interested to hear what you think. You might get a lot of insults like I have had if you take issue though!

[Arazi]

15. Freedom fighters

After 600 years of brutal oppression by the British including an actual genocide with the potato famine, the Irish finally fought back.

Over a million dead and another million displaced in the famine - at least 25% of the entire Irish population at the time. That history isn’t going to be forgotten - ever

[Doodley]

26. Sorry, but Sinn Fein never got much more than 13% of the Northern Ireland vote during the troubles. The IRA was a

terrorist organization that killed many innocent people and didn't have the support of the people of NI.

[Arazi]

30. A genocide Doodley. 600 years of monstrous occupation

The IRA were freedom fighters finally fighting back against horrific oppression.

Innocent Brits were killed but it’s a tiny fraction compared to the torture, slaughter and displacement of millions of innocent Irish before they finally got tough and overthrew the British occupation.

Edited to add that Northern Ireland is part of the UK. You know that right?

[Doodley]

70. What was the "horrific oppression" or "genocide" during the troubles?

[meadowlander]

78. Disenfranchisement of Catholics

who were not allowed to vote unless they owned property until 1969. Reduced provision of essential services to Catholic areas like water supply, sewer lines and public transport by disproportionately Protestant local government bodies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_man,_one_vote#Northern_Ireland

The RUC could detain people indefinitely without cause and used torture on suspects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Demetrius

Shooting unarmed civilians in the street at a peaceful protest march.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)

Discrimination in housing and employment forcing Catholics into poverty and ghettos or homelessness

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segregation_in_Northern_Ireland

Economic violence is violence. If you make it impossible for people to feed and house their families and take away their vote, they become desperate and have few options but to descend into physical violence.

I don't condone political violence but I understand there are conditions under which it probably becomes inevitable.

[Prairie Gates]

17. Every Irish bar in NYC collected money for the IRA

And this was DURING the terror campaigns.

None of this was a secret.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. Up the rebels!

[Maeve]

25. This post comes across as terribly naive

How many were killed by the Unionist terrorists? Are we really going to play that game 20+ years later?
A lot of American Irish left their homeland because of laws and customs they found unjust and so became resistance from afar. Situations have changed. Thatcher is dead. Give it a rest.

[Doodley]

29. The IRA were terrorists and were supported by a small percentage of people in Northern Ireland. I am naive if I'm not

supposed to be shocked to see people now supporting the actions of the IRA.

[Xavier Breath]

37. Are we not talking about old, yellowed newspaper clippings?

This conflict was resolved decades ago. The people who put the clippings up have probably long ago moved on to their final reward. The current owners probably keep them up because they're kitschy.

If you're still troubled by it, then why not have a dialogue about it with the barkeep? Get their read on things.

[Doodley]

56. No. They are not yellowed. Would it be okay to put Nazi symbolism up in a public place, or conferate flags, or support

for apartheid? This was a celebration of terrorists, some created a few years ago.

[Xavier Breath]

66. Wow, overreact much?

What I wrote was reasonable and meant as part of a serious discourse, which you clearly don't want to have.

[Maeve]

49. The Unionists were also terrorists and the British government was oppressive

Learn some history

[Doodley]

53. Which bit justifies the IRA killing and maiming innocent people? Which bit of history don't I understand as well as you?

[Maeve]

55. The part where Unionists and Brit gov. also killed innocents

[meadowlander]

74. And locked Catholics out of jobs, housing and the political process for decades.

Only landowners got to vote in Northern Ireland until 1969 which incentivized the Protestant minority to make it almost impossible for Catholics to buy property which led to mass unemployment and homelessness with no spending on social services approved by politicians who were basically all Protestants.

"One person, one vote" was what the IRA was fighting for. Something I would hope seems like a no-brainer to people living in modern democracies.

[H2O Man]

62. You are kinder than me.

The IRA were freedom fighters, not terrorists.

[Maeve]

65. I've spent 20 years studying the issues

I side with the Nationalists, but some made bad choices. War is messy and always involves evil, neither side has clean hands. Ever.
I think you are a realist, so we agree more than not.

[H2O Man]

81. I have family

that was actively involved in the struggle for hundreds of years. I have poetry written in the 1700s, of a grandfather in a dungeon, sentenced to death. My father's father's cousin fought with The Big Guy in the early 1900s, and served time with Collins, and became the second Secretary of Finance. Grandpa gave his grandchildren bills with his cousin's signature. I had a distant cousin who I was told delivered supplies to Bobby Sands.

The thing about wars is that everyone gets hurt. The combined totals of those dead from each side is the tip of the iceberg. The damage done continues to show up. I talk with cousins in Ireland frequently, and some of the hateful things I hear suggest they are not much different from the maga population.

[Maeve]

85. I wish we could sit down and talk...your family history is fascinating

Yes, the divide continues and the one time we were in No. Ireland was only a day trip; Hubby wouldn't spend the night there. But I did want to see the Causeway and Carrick-A-Rede.

[mopinko]

28. 1 person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter.

up the ra.
u rly shd read up on the troubles. it wasnt irish v irish, it was irish v the brits, arming and stoking the udf.

find the doc- the miami show band massacre. was on netflix.

[dflprincess]

33. Don't pretend that the British government didn't bear some responsibility for the violence

Bloody Sunday (1972) ring a bell?

[yonder]

38. ...

Tiocfaidh ár lá

[greatauntoftriplets]

48. That's my signature line.

[yonder]

87. It's as fine a seal as the promise it bears.

[Xolodno]

40. One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter.

Nothing is black and white, it's usually varying shades of grey depending on who you talk to. One person may take an absolutist view on one side, likewise, someone else will do the opposite. Sad to say, often both sides have valid reasons for it.

It's easy to force our own morality on a subject, but far harder to understand and come to the altar of compromise.

[Iggo]

42. I hope you left. Now, never go back there.

Problem solved.

[Historic NY]

44. One could always tell what side the bar was by the whiskey they sold

Catholic based wouldn't sell Bushmills whiskey only Jameson Whiskey

My family was from both areas in Ireland

[Maeve]

51. In the 1990's, both were bought by a FRENCH company

And later sold to international conglomerates. The company who owns Bushmills also owns Guinness. The war is over and money won. Drink what you like.

[Cirsium]

46. Nothing surprising about that

Irish pubs in the Midwest routinely collected money for the IRA. The clippings you saw are probably old.

Your post is ill informed.

[Doodley]

47. They had a "Remembering the hunger strikers" poster, paying tribute to Bobby Sands and other hunger strikers.

That wasn't old. It was a tribute to them dated 2021. Yes, that is celebrating a terrorist.

[Iggo]

54. You should've put that in the OP.

[Doodley]

61. I will do it now. Thanks!

[NoRethugFriends]

57. And the Brits were angels. And the Black and Tan were choir boys.

[SupportSanity]

58. My bet - Someone at the pub has friends or relatives who are in the IRA.

[H2O Man]

64. Is this The Onion?

[soandso]

67. My mother's side of the family came from Ireland

Irish Catholic. Then my stepfather, who she married I was 12, also came from Irish stock. St Patrick's day was a big deal to them, as well as everything Irish. I never got the bug and don't identify with the place, at all. I'm glad my ancestors left. It looks like a dreary, miserable place with a bunch of boozers.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

68. Extremely common

Many Irish bars openly raised money for the IRA. Some sent donated guns from the US and smuggled them into Ireland. A high school friend of mine had an older cousin and uncle who traveled over there to help train their snipers, supposedly at least. He told us this in high school so he could have been full of shit.

[Doodley]

71. Thanks for sharing. Good story about your friend's cousin! The Brits heard that funding for the IRA came from US.

[soandso]

73. I worked for a property management company at that time

and had a guy come in about some work on driveways. We became fairly friendly, lunching together, and he was involved with the IRA and getting guns and money to them. He had an Irish surname and was as Irish looking as it gets (big ginger with freckles). He was really into what was going on over there (which wasn't of much interest to me, more a curiosity).

[Doodley]

77. Soandso, I said I would remember your name when you were so courteous on another thread. You mix

with some interesting folks!

[soandso]

79. Wouldn't go that far, lol

He had an engineering company and I hired him to fix the driveways of an apartment complex. We liked each other but were not friends outside of a professional relationship. I didn't know enough about what was happening in Ireland to ask him a whole lot about it, other than they were fighting over there.

[Voltaire2]

72. I dunno, I cheered when they rocketed 10 Downing Street.

[Doodley]

76. And the next year, ten percent of those who voted in Northern Ireland, voted for Sinn Fein. It was an act of terrorism.

[LudwigPastorius]

80. I have a friend who went into a bar to get a pop and he evidently ordered the *right* Irish whiskey.

He thought nothing of it when a couple of guys started chatting him up, asking him what his name was (an Irish name) if he was Catholic (he was).

They then proceeded to try and recruit him for the IRA, saying, "ya know, we could use a strong, tall fella sooch as yerself".

(This was quite some time ago, so hopefully, all that shit will stay in the past.)

[whathehell]

82. Many people, including some in her own government,

did not like the way Margaret Thatcher handled the Hunger Strike and would hesitate to call those partaking in it "terrorists".

The British were not neutral in the way they handled the two sides of the supposedly "sectarian" conflict. One way in which they demonstrated this was to label only the Catholic IRA as "terrorists", while refusing to characterize the equally violent Protestant "loyalists" in the same way, referring to them merely as "militants" or other morally neutral terms.

[OutNow]

83. I'm delighted with the responses to your hostility to Irish unity

Your posts read like you're channeling Ian Paisley, the most reactionary of the Irish DUP terrorists. You might not be aware, but Bobby Sands is viewed as an Irish hero by many folks on both side of the border. The mural of Bobby Sands in Belfast is world famous and it honestly brought tears to my eyes when I visited it remembering the torture he endured in H block prison before he died in 1981.

I am delighted with the dozens of posts following your screed that supported the Irish struggle for a united Ireland, a goal that is closer every day.

[Celerity]

84. these were not unity, these were murderous terror:

etc etc etc

[CountAllVotes]

86. My late husband was from Ireland

He left Ireland in 1956 to come to this country.

He never talked a whole lot about the fact that the 10 brothers and sisters he had all grew up in extreme poverty as it was shameful to him.

His father died in 1939 and was involved with the resistance. It left a widow with 10 kids and no one to support the family other than the children which is what my husband had to do; drop out of school and work the farm which was far more important than education.

He worked at many different Irish pubs in San Francisco over the years. They all had a jar on the bar saying it was for "Northern Aid".

I don't know if the money in that jar actually went for Northern Aid but it was always full of contributions.

I remember the death of Bobby Sands and the hunger strikers. They had a reason for being hunger strikers, like my husband's dead father with 10 kids left behind with no support.

My husband referred to the history of Ireland as being 1100 years of resistance. He knew his history well. He had a good reason to feel the way he did. The family farm is still up and running and no British government was ever able to take away this ancient farm he grew up on and cared for. The farm was their mother after all. Without it, they would have all died during the Great Famine. Strangely, there are no records of this farm in Griffith's Valuation of Ireland, a record that is used by genealogists to trace their ancestors. The 15 people that lived in the thatched cottage were nowhere to be found according to Griffith's records.

More about Griffith's Valuation of Ireland here:
Ireland, Griffith’s Valuation, 1847-1864

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1269/

Forgotten perhaps, dead not. My husband left behind 40 nieces and nephews when he died. I wonder how many of them know the horror of what had occurred?

He was out in the fields working one day and found an old pipe buried near the family graveyard. It said on it "Ireland for the Irish" in Gaelic, a motto that he lived by.

My own family left Tipperary in the 1840s and came to New York and Boston. I still have a few distant relatives living in these place today as well as San Francisco. Again, dead but not forgotten!

Ireland has a long sad history.

May Bobby Sands rest in peace.

& recommend.

[msfiddlestix]

88. This isn't a new thing re Irish Pubs in the U.S. especially the ones that were started up by IRA and supporters.

it's been going on since early twentieth century. in the U.S. Their weapons were/are largely smuggled from here for nearly a century. I was an Irish music for a number of years, and got the history right out of the pubs in San Francisco. it was kinda a weird wake up experience the first time I played. after that I just had to ignore those guys, I was there to play music.

[CountAllVotes]

93. I wonder if I ever saw you play at the pubs in S.F.

There was Ireland's 32, The Plough and the Stars, The Abbey Tavern and The Blarney Stone.

Do any of these places ring a bell?

If you knew that whole scene at all, I bet you crossed paths with my late husband as his brother owned a pub in San Francisco!

Small world not!

[msfiddlestix]

94. Mostly at the Plough. I think I did play Ireland's 32 once, but usually was always the Plough, or at the Star and Plough

in Berkeley. That was way back in the 90;s and early aughts. My trad music interests past several years though is Appalachian/Bluegrass, so I haven't been there in years.
But I'll never forget my first experience at the Plough and Stars When I learned the patrons wee IRA, I think the owner(s) not positive about that, but I have no reason to think he wasn't. Of course, I was fairly steeped in the Irish culture/history and certainly was sympathetic to a point.
I also learned along the way, how much organized smuggling with the exceedingly important help of law enforcers who were Irish and IRA family connected etc whether we're talking about New York, Boston, or San Francisco. etc.
Going on since long before I was born, and I Just turned 74. So, I was surprised to see this post I guess younger generations are not clued into this aspect of U.S. history.

[CountAllVotes]

95. Lots of great memories from your post

The pubs in Berkeley were my father's hang-outs. He'd go into town once a year to celebrate St. Patrick's Day I remember.

I grew up saturated in the Irish culture needless to say and married into it as well.

Thanks for your post!

[msfiddlestix]

96. There were great memories, did you play?

By the way, I meant to refer to the playing I did was in Sessions, not performances. But you would know that if you went to the sessions yourself!!

[CountAllVotes]

97. Yes, I am a musician

I studied for years at the guitar, viola, clarinet and a bit of piano and violin.

I don't play much any more due to arthritis in my hands. Even typing is an effort now.

I think you are referring to traveling around from one pub to the next and hopefully you'd have a couple of others with you (?). You'd play for a length of time but who knows how long?

My brother-in-law played the accordion and used to play with other musicians when he could get them together. If you knew of any accordion players, it may have been him as I cannot think of any others.

This was indeed an aspect of history buried in the past. You got that right about how the law enforcement was in on it as well as many were Irish that supported the cause so to speak. It would make a great book I've often thought.

I know one pub still has an original owner in the Richmond, O'Keeffe's.

I suppose you might remember Harrington's? He had two pubs, one served lunch and the other one was in the Tenderloin. That was years ago. Great times indeed!