gaelic guzzlers

There are no drinking establishments as ubiquitous as the Irish Pub. No matter where you travel — be it Dublin, Dallas, Bangkok or Beirut — you can bet there’ll be a Gaelic hideaway ready to offer you solace and Guinness in equal measure.

London’s packed with them, although some bear little resemblance to anything in Ireland other than Guinness on tap and an Irish name. As a rule of thumb, if there are Irish accents on both sides of the bar, chances are you’ve stumbled on the genuine article; if there’s Irish sport or live music on offer, then so much the better.

Waxy O’Connor’s in Leicester Square provides many visitors with their first Irish pub experience, although it’s a bit glitzy and touristy for some. However, there’s live music on Monday nights and patrons are invited to bring instruments and join in. If this sounds too full on, there’s always Waxy’s Little Sister on Wardour Street.

If you’re after something traditional, The Tipperary in Fleet Street has been an Irish pub since the 1700s. Crucially, it was also the first outside of Ireland to sell Guinness on draught. Moving further East, The Water Poet in Spitalfields is atmospheric, with great food and a good variety of beers, porters and stouts.

Finally, The Porterhouse Brewing Company is perfect for serious drinking. Hidden down a side street in Covent Garden, it’s a vast, dark, warren-like den with live music and a range of exclusively brewed beers.