Normally a pub crawl involves customers making their way to several licensed premises on a night out – but one enterprising Galwayman has turned that on his head . . . by bringing his hostelry on a tour of American’s biggest cities instead!
John Walsh’s version of bringing the mountain to Muhammed is already creating waves on the other side of the Atlantic, with high profile features on his bar in a host of top US publications.
This is no ordinary pub however – the Shebeen is a bespoke, customised caravan that brings the traditional feel of an Irish bar right to your doorstep.
It’s the brainchild of Clarenbridge native who first came up with the concept of converting a dilapidated 30-year-old caravan – he’d paid €800 for it to go to the Electric Picnic – into a mobile Irish pub in 2014.
The following year the Electric Picnic was running a competition – to design a caravan which would become an installation in the festival trailer park.
It had to be interactive and cut a dash among the organisers’ own unique creations which are used to host gigs and events.
“I thought this is the chance to do something with the caravan lying in the yard. I wanted to create an old style pub. There were 130 entries and five were chosen.
“Mine wasn’t one of those but we stayed going with it anyway as a project on Friday afternoons to unwind after the week,” he said.
And this week he is showing off the latest creation in his mobile pub ‘family’ – the Connemara Shebeen – across the US where he has already been spotted in Boston, New York and Connecticut.
John has taken part in the South Boston Parade, the Rhode Island parade; he’s been speaking to Forbes magazine, IrishCentral.com, Boston Magazine and has been interviewed by TV Network NECN. And this week, he’s in New York to meet media.
“The interest in Ireland has been huge since we built the first Shebeen in 2014, and with more and more enquiries coming from the States over the last twelve months, we felt we had to visit America to personally introduce our little pub on wheels!” said John.
“The decision to come here to Boston was made even easier thanks to my own connections – we have family living here just south of the city. And with an estimated 33 million Americans having Irish ancestry, it’s a real pleasure to be able deliver an authentic little piece of Ireland to the US market,” he added.
Built in Galway, the Connemara Shebeen boasts authentic Irish interiors that resemble a traditional Irish pub – featuring fold-down windows for outdoor entertaining, a fully functional mobile bar, and the obligatory high Nelly bicycle!
John is a cabinet maker by trade and had built custom-made kitchens with JW Design and for the last three years cleanroom furniture for pharmaceutical companies through his company Clinical Cabinets.
He got his five employees involved in the original project, which took six months to complete.
The interior woodwork is handcrafted in Irish oak, which has been stained and distressed to recreate a vintage feel. There is used solid pine on the floor and the seats are designed to look old and well worn.
The Shebeen also includes seating for up to ten people; a cooler and taps for two draft beers; an electric stove heater, and a music sound system.
Antique pictures, mirrors and carefully selected pub memorabilia which came from an old pub in Monaghan adorn the walls, which have been papered in traditional patterned wallpaper.
As well as an antique cash register and electric stove, gracing one wall is an old hurl with a set of false teeth imbedded in it.
Outside the white polystyrene cladding resembles a white washed cottage, with the door the only thing remaining of the original caravan, which can open out to replicate the traditional cottage half-doors.
He plans to build up to eight next year, most of them bound for the US and Canadian markets where he will rent them out under a licence. He has taken out a trademark for the concept and is confident nobody will be allowed copy it.
“The Shebeen has proven that it fits perfectly into any contemporary setting, bringing a unique focal point to weddings, birthdays, family gatherings, company events and other celebrations,” he said.
“It has become known as ‘the star of the party’ and it is the embodiment of the Irish love of stories, laughter, music and, of course, the craic! Whatever the occasion, The Shebeen offers an atmosphere unlike any other, to make your event a memorable one.”
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