The Irish Pub: Invention and re-invention

When and how was the Irish pub invented? Or indeed the ‘Irish pub’ – now to be found in thousands of places across the world. How has the pub evolved to become a global symbol of Irishness and how has it come to occupy a central position in our drama, poetry, novels, art and design? Does the pub remain a crucial place in the Irish community, or has it been usurped by the coffee shop and the gym? Does this matter? Often labelled an institution ‘in crisis’, what indeed does the future hold fo...