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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Rory Carroll Ireland correspondent

Can you have a community without craic? Scholars of Ireland’s pubs warn of declining numbers

People enjoy a drink and chat in The Long Hall pub in Dublin city centre before Christmas.
People enjoy a drink and chat in The Long Hall pub in Dublin city centre before Christmas. Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty Images

Like triple-distilled whiskey, Irish pubs appear to have timeless appeal. They are staple setting in films, books and plays, draw tourists to Ireland, replicate themselves around the world and induce social media quests for the perfect snug and the perfect pint.

Scholars have now bestowed academic imprimatur on this cultural treasure status by examining – and celebrating – pubs through the lens of history, sociology, architecture, psychology, design, art and literature.

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