What makes an Irish Pub Irish?

When you're on the road - especially by yourself - you often try and find people to talk to, and when in small Eastern European towns, if you dont meet people at the hostel, the next best place is an Irish Pub...

I'm gonna go out on a limb and declare theres actually more "Irish" Pubs in the rest of the world, then there is in Ireland itself. Every city in the world has at least one, but what makes them Irish?

Usually it means selling some Guiness, having a TV showing all of the UK and Irish sports and having some "Irish" memorabilia on the walls - but not always.

In Gdansk, where I was most recently, there was an Irish Pub and a "Celtic" Pub (as well as an English Pub). Myself and two young Kiwi lads went in to the Celtic pub one night, to find the ground covered in leaves and and dirt. Ok. So after taking a seat, we realise we are in the middle of a dance contest. Irish dancing? No. Polish dancing maybe...? No. The songs of choice were "Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake, and a song by Missy Elliot, and the dancing was that booty shaking hip hop style. I mean, why wouldnt you have that in a Celtic bar?

Gdansk was another in the line of really pretty towns that I've been to that were so very quiet. We even went to the local club, and before going in asked the bouncer "so is there many in tonight?". "Nope, nobody". I liked the honesty though. It's apparantly the town to go in the summer because its pretty much Poland's best summer resort town...seems I was a couple of months late!

I'm now Warsaw, and after being here a few days I have checked out all the sights including the castle and the old town, and all that, but have yet to find anywhere decent to drink...

Hmmm...might go find an Irish Pub.