Spending
time
in
Ireland, even if only a few days, forever changed my view of
what makes a great Irish pub. Without any conscience attempt on
my part to become some sort of snob when it comes to Irish Pub design,
my taste now seems to be rather more specific. The problem is, I
can’t actually explain what exactly the criterion is for my newly
redefined standard. What I do know, however, is this has little
to do with things like hand-carved antique back-bars or expensive
atmospheric lighting.
Let me not be misunderstood, I appreciate attention to detail as much
as any admirer of great taverns should. Over the years this publication
has featured many a gorgeous pub boasting outstanding design
details. What I am referring to is something more much
nebulous.
Pubs in Ireland seem to breathe their own life. They tell stories
of centuries in ways that escape definition. They are one of
Ireland’s original masterpieces. Recreating that feeling is
almost an impossible task. Often times, it would be like trying
to capture the architectural aura of our own country in some far off
land by building a version of the Chrysler Building or Independence
Hall. The details may be spot on, and the ideas perfectly well
intentioned, but something palpable is always missing.
But occasionally we discover a pub here in the New World that comes
very, very close indeed. And when one of us at the Review does
come across such a gem, it is usually followed first by a flurry of
excited phone calls to other APHR staff members, and then, of course, a
couple of gleeful hours at the bar.
I will be honest, in the few weeks following my trip to the Emerald
Isle I failed to find much evidence of this ethereal quality on my side
of the pond. Despair began to set it with the realization that
finding what I now defined as a truly great Irish pub would forever
require a 7-hour transatlantic flight. That was until I stepped
through the doors of Bull Feeney’s in Portland, Maine.
This place does it right. It aspires to the great traditions of
Ireland’s urban pubs, but it remains uniquely Old Portland at the same
time. While perched at one of Bull
Feeney’s terrific bars, we
could easily imagine ourselves in Cork or Limerick listening to a
traditional ensemble thundering away in a corner while the craic fills
the air. But at the same time, we could picture ourselves
hoisting a pint with a band of fishermen just returning from months at
sea.
Bull
Feeney’s has not been around for centuries, but you
would never
know it. It seems attached to the fabric of Portland like many a
great pub in Ireland is woven into its town’s history. I am no
closer to being able to define my new Irish pub criteria than I was
before, but I do know Bull Feeney’s fits the bill.
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BF
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BF
Bull Feeney's
375 Fore Street
Portland, Maine 04101-5010
(207)
773-7210
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bull-Feeneys/176010931205
Directions
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