O'Carroll - Cold Beer Warm Hearts (4)

O’Carroll is disputing why Irish Pubs and Eckkneipes are always classified as opposites, why when asked what the Irish Pub is like, the answer is usually given: it’s not an Eckkneipe.

These (Irish Pubs and Eckkneipes) are two (of many other) types of drinking establishments found in Berlin, Germany. Both are what are considered to be local watering holes for town folk that like socializing and having a place to go where you’ll have someone to talk to. From O’Carroll’s work, I gather that there is not much difference between the two types, perhaps a slight income variation, but the major distinction would be the up keep of the bar and its physical and mental cleanliness.

In Sydney, there are a number of different bars, but two that compete on many levels, much like the way Irish Pubs and Eckkneipes compete (in marketing terms) would be Smooth Herman’s and the Capri. In comparison with this article (my thoughts only) I would compare the Capri to the Eckkneipe and this may be a stretch, but Smooth Herman’s to an Irish Pub in how the Capri always gets an evaluation (myself included) that is not the best, where it is considered, dirty, unhealthy, dingy, where Smooth Herman’s (my bar of preference) also is assessed as perhaps, lower-class but is always deemed to be cleaner or lacking in “pollution” as opposed to the Capri. However, at the end of the night -early morning- when the lights are turned on, they both look the same with haggard twenty something’s leaving the bar with most of them having enjoyed themselves.

Where this is coming from is that the two types of bars mentioned by O’Carroll are not much different than two bars that may be found in other cities throughout the world. They get paired as opposites but when broken down and possibly cleaned up a little, they’re serving some similar people with similar stories, just looking for a place to enjoy themselves.

Basically, if Irish Pubs were a little dirtier and Eckkneipes were a little cleaner, adjust a couple prices, and you’d have almost no comparison left.

O'Carroll - Cold Beer Warm Hearts (3)

In my opinion the main point behind this reading was the influx of Irish Pubs in Berlin Germany. I myself didn't know that the "Irish/Dublin" pub was such a popular thing in the international stage. I think the main reason that i wasn't accustomed to hearing this is because when you look at most of the pubs that are in the maritimes most of them are English style fish and chip pubs or just down home local menu pubs with your everyday East Coast food,the main reason i believe we are so focused on the English style pub is because a lot of the atlantic provinces heritage can be traced back to somewhere in Oceanic Europe(England,France, etc) so we don't see the Irish and/or Dublin pubs as in some other places. I have eaten at one Irish style pub in my life it was many years ago funny enough after a golf game in Pictou (i think),but i don't remember much because it was so long ago. I would really like to go to a Candianized Irish Pub and see how it tastes then go over to Europe some day and go to Ireland and go to an authentic Irish pub and try it as well then compare and contrast them so i can see the similarities and differences between the North American version and the real thing.

O'Carroll - Cold Beer Warm Hearts (2)

The core argument or point the author is trying to make in this story is many times. The image one culture has of another is more based on a continued tourist type specially marketed representation than is an authentic real view of that culture.

In this story many German customers had a pre conceived view of Irishness especially Irish pubs and what the Irish pubs representation. To them it was a place which representated what the title suggests, a place to get a cold beer at a place that is filled with warm, friends, welcoming Irish.

This view was even more cemented by the promotes of Irish pubs in Berlin which tapped into the symbolic image that tourist representation of Ireland promises from the Irish music beer and whisky, décor all things Irish.

The author makes the argument that it is not just the tourist image of Ireland at work, but the role of imagination in social lives of how people use their. Imagination to create a need they have or to feel something in their own world that’s not there.

The description of the Eckkneipe or German pub or bar with its dark grubby environment with its interior more closed off from the outside and not even visited by mainstream Germans, seems the polar everyday and our necessary to our socialization.

I do agree with the authors view that when you visit another country you already even if you don’t realize it a preconceived view of that country culture. For example, it could their food, music, historical facts personalities of this culture; it could be from mass media, tourist marketing contact in your country with people from this country. This can be a negative thing when your ore conception does match the reality and you get there.

O'Carroll - Cold Beer Warm Hearts (1)

The article by O'Carroll pointed out how many people enjoy Irish pubs because of the atmosphere they are so well known for. Countries all over the world have tried to duplicate the atmosphere of Irish pubs with their level of success up for debate. There is an aura that surrounds Irish pubs in a sense that after a long days work you can always find familiar faces to sit down and have a pint of Guinness with. It is also interesting to note the importance of drinking in cultures that are present in places like Ireland and Cape Breton because many important social events revolve around drinking and the activities associated with it. For example, it has been rumoured that for many years the hospital staff would give shots of beer to their patients daily. This is unheard of in North America. The importance of drinking in the Irish culture is not always a positive influence when contributing to their reputation. People might think that they are wild drunks who fight all the time at the pub and are unable to keep their lives together because of how much they drink. Countries that drink in moderation are said to have a much healthier life style because they don't involve themselves in binge drinking or at least don't have a reputation for it. Although popularly believed, this stereotype is not necessarily true.