Ireland's Perfect Pubs, a brand new RTÉ Player Original, follows stand-up comedian Anna Clifford as she sets out to explore some of Ireland's most unique, picturesque and interesting public houses.
The four-part series will see Clifford pair up with with a variety of familiar faces for an epic road trip that will take her all around the country, stopping off in the best pubs that Inis Mor, Tipperary, Dingle and Derry have to offer.
Watch Ireland's Perfect Pubs on the RTÉ Player.
"What a dream job," Anna smiles. "I think it makes sense; as an Irish woman I've been in many pubs, but even in terms of comedy, you end up living in pubs with all the gigs."
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So, what makes the perfect pub?
"It's hard to find a bad pub in Ireland," she insists. "I think it's a mix of everything. You need cosiness - the trick is that you don't want to notice the time pass. You want to feel cosy and to feel welcome and then it's about the sing-songs and the packet of crisps.
"There should also be a dog in the corner and a fire lit," she adds, smiling. "But this show was really about finding the more unique ones that have something quirky about them."
Outside of the pubs, the comedian visits some of the country’s most spectacular tourist attractions. From riding a tandem bike with a TikTok star in Inis Mor, to putting on the first (audience-free) comedy gig in Mitchelstown Cave with a fellow comic, Clifford will take viewers on an exceptionally unique journey around Ireland.
1. The Bar, Inis Mor.
The first episode sees Anna travel to Inis Mor, one of the beautiful Aran Islands, to visit 'The Bar’.
With only two pubs on the whole of Inis Mor, The Bar is a central meeting hub for locals and crucial to island life and community. Anna is joined by Tik Tok sensation Shanice Griffin as they embark on a scenic adventure to explore the island and meet the local residents of Inis Mor.
2: McCarthy’s Pub & Undertakers, Fethard.
In episode two, Anna journeys to Tipperary to visit the charming town of Fethard. Things take a turn for the bizarre as she stops off in McCarthy’s, a pub and fully functioning undertakers.
Unchanged since the 1840s it’s believed the spirits aren’t just behind the bar, with multiple ghost sightings reported in the pub. Anna is accompanied by comedian and content creator Simon Hennessy. They work up a thirst by going deep into Mitchelstown Cave, where they perform a stand-up gig ninety meters underground.
3: Walled City Brewery, Derry.
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Episode three takes Anna north to the city of Derry to discover Walled City Brewery. An old army barracks that in 2015 was converted into a brewery and has since created over 500 different types of craft beers. Anna and her guest, fellow stand-up comedian Fiona Frawley, also sojourn to Antrim to explore Northern Ireland’s only world heritage site – The Giant’s Causeway.
4: Foxy John’s Pub & Hardware Store, Dingle.
In the final episode, Anna takes a trip to Dingle to visit the iconic Foxy John’s, a pub, a hardware store and a bicycle repair shop. Anna’s guest is a local himself, online farming superstar Séaghan Ó Súilleabháin, (better known as The Kerry Cowboy on TikTok). Together they seek to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Dingle most famous resident… Fungi the dolphin.
Watch Ireland's Perfect Pubs on the RTÉ Player. The first episode airs on Wednesday, Oct 25 at 12pm.
