(Irish Pubs in America: History, Lore and Recipes —
A Colorado review from Rodger Hara)

Sarge & Shannon at "Scruffy's"

Globaldiaspora.ie estimates that there are over 70 million people around the world who claim Irish ancestry. With that number, it is no surprise that there are also an estimated 60,000 Irish pubs around the world in many unusual and far-flung places. For example, Denver’s own Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald recently returned from a trip to Mongolia where he found a pub opened by a Limerick man called The Great Khaan Irish Pub in downtown Ulanbaatr.

Many of those 60,000 pubs are in the US and at least 42 (at last count) are in the Denver metropolitan area. And of those 42, two – Nallen’s Irish Pub and Scruffy Murphy’s Irish Pub – have been honored by being included in a just-published fascinating and well-written coffee-table book called “Irish Pubs in America: History, Lore and Recipes.”

Written and photographed by Robert “Bob” Meyers with Ron Wallace and published by Deeds Publishing, this book rises above the usual lists of great pubs because of the authors’ unique approach to selecting the pubs for the book.

In 2008, Bob, a 1956 graduate of the University of Colorado, former foreign service officer, staffer in the Carter White House, Director of International Affairs at Allied Signal (now Honeywell) and Vice President at Scientific Atlanta (now Cisco), began a 2 ½ year quest to photograph and write the story of the barns of the part of Georgia that had been Milton County from 1857 to 1931. In 1932, it was merged with Fulton County to save it from bankruptcy. Formerly part of the Cherokee Nation, cotton was king in Milton County and Bob produced a coffee table book, “Bygone Treasures and Timeless Beauties: Barns of Old Milton County” that presented a loving and respectful look at barns old and new there with art-house quality photographs and stories about their context and uses.

Ron, a native of Idaho, began his 38 year career with United Parcel Service as a driver there and retired in 2002 in Georgia as President of UPS International. A resident of Alpharetta, the former Seat of Milton County, he is an author of two books, “The Power of the Campaign Pyramid”, released in 2012, a book about organizing political campaigns (he has won 19 of the 22 campaigns he has managed) and “What Brown Did for Me”, a book on leadership that will be released in 2014. He has also been a professional race car driver, played semi-pro football in Europe and after retiring from UPS attended a police academy in Georgia, received his certification, worked for a sheriff’s department for two years and is now Deputy Chief of the police department in Alpharetta where he has his own patrol car and works two to three nights a week. After retirement, he was approached about investing in a pub and using the business skills and wisdom developed overseeing UPS’ operations in 200 foreign countries visited over a hundred Irish pubs, did extensive research and developed a business plan that could easily be a Harvard Business School case study (http://www.accessmilton.com/BOM-OldeBlindDog.php). That research led to the opening of The Olde Blind Dog Pub (named in honor of Ron’s English Bull Dog Peaches) in Milton, GA (a city that, incidentally, Ron helped found) five years ago and a sister pub 18 months ago.

After release of Bob’s book on the Barns of Milton County, he and Ron were visiting one day and Ron casually suggested that Bob do his next book on pubs. One thing led to another and soon the two embarked on a journey that lasted a year, saw them log 50,000 air miles and interview hundreds of people around the country in search of those pubs that have great visual appeal, an interesting story/history and are part of and contribute to their communities. In the interview for this article, he told me that the book is “…really a storybook – not just a review of some great pubs – and is a tribute to what the Irish have contributed to this country.” Echoing that thought, Ron said that the book is an expression of “…appreciation for the Irish and the stories within each pub.” They built on Ron’s research and relationships developed in the build-out of his pubs, interviewed pub owners, liquor industry staff, customers and visited pubs around the country on their quest.

In that context, it is fitting that Nallen’s, Denver’s oldest pub and Scruffy Murphy’s, one of Denver’s newest were chosen to be honored along with 50 other pubs around America.

About 18 months ago, Bob and Ron contacted John Nallen, told him about their book and asked if he would be their guide in Denver. John willingly agreed and took them on a tour of the pubs around town and wound up with them back at his establishment where they were charmed by the Mom and Pop operation similar to so many pubs in Ireland.

Nallen’s was founded in 1992 and moved to its current location on Market Street in 1996. John Nallen, from the tiny town of Belderrig near the Céide Fields Heritage Ireland site in County Mayo, was an early supporter of the Denver Gaels, played for a time and was Vice President of the club in the early days. John manages the pub with his wife Una and able assistance from son Sean, son-in-law to be Keith Lawler and niece Maggie. Bob and Ron chose Nallen’s because of its size, look comfortable feel and welcoming authenticity and the fact that a dozen couples have chosen to be married in the pub, giving it the title of “the wedding pub.” John said that having been in 10 or so of the other pubs in the book that he was “…surprised, humbled and honored to be included in such company.”

Founded in 2004 by Andrew Toole and now owned by Shannon Murray, her husband Dave “Sarge” Wisniewski and Niall “Bingo” Byrne of County Wexford, Scruffy Murphy’s on Larimer is named after an apocryphal Irish miner who may or may not have existed but whose name is known around the world. Ably managed by Steve Colligan and veteran bartender Craig Hostrop (at Scruffy’s since 2005) while Shannon tends her day job at Hinds Financial Services and Sarge his superintendent work for Saunders Construction, Scruffy Murphy’s has been included because of its “…mildly eccentric character, slightly worn and scruffy but always welcoming – like your Irish neighbors living room.” Bob and Ron also recognized Scruffy’s for the charitable work it does in the community for the Tennyson Center for Children, Hearts and Hand Center for at risk youth and the Wounded Warrior project among many others. Having left Michigan 33 years ago – where Sarge was actually a second lieutenant in the Saginaw Mounted Police (and despite his nickname and bearing was never in the military) – Shannon said that “While it may be every Irishman’s dream to own a pub in America, there are actually many Irish-Americans with the same dream.”

In addition to beautiful photographs of the interiors and exteriors of the pubs featured in the book, there are recipes too. Niall Byrne’s wife Heather’s recipe for Maggie May’s Bread Pudding has been included along with recipes for the Dublin Mule served at Nallen’s in a copper mug and Steve Colligan’s recipe for an Irish Apple that comes in a martini glass, both made with Jameson’s.

In Denver we are blessed with access to two wonderful places where we just take them for granted. If you are interested in learning about the rest and getting a treat for your eyes and heart, copies of the book are available at both pubs, online at www.irishpubsbook.com and if you happen to be in Dublin, a copy can also be picked up from Marty at the Temple Bar merchandise shop next to the pub. And for more fun, the pilot for a reality television show based on the stories of the pubs in the book is also in production, so watch your cable listings. And for even more fun, pick up a copy of the book and take a long, slow road trip and visit all the pubs in it…