McCarthy's Bar: A Journey of Discovery In Ireland Paperback – March 3, 2003

Mc Carthy’s Bar is a really good book! Besides being entertaining and funny! It is well written and provides a lot of interesting Irish history! I absolutely enjoyed it!

I loved the dry sense of humor and the author’s narrative of his adventures exploring Ireland. Definitely inspires me to plan a future trip, a slow wander around the country to absorb its beauty, hospitality and culture.

Delightful informative account of traipsing around Ireland. McCarthy’s observations are hilariously recorded, as he encounters local characters all over the country from Cork to the Aran Islands to Donegal. He acerbically skewers tourists and the tourist industry, and captures pre-cellphone Ireland perfectly. His eye for irony sparkles. Wish someone would repeat this trip in 2024 and tell readers how things have changed in 21st century. A great read and guide to the best and the not so of the Emerald Isle.

Loved this first person account of his time exploring the backroads of Ireland and his observations and interactions with the locals. Having just returned from 2 weeks in Ireland, this book had me laughing out loud more than once. Truly a lovely experience crafted by a wonderful writer.

I own the book, but haven't read it (yet). In lieu of reading the book, I bought the audio CD. It took a good month to get to me since it shipped from the UK. That doesn't affect its rating - I'm just saying. To my surprise, the CD is only 2 audio discs in length. It says it's abridged, but it leaves me wondering HOW abridged or if the book book is truly that short? I don't know. The product is fine; the CDs played. The story was fun and funny but was a little all over the place for my liking. The humor was good, dry, accessible. Some of the stories were interesting. I didn't really care for the pilgrimage tale, and it seemed to take up a lot of play time that I think could have been better spent on anything else. A friend of mine recommended this book to me before my wife and I's trip to Ireland. I didn't have time to read it, and I got this audio version more than a year after having gone there. Entertaining? Yes. Would I recommend it to someone who loves Ireland? Yes. Would I recommend it to someone who's never been in a preparatory capacity? Nah.

What a voice this books has and it's your journey into Ireland and Irish culture. Very similar to Ian Banks Raw Spirts. Make you want to book a trip to Ireland after finishing the book.

I think if you have never been to Ireland, this book would turn you off. Some good stories with the twists and turns of the Irish. Drags along in places.

Was recommended to read before my trip to Ireland. Great read!

El libro muy bien. Aún no lo he leído, pero le he echado un vistazo y parece divertido. Me ha sorprendido el grosor, que son casi 400 hojas!. El precio super bueno. Lo que no me ha gustado es que Amazoon -como muchas otras empresas de venta online- intentan reducir siempre los embalajes por eso del tema ecológico. Bien, pero mas de una vez "lo comido por lo servido". No es para regalo, pero si así hubiese sido, lo hubiese devuelto ya que venían algunas páginas dobladas. Con el tema de reducir plástico, ya no envían libros plastificados, pero claro, algunos se estropean en el transporte.

A very dull, boring book. The author tries very hard to be funny but mostly just falls flat on his face. A cheap, nasty piece of work that belongs in the dustbin 😑👎

A must read for anyone planning a trip to Ireland. Full of good humor! I used Google Map to follow his journey from town to town.

Secondo mano ma di ottima qualità. Il libro è molto divertente. Consigliato.

This is one of my favourite books and I read it whenever I need cheering up. Pete McCarthy knows his country of origin really well and writes brilliantly about it. His rules are that he won't pass by a bar or pub in Ireland that bears his family name. His humour is so well-honed that you'll actually snort with laughter on certain pages. He is an Irish (well, British by nationality, but Irish by heritage) equivalent to the clever, well-researched, funny travel writing that authors such as Bill Bryson do.A definite one for the bookshelf for whenever things are looking a bit bleak and you need a funny, wise friend to tell you a yarn or two.