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HAVE YOU BEEN stuck in the middle of nowhere with a fierce yearning for a pint of Guinness and a bit of craic? Well, your prayers have been answered.
Enter The Shebeen – a humble caravan put through a Cinderalla-like transformation to become a traditional Irish pub on wheels.
While it’s not the first time someone has tried their hand at a mobile pub, this one comes complete with wooden floors, faux-brick walls and enough memorabilia to put most Irish snugs to shame.
The project was the brainchild of Galway-based John Walsh, who came up with the idea as a Friday-afternoon wind down for the staff from his main business, laboratory and commercial fit-out firm Clinical Cabinets.
“It started off as a team-building exercise with my guys, but then, as we were getting clients in, everyone seemed to show great interest in it,” he told TheJournal.ie.
Walsh and a friend bought the 1980s-era caravan a few years ago for an Electric Picnic visit, and ended up holding on to it after they were unable to get a good price for its sale.
“We did a bit more brainstorming with it and I suppose our love of Irish pubs made it a natural route,” he said.
“As we started work on it, we started to get a bit more serious – we realised this could turn into a business.”
The hardest part of the job was getting the details right, Walsh said, with the work including sourcing materials like the textured wallpaper and other adornments from auctions and car-boot sales.
The finished product includes seating for 10, bar space for two draught beers and even a working (albeit electric) stove heater.
It took about four months of labour – from initial design to finishing touches like the distressed woodwork for that vintage look – and a budget of nearly €20,000 to see it through.
And despite starting life as a bit of fun, the Shebeen has also emerged as a serious business for Walsh.
He has already hired out the mobile pub for a handful of weddings since he started advertised it a month ago – and found a US buyer for the second-ever Shebeen-on-wheels.
“We haven’t done any marketing or research into it and we have got this order already,” Walsh said. ”I’m hoping with a bit more of a push we might get more orders for it.”
And the million-euro question – how much for your own Shebeen? Surprisingly cheap, really.
Walsh said the cost of making another pub-on-wheels and delivering it to its new home in Boston would come in at about €30,000, including a voyage across the Atlantic.
But if you can’t afford that kind of coin, a fully-kitted Shebeen can be yours for a weekend from only €1,500. Road trip, anyone?
Applesauce Films / Vimeo
Originally published at 12.20pm
Let a Guinness fart in one of them things and its game over
A lot of attention to detail was given, well done, I love it … !! :P
ehh… where is the toilet Suz ?
Opppss.. I didn’t think of the loo’s Johnny, I guess outside in the woods.. ??
Living in Dublin a lot of men seem to think they need a toilet anyway.. but you’re right, a missing toilet wont do at all… even a small one is required..Like McDaids pub in town, you have to reverse out of the one womens loo cubicle there its so small : /
Sounds like that’s a health and safety issue there Suz
or a design fault next time I’m there I will look into it for you.
perhaps it was designed for small children ?
Shut up and take my money
Gives new meaning to,
I’ll have one for the road…
Pint sized pub
Savage!!! I want!
That looks nice compared to some pubs I have visited in my time like when the abbey inn tralee had only one toilet and always there used to be a queue to get in and the smell of shite coming from the toilet it was always blocked especially the weekends…
Jaysus, you’ve really got it in for that one particular establishment, haven’t you. What did they do to you?
€1500 Euro does that come with kegs ?
well caravans have toilets so I presume this one has as well. People live in caravans so 10 people would be well confortable in this…… I love it!
Does it stink of Piss and failure just like a real one?
Jasus , never mind hittin the road it it, I would stick that in the front garden!!
Great idea Location Location Location
Could do with a pool table.
There would be a bit of a queue for the jacks
Mini-Bar.
Benny Andersons in Ardee. Peerless old school. ( haven’t been in years)
Brilliant idea, Love it!
No dancing!
Just no!
Is there anywhere to sleep ??
.
The Fr Ted Pub its a wee bit claustrophobic
and does anyone know where the toilet is ?
Just a health and safety question.
So you said johnny
Great idea, would love a creamy pint from there.
What’s with the shite music on the promo video. A bit of trad would’ve been more fitting instead of that kack!
Does brainchild mean original idea?
Looks nice.
Summer! Where are you?
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