You just can’t get away from ‘em. Irish bars, I mean.
‘The first public house in Afghanistan since the fall of the
Taliban has opened - and it’s Irish. The Irish Club opened on a secluded
side street in the centre of Kabul last month - on St Patrick’s Day.’ …
‘There are Afghan staff, of course, but they have all been given Irish
names - Kevin, Jimmy, Michael, George - ‘to protect them from possible
retaliation’ …
Fazel Ahmed Manawi, the deputy supreme court justice, said any Muslims
found drinking at the Irish Club will be punished. ‘We have got a lot of
foreigners living in our country and unfortunately, this is a necessary
thing for them,’ he said.’ (Full story)
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 09:36:01 +0100
From: Joe McNally (spam-protected)
To: Yahoogroups Forteana (spam-protected)
Subject: Afghanistan - no end to the horror in sight
http://www.irishnews.com/access/daily/current.asp?SID=431306
Out with the Taliban, in with the craic
THE first public house in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban
has opened - and it’s Irish.
In Taliban times, a fully stocked Irish pub serving whiskey and cold
beer in the heart of the ultra-Islamic country’s capital would have
been unimaginable.
It still is for many Afghans, but the Kabul night-spot has been a
life-saver for many expatriates working in the city.
The Irish Club opened on a secluded side street in the centre of
Kabul last month - on St Patrick’s Day.
There is no sign, and not even a number on the door, but in a country
where terrorists are still a real threat, that is exactly the way the
Irish owner Sean Martin McQuade wants it.
“We wanted to keep a low profile, so we didn’t advertise whatsoever,” he said.
“But people know where to find us. News travels fast by word of mouth.”
In a mock Tudor-style house behind the blank outer wall, immaculate
Afghan waiters in black trousers, white shirts and black bow ties
serve up beer for £1.25 and cocktails for £1.90.
Customers - mostly aid workers, diplomats and journalists - crowd
around a wooden bar topped off with green marble imported from
Ireland.
Afghan carpets are strewn about the floor. Posters for Guinness are
tacked all over the walls. Small lanterns - handy during the sporadic
power cuts - are placed on every table.
“We are the first people to stick our necks out and say this can be a
cosmopolitan city,” Mr McQuade, who has worked as an engineer in
Afghanistan for the last 11 years, said.
He insisted that he had gone out of his way not to offend anyone and
had sought the approval of a neighbourhood mullah to open the bar. In
return, he promised to help rebuild the pot-holed road in front of
the club and to help relocate an adjacent school to a bigger, better
site.
The bar is officially licensed by the state to sell alcohol - but
only to foreigners. An Afghan bouncer keeps locals out, checking IDs
and making sure patrons sign in.
There are Afghan staff, of course, but they have all been given Irish
names - Kevin, Jimmy, Michael, George - “to protect them from
possible retaliation”.
The Taliban may no longer be in power, but Muslim conservatives
continue to hold sway in Afghanistan.
Fazel Ahmed Manawi, the deputy supreme court justice, said any
Muslims found drinking at the Irish Club will be punished.
“We have got a lot of foreigners living in our country and
unfortunately, this is a necessary thing for them,” he said.
« Back
–
Joe McNally :: Flaneur at Large :: http://www.flaneur.org.uk
Tags: centre, club, country, day, fall, house, irish, side, street, taliban
