With poetic romanticism Ireland boasts a landscape with 40 shades of green in acknowledgement of how a wet climate can impact Irish grassland and vegetation. There's a Polish pub in Parnell Street in Dublin which is selling 40 varieties of Vodka, but research on how the famous spirit impacts on the gregarious citizen's biology is far from completion. In the bad old days when they were expats themselves they could only take refuge in the Black Stuff. Still Guinness was good for you, at least. Even the Poles are developing the habit now. Ireland's favourite drinks are becoming Polish favourites and vice versa in a classic example of cultural cross fertilisation.
The Polish diaspora in Ireland numbers over 150,000 and they are not only boosting the economic performance of the Celtic Tiger, but are enhancing the social life of Dublin, a popular capital city in the European Union. Because so many of the Poles speak good to excellent English, they have integrated rapidly into Irish society, both culturally and commercially. In the same circumstances in which the Irish pub was a community rendezvous for emigrants from the Emerald Isle, so the Polish bar meets communal needs of our Eastern European friends from Warsaw. Krakow and Gdansk, etc. Leaflets and notices about events of Polish interest in Dublin are freely available in the Zagloba. The Poles will not feel lonely in the friendly bar, but this could almost apply to this segment of Parnell Street which houses several Polish retail outlets.
Parnell, on top of his plinth at the upper end of O'Connell Street, has seen some changes in his surroundings, not least of which is the multi-ethnic metamorphism which has occurred in Parnell Street where the Poles and the Chinese vie for dominance.
No matter what the ethnic origin, the Zagloba cements international relations with an easy form of fellowship worthy of the envy of the United Nations. It is Global secret formula. It is called the inspirational, calming and peaceful power of the jar! And the transparency of the vodka is the essence of political correctness.
At the weekends, the pub becomes even more Polish friendly. Traditional food is served and it sets the Polish taste buds salivating and provokes memories of home cooking.
The showcase of artefacts from old Poland are equally evocative of the homeland. However, there is very little emigrant sentimentality about because cheap airfares between Dublin and several cities in Poland facilitate frequent trips for reunions with family and friends.
The cultural entanglement is not restricted to the drink, but embraces enjoyable musical entertainment. Parnell and Chopin are not likely to have a jar at the bar, but Polish and Irish bands celebrate their individual cultures with great gusto on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. No matter your ethnic origin, the merriment and the craic would make a stuffed turkey laugh.
The opening hours of the Zagloba are as follows:
10.30 a.m. to midnight : Monday to Thursday
10.30 a.m. to 2.30 a.m. : Friday and Saturday
12.30 p.m. to midnight : Sunday.
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