A pint of genius
Re-created Belfast pub captures Irish spirit
LIAM BRENNAN
A new art exhibit in the Exchange District has re-created something that Winnipeg has not seen in a very long time: a true Irish pub. Former Belfast native and artist, Theo Sims, has recreated one of his favorite watering holes in the Exchange District. The Candahar, as it has been dubbed, is an extraordinarily accurate, single-room pub that appears tohave been snatched from 1980s Belfast and dropped right in the heart of our city.
The display is named after a street in Belfast that used to house a bar named the Blackthorn. Set up just inside the main entrance to the PlugIn ICA building on McDermot Avenue, the pub is not immediately recognizable as sophisticated artwork, which is the sheer genius of it. Upon entering the building, one is at first, unable to ignore the small stature of the display that is tucked away in the left corner. However, setting foot inside the pub will immediately transport one out of downtown Winnipeg and into a quiet pub in West Belfast.
Two small benches line the walls opposite the bar, each with a wooden table inspirecovered with cardboard coasters scattered over it. Dust-covered windows with scarlet dressings and silk curtains are set behind one bench while a painting of the North Coast Road in Portrush hangs alongside black and white photos of Belfast in the ’60s above the other. A small, unassuming, black button is positioned just above the seat, as was customary in old Irish pubs to signal bartenders to pour another drink, though they are no longer used.
The bar itself is a cherry, embossed wood complete with nicks and scratches from times past. Golden coat hangers adorn the front of the bar while two working bar taps (serving only locally brewed beer and not Guinness, unfortunately) are set atop the counter along with recently washed pint-glasses. Fortunately, bottles of Jameson whisky are ready for any patrons that wish to indulge during the workday, something that most office workers in Belfast can be found doing during the hours of noon to 2 p.m..
The roof of the pub is truly something to see, as it re-creates the elaborate tiling and woodwork common to most pubs throughout Ireland. This specific ceiling is a re-creation of that in the Garrick, a well-known Belfast pub. A dated television strung up in the corner opposite the bar, runs Irish horse-racing on repeat but remains as exciting with each view. Unlike the handful of so-called “Irish pubs” in the city, this bar is far more realistic due to its seeming lack of all things Irish. There is only one shamrock to be found inside the entire bar, though it was handcrafted in Saskatchewan and hangs upside-down.
The Candahar is a genuine look at pub life in Ireland and after a few moments, it becomes a real pub itself with the people popping in and out of it adding to the experience by becoming a piece of the display.
