Words by Baz Bardoe Photography by Meg De Young For some people the mention of an ‘Irish’ venue elicits a sigh. They have become ubiquitous and in many cases not terribly authentic. In fact quite often, not even run by Irish people. At some point we’ve all stumbled into the ‘Irish’ pub full of new fittings that reference the real thing, but most likely were made in China. In many cases they have become a franchise with little character or charm. But there is hope. If you want a venue that is laden with charm, run by an Irish person who is ardent about her culture and available for intimate gig bookings and open mic opportunities, then you need to check out The Drunken Poet in West Melbourne. Siobhan Dooley hails from Kilkenny in South-East Ireland and has just celebrated 10 years living in what she describes as the “wonderful” city of Melbourne. Her vision has been to create a venue that brings music, verse and drink together in the kind of natural way that her culture does so well. Dropping into The Drunken Poet is best described as a celebration. On open mic night a singer/guitarist bangs out original … Continue reading …WHERE THE GUINNESS AND POETRY FLOW IN EQUAL MEASURE