Drink up - Ireland has more bars than New York and California combined

Even though there has been a steady increase in pub closures in Ireland, we still have more watering holes than New York and California combined.

By Declan Whooley

While many lament the closure of public houses up and down the county, an estimated 7,500 bars are still open for business, a staggering figure when compared to our American cousins.

Figures from the County Business Patterns show the number of bars in the United States and while we wouldn’t expect the Americans to put as much stock into public houses to the same extent we do, the difference is quite striking.

The figures from American authorities indicate that there are more bars in Ireland than in New York and California combined, an amazing feat considering the population of the two regions is somewhere around 56 million people. The records from 2011 show that there are 6,556 public houses between the Big Apple and the Golden State.

Of course we aren't surprised we like our drink more than our friends across the Atlantic, the difference is marked.