Why Irish Pubs Are Named After Families and Islands
Irish pubs are traditionally named after the owner's family or after a place they hold dear, which is why you will meet thousands of "Murphy's" and "Kelly's" around the world, along with pubs bearing the names of Irish islands and counties. Our Little Island in Frydek-Mistek belongs to the second group.
Why do pubs carry family names?
In the 19th century the law required a licensed premises to display the licence holder's name above the door. A pub was therefore automatically named after the family that owned it, and because pubs were handed down through the generations, the name stayed. Hence the endless procession of O'Connell's, Doyle's, Flanagan's and McCarthy's. The name above the door was a guarantee: you knew who was pouring your pint.
What do the place names and islands mean?
The second tradition names pubs after places. Ireland is an island nation with more than 500 coastal islands, and the sea is part of the national identity:
- Pubs like The Aran Islands or Achill Sound refer to specific Irish islands
- Emigrants in America and Australia named pubs after their home counties, a piece of home abroad
- Ireland itself is poetically known as the "Emerald Isle"
A pub named after an island says: here you will find a little piece of Ireland, wherever you are.
What is the story behind the name Little Island?
Little Island is a real place, a small island and suburb near Cork in the south of Ireland, a region famed for its whiskey and its harbour history. For a pub in Frydek-Mistek, though, it is above all a declaration: we wanted to create a "little island" of Ireland in the middle of the Moravian-Silesian region. Since July 2009 you will therefore find an interior inspired by genuine Irish pubs, Guinness and Magners on tap, and more than 50 whiskeys.
Does the island work in Frydek-Mistek too?
Seventeen years of trading suggest it does. This small piece of Ireland at tr. T. G. Masaryka 1129 comes alive with live music every Friday and Saturday from 8pm, sports broadcasts, and an Irish function room for up to 40 guests.
Come ashore on our island in person; on Fridays and Saturdays we are open until 4am.