Graeme James

Mulligans Irish Music Bar sits at Amstel 100 in Amsterdam, with its windows looking out over the Amstel, the river from which the city took its name some eight centuries ago. It was founded in the summer of 1988 and is described as the oldest Irish pub in the Netherlands. Over the decades it has become a regular stop for musicians, writers and artists, as well as for visitors from abroad and locals who simply want a pint. Live music is on offer almost daily, which is why the place works as a concert venue as much as a pub, with a particular focus on traditional Irish music and culture. The building itself carries more history than the bar does. The city archives hold photographs of the façade from September 1931, June 1940, March 1947 and 1970, and the owners note that little has changed except for the tram tracks that once ran through the street. The deeper past goes back to a court that was renovated in 1746. The owner of the house, a man named Swigters, who also held the property between the Speelmanssteeg and the Balk in 't Oogsteeg, asked for a chapel for women to be built there, and the Mayors of Amsterdam granted permission on 26 March 1751. That chapel stands behind the back wall of the pub. After a renovation in 1959 it was listed among the official Amsterdam monuments and was counted as the smallest church in the Netherlands, though it has since been taken off the protected list and is now a private apartment. Next to the pub, on the left when facing it, are two houses that lean against each other at sharp angles and are said to be the most off angle in the city. Visitors are told to watch for fast bicycles and cars outside, while the atmosphere inside is casual and friendly, with a good selection of beer and spirits.