Traditionally in Ireland, the public house or pub served as the center of a community's social life, ranking second in importance only to the parish church. The public house has providentially survived into the modern age as a vibrant social institution and the most ubiquitous feature of Dublin's cityscape. To this day, Dublin is still renowned for its exuberant pub culture and its amazing variety of pubs. Dublin Pub Life and Lore is an oral historical chronicle based on the vivid recollections of old publicans and regulars. With the aid of over eighty photographs, it examines the entire spectrum of the pub phenomenon, capturing in eloquent and witty fashion the folklore, customs, characters, and wit of the traditional Dublin public house.