Shebeen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chiefly in Ireland and Scotland, a shebeen is an illicit bar or club where excisable alcoholic beverages are sold without a licence. Shebeens are also common in southern Africa where they are run by local people.

In America, the word shebeen saw general use by Irish immigrants who worked in the anthracite patches of Pennsylvania. One of the leaders of the Molly Maguires was a shebeen-keeper, hanged in Scranton.

The word is of Irish origin, spelt síbín in Irish Gaelic, though its etymology is obscure.

The Shebeen is also a popular restaurant in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is a gathering spot for soccer fans on the days of key matches. The same applies for the Shebeen Pub in Vienna, Austria. A bar called The Shebeen is also a popular French nightspot in Paris, holding regular open-mic nights where prominent members of the Parisian Indie music scene gather. Molly's Shebeen Pub and Restaurant on 3rd Avenue in New York City is another popular local hangout.