Finnegan’s Irish Pub

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Dark wood bar counters and stool paired tables line the walls of this traditional Irish pub. Scottish ownership, Dutch service, and Irish spirits draw in the patrons of Firenze Centrale. Warm conversations in Italian, English, and Spanish echo through the tavern locale, and music answers back. Maybe a round of darts, maybe a trivia night with friends, and maybe for the first time, playing music on an open mic for others to hear. This is the place where my American roots, Italian ancestry and Irish blood all found something familiar and inviting. I discovered that the intimate and the exciting were both found in this little neighborhood melting pot that I was a guest to. A slice of home away from home; that’s what it was more than anything else, especially when shared with those who too are passing through, visiting, or making locals out of themselves.

What We Love About This Place

From the first night I spent at Finnegan’s, there was a feeling of being somewhere familiar and encouraging. This was most true for me on a night when Finnegan’s hosted a community open mic night, run by a local musician. I had begun the night by simply admiring the music being played by the neighborhood musicians and regulars; but by the end of it, I had found the desire to go up and play myself. I’d only been playing guitar for about two years or so, competent but not confident. As a result, I’d only ever played to myself. However, a love for music and affinity for this community and that space compelled me to do something that I had never done before; play songs for friends and strangers alike. With a new friend by my side, I made what had been an aspiration, reality in the small little pub. Though it was foreign in location, Finnegan’s felt familiar to the heart, and was the site of a moment that I won’t soon forget.

This Place is Important Because

In every city there are places for communities with local roots, places for people trying to make a home for themselves, and places for those just passing through. In my life I have played the role of a traveler, an expat, and a local; each with their own story and special places. But then there’s those spaces that make a home for all three. Whether they are from around the block, traveling from continents thousands of miles away, or finding a new common place to gather, the people around this part of town all trade languages and experiences at Finnegan’s. This pub, so close to the historical center of Florence, the universities of students abroad, and the neighborhoods of Italians’, should serve as a common ground for anyone seeking a night of a little escape and fun. But, as a really good Irish pub, Finnegan’s creates a sense of shared experience and community ownership with each of the patrons that come. In that kind of space, anybody who is a traveler, an expat, a local (or somebody who is all three), can find comfort, encouragement, and fun in the presence of others.

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