No Strangers Here

From Dublin pubs to home kitchens, authentic Irish soup and soda bread recipes that turn every meal into a gathering of friends

Kytelers Kilkenny

I’ve been fortunate to visit Ireland multiple times. I’m drawn to the green isle, for some reason. It could be a call from my Irish ancestors. Its Celtic history. Or a daydream that one day I’ll bump into Bono in a pub. Then what? He’ll buy me a drink and sing me a song of course!

It’s been 14 years. It’s time to make some travel plans.

In the meantime, I’ll dream about Irish pubs, and soup.

Pubs are such a wonderful respite for your weary legs. A great place to quench your thirst, grab a bite, dance to traditional Irish tunes. A break between visits to various cities or must-see attractions. A nice place to make friends, learn Gaelic, or test your taste buds with a Guinness, Smithwicks, or Murphy’s.

Irish pubs are rustic, warm, and cozy, sometimes smoky, bustling with conversation and laughter. Synonymous with hospitality, camaraderie, and community. They feel like home.

Yeats must have been referring to an Irish pub when he coined this phrase.

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“There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet”

– William Butler Yeats

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Irish pubs deliver so much more than you would expect.

They also serve delicious and nutrient-dense soups and bread. It’s surprising just how wholesome and tasty these soups are.

And I’ve tried my fair share: patriot soup in Dublin, leek and potato soup in Kilkenny, wild mushroom soup in Shanagerry, chicken noodle soup in Inistioge, barley broth in Killarney, chunky bean and vegetable soup in Doolin, and mountainy onion soup in the Burren. I know there were more, I just didn’t capture them on all paper!

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Here are two of my favorites and a couple of bread recipes.

Pair your soups and breads with a pint of Guinness and you’ve got yourself a tasty, well-rounded meal.

Share with family, friends - and strangers - they might just become friends.