Dick O' Dow's

 For centuries, “oígidecht” (Gaelic for hospitality) wasn’t just expected in Ireland, it was enforced. Brehon Law actually mandated that all households offer food, shelter and, of course, a drink, to friends, neighbors and strangers alike, in exchange for nothing more than stories from the road or sharing in a drinking song. Public houses, called “bruideans,” were even built for the same purpose. Marked by their perpetually burning torches, staff worked around the clock to ensure no travelers ...