Bradley -- Publicans among Irish-Americans were also central in the community's political life.  There's the urban legend about someone bursting into the council chamber in Chicago around 1900 and shouting, "Alderman, your tavern is on fire!", thus emptying much of the room....
    I'm passing this along to a couple of friends who may have something more directly related to your topic, but in the meantime I thought you might enjoy the following excerpt from Kevin C Kearns, Dublin Pub Lore and Life -- the Publican's Role and Status.  Robin Room

http://dublin.local.ie/content/26188.shmtl/history/social_history


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bradley C. Kadel 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: den 30 augusti 2000 13:35
  Subject: nationalism and publicans


  Dear List,

  I'm currently writing a paper for an international conference on Irish publicans and nationalism.  I'm interested to learn of any references or current research on publicans and nationalist movements.  

  Publicans in Ireland were very well-represented in local government and in Parliament.  Prior to the Land War in Ireland, publicans took a rather conservative stance in regard to nationalist politics.   The situation seems to have changed around 1880, with publicans taking advantage of unrest in the countryside to expand their trade association by offering protection to vulnerable publicans in the west of Ireland.  Publicans also "looked to the examples of th Land League" and their organizing tactics and adopted much of its nationalist rhetoric of resistance.  

  Any suggestions would be helpful.  

  Bradley Kadel
  History Department
  Luther College
  Decorah, Iowa