At 30,000 sq ft McCafferty’s JVC blends Irish culture for ceoil agus craic with Dubai’s unstoppable appetite for doing everything bigger, bolder and better.
McCafferty’s in Jumeirah Village Circle opened its doors to its new extension the public on September 2nd and immediately went into the history books as the largest Irish bar in the world. The Guinness World Record adjudicator Emma Brain officially recognising this behemoth of a bar which amongst many attractions features a brand-new Guinness garden. This huge venue blends Irish culture for ceoil agus craic with Dubai’s unstoppable appetite for doing everything bigger, bolder and better.
At a staggering 32,000 square feet (approx. half the size of a football pitch) McCafferty’s JVC is more than a bar, it will be home to the thousands of expats – Irish and international who will gravitate to the bar for its Irish charm and the unmissable character of an Irish bar and the off the cuff patter from Irish bar staff!
McCafferty’s JVC was officially re-opened on Monday 1st September after a massive expansion doubling its capacity taking over the whole roof top in Circle Mall Dubai. The official unveiling celebration took place on Monday, 1stSeptember, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Diageo’s Chairman of the Board, Sir John Manzoni, Dayalan Nayager, President Europe, Middle East & Global Chief Commercial Officer and Antoinette Drumm, Managing Director MENA, together with the McCafferty’s COO Michael McBrearty, and key partners African + Eastern CEO Jason Dixon.
McCafferty’s JVC has over the past 12 months undergone a major transformation taking over the entire rooftop level of Circle Mall. Hundreds of containers full of Irish pub artefacts and antiques from old telephone boxes, antique red Massey Ferguson tractors to thousands of pub signs were shipped from Ireland to Dubai to ensure the authentic feel for this giant of an Irish pub. The footprint of nearly 30,000 square feet makes it the largest of all 18 McCafferty’s pubs worldwide and brings to 5 the number of McCafferty venues in the UAE.
The new venue in Jumeirah Village Circle now boasts multiple indoor and outdoor stages for traditional Irish music and live entertainment, a massive outdoor terrace for events, over one hundred and forty eight beer taps, a state of the art LED screen for unrivalled sports viewing experience as well as vibrant community spaces, pool and table tennis tables.
Michael McBreaty the COO of McCafferty’s said
“We envisaged creating something very special in Dubai and I think being recognised by the Guinness World Book of Records as being the biggest Irish bar in the world is indeed very special! In each of the five McCafferty’s pubs we pride ourselves in the welcome we give, in the perfect pints we pull and in this new location we believe that we are putting our own Irish handprint on the UAE – a country that has for many years welcomed the Irish”.
For McCafferty’s, this recognition is legendary. Michael McBrearty, Chief Operating Officer of McCafferty’s said: “Being recognised as the world’s largest Irish bar is more than just a record, it’s a milestone of the vision we had for McCafferty’s in Dubai. We’ve built a space with Dubai Holdings that honours tradition, welcomes community, and sparks even more curiosity for tourism in Dubai.”
Antoinette Drumm, Diageo MENA Managing Director added:
“Guinness has always been about bringing people together, and there’s something truly magical about seeing that spirit celebrated on such a big scale. McCafferty’s in Dubai doesn’t just raise the bar, it once again reflects the city’s unstoppable spirit, a place that never stops reaching new heights and setting new records. We couldn’t be happier to have the world’s largest Irish bar serving the world’s most iconic stout.”
