A stone’s throw away from Hynes Convention Center sits Lir. Just one of the many Irish pubs in Boston’s Back Bay neighbourhood, it’s the type of place that blends into the scenery – a modern-day bar that inadvertently feels a lot like a speakeasy.. On weekend mornings however, this pub on Boylston Street comes alive and gets noticed. The large red flag that is hoisted at the entrance beckons bleary-eyed fans making their way to the pub for the 7am kickoff. With the promise of cold beer and the warmth of fellow fans, on most weekend mornings, Lir is at full capacity.
It’s an oddly spaced pub; the centrally situated bar that runs the length of the floor, with barstools and tables scattered around like an afterthought. Lir is deceptively large and unapologetically old school. The mahogany decor and spiral staircase are in complete contrast with the LED screens spread across the walls. The type of place where you’d go more to smoke a cigar and discuss politics than to drink Guinness and watch football. It is also understatedly classy; a pub trying to hold on to tradition in today’s fast-paced world. That’s why it’s fitting that Lir is the spiritual home for the Arsenal supporters group, the Boston Gooners.
For close to eight years now, the Boston Gooners have been hosting screenings of Arsenal games that draw fans from all across the city. The group, which started in founder Nick Lellenberg’s college apartment, has become one of the biggest members of Arsenal America, the official supporters club in the US. As of today, Arsenal America has 74 branches spread across 81 locations in the country.
Boston Gooners quickly outgrew Lellenberg’s college apartment and moved to the Blackthorn Bar in South Boston before they eventually brought the party to Lir in February 2012.
“When we first moved here, the pub very reasonably made it clear that they didn’t want to turn their pub into a clubhouse,” said long term Boston Gooners Chairman, Jeffrey Werner. So, a compromise was reached. An hour before kickoff, a few of the group’s board members put up the flags and banners are taken down soon after the final whistle. To create that feeling of permanence and familiarity, Werner has made it a point to put up the flags and banners in the same places.