Working Wednesdays: Barman in PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Drummoyne, Sydney, Australia

I’ve written a fair amount on Irish Pubs on here, and even also about the time I worked in Sydney, but here today on Working Wednesdays I’m reminiscing on that surreal time in the land down under where I worked in a pub modelled on the Crown Bar in Belfast! The pub, once owned by the PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub chain sits on a prominent corner in the Sydney district of Drummoyne. I worked there in 2010 but only as temporary shift cover as I was working and living in Parramatta at the time, where I worked in the larger PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub.

I always felt like I was living a dream working in Sydney. I could save hard, live locally, meet new people and enjoy the pub lifestyle while saving for my next backpacking adventure. In July 2010 on the way to watch a Sydney FC football match, I got a phone call from my manager asking if I could work in Drummoyne at the weekend so I was straight in there! I had never even been to Drummoyne, or of course visited the PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub there. I totally recommend any backpackers reading to get a bar job in Australia. Hours are good, staff are friendly, wages are the best on the world for local pubs, tips are excellent and overall, you’ll have a great time!

I got a bus to Drummoyne from Parramatta where I had a flat share (I slept on a mattress on the floor for all of my time there – except at the start where my travel buddy Dan let me have the bed!). I deliberately got to Drummoyne early to see the harbour front and have a walk around. It was pleasant and peaceful, then I was inside working – yet another job to add to my travels and another bar I’ve worked in. I think I’ve worked in over 30 bars now, and in over 50 different jobs. I’ll total them up someday, but my Working Career page covers some of it.

I worked on the ground floor bar and in the gaming room. It was fairly standard bar work. I’m used to bar work now and I love it. This pub had a good mix of locals and randoms as customers and tips were generous. My fellow staff of Claire, Michael, Jade and Craig. I also met Angela Gallagher, who had interviewed me for the job the previous year, and in many ways influenced my life. That job made me happy in Australia and life had taken a turn for the better for me.

The bar was reminiscent of the Crown Bar in Belfast, which it was modelled on and I loved that. The ceiling, the wooden bars, the mosaic tiled floor and the general appearance. The sign was also handcrafted by Danthonia Designs: Danthonia Designs Australia (worth checking out for handcrafted signs – a friend runs it). So the bar had that authentic Irish feel to it.

My shift was over in a flash and as a money saving backpacker at the time, I didn’t even have a drink either there or in another bar after my shift. I headed back home (via central Sydney). While I share these endless Working Wednesdays with you, I really want to inspire you all to get out there and travel the world – jobs are easy to come by, there’s always money about and you can see the world at the same time.

I feel I have been blessed on my travels, but ultimately a positive, hard working attitude will get you far. That, coupled with a love of the extraordinary will allow you to work in an Irish pub and backpack your way around the world.

Here are some great links to get you inspired to head to Australia to work:

– How to Get a Working Holiday Visa in Australia

– How to do Australia on the cheap

– How to Relocate to Australia e-Book

– How to live a life of travel (recommended)