Finally, there appears to be an Irish pub in Sofia actually run by Irish people, if that makes any difference. You do need Irish luck to find the pub, however. It’s just 15m from your beloved McDonald’s fast food joint.

McCarthy’s is just past the intersection of Vitosha Boulevard and Alabin Street, although you may have some trouble finding it, especially if you had graced yourself with a few pints already and are looking for the pub sign on the street. Your best option is to twist your neck and look upwards as you walk from the Court House; it will be on the right side of the pavement on the second floor. Once you spot the large windows, turn right, walk into the arcade, past a dodgy clothes shop and a bemused-looking guard, and you will notice the pub sign on the left. Negotiate yourself through the white door and into the hallway and you cannot miss it from there; just follow the music and the scent of lager.

The establishment claims the pub is Irish-run, but on the two occasions that we went there, we did not spot any dancing, intoxicated, mischievous, merry leprechauns, just good-looking Bulgarian barmaids mesmerising the blokes into buying more lager. Once you infiltrate the pub premises, you’ll find a warm, friendly, loud (but not annoying) cosy and smoky atmosphere, so the best you can do is to allow yourself to become immersed in the ambience.

The music is decent, the sort of music you would expect from an Irish pub – the constitutional U2, through to Dire Straits, Police, Phil Collins and the occasional harder rock, which is all more than welcome. You are highly unlikely to hear rave, hip hop, rap or chalga.

The crowd is anything from the early 20s to their mid-50s, presenting a wide spectrum of customers allowing for anything from an enlightening, soul-enriching, deep conversation – the sort you are highly unlikely to remember in the morning – to just a merry innocent chatter. Blokes and lasses are happily downing pints, the clientele itself consists of a good mix of foreigners, tourists, expats and Bulgarians.

Prices in McCarthy’s are very reasonable. A pint of Bulgarian lager will set you back 2.20 leva. For a pint of Guinness you will fork out a fiver, coffees are in the 2.20 leva range. Small spirits will set you back from three leva up to eight for a whisky – tough luck on unearthing a Bulgarian vodka or rakiya, however. Service is friendly, quick and comes with a ready smile; they speak English, and, yes, they can pour a proper pint of beer!

The bar itself is well decorated, as an old style Irish pub from the 1970s. It consists of three attached rooms with plenty of dancing area and small tables and sofas where you can sit, enjoy a drink and have a chat. Another small room lies adjacent to the bar, which is partially separated from the main area, but close enough to offer a little peace and quiet close to the action. For those arriving on bicycles, there is a safe place to park and lock your bike inside the arcade. If you get too legless from the drinking session, at the bottom of the hallway there are two discarded mattresses which can come in handy.

In the winter, the large windows facing Alabin Street are closed and the ventilation is not at its best. So if you are a non-smoker, you will just have to stop moaning and deal with it. Perhaps the best feature of the pub (depends where you stand on the matter, of course) is that there are no annoying tellies about that disrupt the drinking and merry atmosphere, or cause altercations and football-related brawls. It’s the sort of pub a woman would love to take her boyfriend or husband to, as he will have no other option but to devote his undivided attention to her. Lads, you’ve been warned!

Come spring or summer time, those spacious windows present customers with a beautiful view over a busy corner of central Sofia. During the day, some customers sit by those windows, soaking up the soft music and the friendly atmosphere and working on their laptops. At times the place is serene enough to serve as a pleasant office substitute. You can work and remain unperturbed, pretending to concentrate while you eye the beautiful barmaid or just join in the festivities.

The people are casual, and cool. Great atmosphere, and live music on Sundays. The verdict: it’s a definite must.