Ireland’s 32 Taps Into Old World Spirit

Ireland’s 32, a low-key Van Nuys pub with a taste for Guinness and Irish tunes, offers a folksy night out. The two-room venue opened in 1970, and by the looks of it, it hasn’t changed too much since then.

In every cranny of the vintage Valley interior you’ll find hints of the old country. Leprechauns, shamrocks, legends and maps are posted throughout to remind viewers of the pub’s proud heritage. Did you know, for example, that there are 32 counties in Ireland? (Thus the name.) If these hints don’t clue you in to whose turf you’re on, perhaps the green-painted ceiling will do it.

But the most obvious homage to the Emerald Isle is in the live music offered here. The names of the groups currently featured at Ireland’s 32 won’t be mistaken for oom-pah bands: The Mulligans, La Me’ Brothers, Irish Eyes and the Wake are among the artists who perform regularly on the club’s modest stage. Favoring bands that perform traditional and original Irish and Celtic music, Ireland’s 32 offers free shows Thursdays through Saturdays.

When artists aren’t performing, the club can still get pretty boisterous. As early as 6 a.m. on Sundays, Ireland’s 32 hosts satellite television feeds of Irish sporting events. Well, you’ve seen how crazed the fans get in Europe. It’s like that here, on a smaller but no less animated scale.

Ultimately, Ireland’s 32 is probably the closest one can get to an authentic Irish pub without buying a plane ticket.

* Ireland’s 32, 13721 Burbank Blvd., Van Nuys. 21 and over, no cover (except during televised satellite events). (818) 785-4031.

The Buzz: The Derby in Los Feliz will host a tribute Tuesday to the late Gene Vincent, who gave the world “Be-Bop-a-Lula.” The Blue Caps, the rockabilly rebel’s backing band, will perform Vincent material to mark the 40th anniversary of his big hit. . . . Moonshine Music’s new dance club in West Hollywood, Nice, will open Aug. 16. The label supplied an incorrect date that we reported last week.

* The Derby, (213) 663-8979. Nice, (310) 652-8145.