World Cup 2010: God Bless the Irish Bars

This morning the month-long 2010 FIFA World Cup hysteria began; and there was no clearer marker than the line of cheerful crazies outside the Upper Haight's Kezar Pub -- which happens to pack in 24 HD TV's -- at 7:00 a.m. The city's bars, pubs and restaurants are taking advantage of this wild enthusiasm by extending their hours, offering special promotions, and even adding World Cup food menus.

But perhaps the most compelling emotion is at some of the Irish establishments around town. Bitter about the recent controversial loss of Ireland to France, these guys are offering boozy giveaways if anyone scores against France. At O'Neill's its free pints on the house, and at Kezar Pub it's something a little harder: whiskey shots. And to that we say: God bless the Irish. If you know of any other FIFA freebies or deals around town, do share with the class in the comments here, or drop us a line.

· Thierry Henry Handballs France into World Cup 2010 [World Cup Blog]
· World Cup 2010: Pints and Pride [Marin IJ]
· Where to Watch the World Cup at All Hours of the Morning and Night [GrubStreet SF]
· World Cup 2010 Watching and Eating Venues [Chow]
At Mad Dog in the Fog. [Photo: Flickr/* Yaya]