From Burgerland to Fergie’s Pub: An Irish Publican’s Philadelphia Story
North Dublin native Fergus “Fergie” Carey didn’t just open a bar in Philadelphia, he helped invent a neighborhood, a scene, and a sense of community that stretches from Center City to the Irish arts world and back again. In this on‑location episode recorded upstairs at Fergie’s Pub on Sansom Street, Irish Stew cohost John Lee traces Fergie’s journey from Burgerland on O’Connell Street to becoming one of Philly’s best‑known publicans and civic connectors.
North Dublin native Fergus “Fergie” Carey didn’t just open a bar in Philadelphia, he helped invent a neighborhood, a scene, and a sense of community that stretches from Center City to the Irish arts world and back again. In this on‑location episode recorded upstairs at Fergie’s Pub on Sansom Street, Irish Stew cohost John Lee traces Fergie’s journey from Burgerland on O’Connell Street to becoming one of Philly’s best‑known publicans and civic connectors.
Fergie recalls the bleak job prospects of 1980s Dublin, his short, ill‑fated stint in Houston, and the sudden sense of being “revered because you’re Irish” when he finally landed in Philadelphia and started a job at El Taco Grande the very next morning. He walks us through bartending at McGlinchey’s, the leap to open Fergie’s with his Palestinian partner Wajih Abed in a rough‑and‑tumble City Center street, and the chaos of a first night saw the Guinness run dry in 40 minutes.
We explore how Fergie built a career as co‑owner or founder of beloved spots like Monk’s Café, The Goat, The Jim, and soon The Monto, while never losing sight of the core lesson he learned in fast food: you’re managing people, not walls. He talks about keeping a pub current yet grounded in tradition through his self-invented live-band karaoke, Quizzo evenings, Saturday trad sessions, ballad nights, and the hugely popular “pub sing.”
We also hear about Fergie’s deep engagement with Philadelphia’s civic and Irish cultural life, from Inis Nua Theatre Company and Beckett in the back room, to his tours to Ireland and charity concerts like his recreation of The Last Waltz.
We spoke on eve of the Irish American Business Chamber & Network’s Ambassador’s Awards Luncheon, the signature annual Irish event on the city’s calendar, after which those in-the-know kept the craic going at the nearby Fergie’s Pub.
Among them were local business and civic leaders John Cummins and Adele Farrell who will share their insights on the Irish American Business Chamber & Network and tales from their own Dublin-to-Philadelphia success story on a future episode of Irish Stew.
Links
Fergie’s Pub
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Episode Details: Season 8, Episode 12; Total Episode Count: 153
00:00 - Introduction
02:32 - Fegus Carey Origin Story
03:38 - Burgerland Lessons
05:23 - Philadelphia Beginnings
06:41 - Opening Fergies
08:07 - Learning from Mistakes
11:03 - Making a Bar Hospitable
13:19 - Being Irish in Philly
15:39 - The Fergies's Vibe
17:17 - Thoughts on St Patrick's Day
19:38 - IABCN and Fergies
20:19 - Seamus Plug
23:04 - John Recaps
24:12 - Credits
Publican
Fergus “Fergie” Carey is a North Dublin–born publican and one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable hospitality figures, known for creating welcoming “third places” that knit together city, culture, and community. After cutting his teeth in Ireland’s fast‑food and hospitality trade, he emigrated to the United States in the late 1980s and soon found his home behind a Philadelphia bar, quickly developing a reputation for his easy rapport, sharp wit, and uncanny memory for names.
In 1994, Fergie opened the now‑iconic Fergie’s Pub in Center City, helping spark a renaissance in the city’s bar scene and setting the template for his future ventures. He has since gone on to cofound and operate several other notable neighborhood spots, including The Goat in Rittenhouse, The Jim in South Philadelphia, and The Anderson, each grounded in a sense of conviviality, live culture, and everyday hospitality.
Beyond his pubs, Fergie is widely regarded as a local business and community leader, with long‑standing support for theater companies, music and arts organizations, and a range of civic and charitable initiatives across the city. Still proudly Irish, he remains deeply connected to Ireland’s cultural traditions while serving as a bridge between Philadelphia’s Irish, Irish American, and broader creative communities.
