Why You Shouldn’t Order An Irish Car Bomb This St. Patrick’s Day

The drink many people know as the “Irish Car Bomb” might be a St. Patrick’s Day bar staple in the U.S., but its name carries a much heavier history than most realize. The cocktail, made by dropping a shot of Jameson and Baileys into a pint of Guinness, was actually created in Connecticut in 1979, not Ireland. And the explosive name references the violent attacks carried out during the decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles, which included deadly car bombings in places like Belfast. Because of that connection, many bartenders and Irish communities find the name offensive, and the drink is rarely ordered or served in Ireland or the U.K. Today, many bars use alternatives like “Irish Slammer” or “Dublin Drop,” and even the drink’s creator has expressed regret over naming it after such a tragic chapter of history.