Norcsalordie went the pub route and kept it going for a while. They carved their niche in upbeat folk - there are enough videos on YouTube for you to make up your own minds as to whether they sold out

Yes there were pubs full of drunkards - but when you can get those drunkards dancing on the tables because there's not enough room on the floor just by playing folk music - that's quite a buzz

If you are not prepared to play and sing music that many people enjoy then you are not serious about making a living at it. Treat it as a crusade - give them Fields of Athenry then when they are on board put in something less well known

There were times when the duo threatened to outnumber the audience and there were the pubs with appreciative audiences that kept inviting them back. There were the myriads of phone calls, the publicity material, e-mails are an absolute boon, the website - essential, making contacts and hoping that someone will take a chance on you - in the case of Norcsalordie that someone was Kim Headley at Broadstairs - the socialising in the interval and at the end

Folk clubs were overall a dead loss - most of them fix their program up to a year in advance and are pretty conservative in who they book. They tend to run on a limited budget and are the haunt of people who play for free and are often pleased to do so. That said when Norcsalordie did get into clubs they went down extremely well

Travel all over the country and if you are not playing you should be getting bookings. When you travel to a gig, leave early and make personal calls on potential venues along the route and in the area. Take your instruments in with you and be ready to give an audition on the spot - if you are lucky you will get the ear of the locals who will insist that the publican gives you a gig.

Essentially - to make it in pubs

get an act that people will want to see
promote yourself 24/7
be thick skinned
be prepared to travel wherever necessary
don't have too many people in your act
keep it lively - pubs will have you back if you sell beer - not if you make their clientele stick to their chairs
break into festivals as soon as you can
and if you work extremely hard you may just get by on the takings