Hollywood star Woody Harrelson gave locals in Limerick an afternoon they won’t forget after casually stepping behind the bar in Punch’s Bar on New Street and pulling a pint of Guinness — even breaking into a few lines of the iconic Cheers theme tune.
The 64-year-old actor, best known for playing lovable bartender Woody Boyd in the classic US sitcom Cheers, appeared more than happy to briefly reprise his most famous role during his surprise stop in the city on Sunday.
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Harrelson and his driver had reportedly pulled into Limerick en route to Killarney after their electric car ran low on battery. Making the most of the unexpected break, the pair visited The Greenyard Café before heading next door to Punch’s for a recharge — both for themselves and the car.
A committed vegan for decades, Harrelson opted for the café’s popular Buddha Bowl, featuring sushi rice and Asian vegetables. Denise, owner of The Greenyard Café, described the Oscar-nominated actor as relaxed and friendly, saying he chatted easily with staff and thanked them for their help.
But it was at Punch’s Bar where the real moment unfolded.
Behind the counter, Harrelson poured himself a pint of Guinness, sang a few lines from “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” and posed for selfies with delighted regulars. Bar management later shared photos and video of the moment online, captioning it with a nod to the beloved sitcom theme.
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For many, it was a full-circle moment. Harrelson first rose to fame in the 1980s when he joined Cheers during its fourth season. His portrayal of the naïve but warm-hearted bartender earned him an Emmy Award and made him a household name across America and beyond.
Since then, he has built one of the most diverse film careers in Hollywood.
Harrelson earned widespread critical acclaim for his chilling performance in Natural Born Killers, Oliver Stone’s controversial 1994 crime drama, before taking on a completely different tone in the Coen Brothers’ Oscar-winning thriller No Country For Old Men in 2007. He later received Academy Award nominations for The People vs. Larry Flynt, The Messenger, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Younger audiences may recognise him as Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games franchise, where he played the sardonic mentor to Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen. He also starred in the hit heist thriller Now You See Me, and won critical praise for his role in HBO’s first season of True Detective, opposite Matthew McConaughey — a performance that reminded viewers of his dramatic depth.
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Harrelson has just wrapped filming on his latest project, Full Phil, an absurdist comedy-drama set in Paris and co-starring Kristen Stewart. The film adds yet another eclectic credit to a career defined by range — from sitcom comedy to dark thrillers and independent dramas.
His Irish stop-offs have not gone unnoticed either. Just days before his Limerick visit, Harrelson surprised staff at the Bishops Gate Hotel in Derry, where he posed for photos and spent time chatting with the team during a short, unplanned visit.
Despite decades in the spotlight, Harrelson has long maintained a reputation for being grounded and approachable — something clearly on display during his Limerick detour.
For those lucky enough to witness it, seeing a Hollywood star pour pints and belt out the Cheers theme in a local pub was an unexpected highlight of the weekend.
And for a moment at least, Punch’s Bar truly lived up to the song: a place “where everybody knows your name.”
