"In 1972 Richard and Cathy Burke took over Feeley's Irish Pub and Inn in Atlantic City and the Irish Pub was born."

At that point, the shore locale was not a thriving resort destination as it had been in its glory days. The Burkes quickly turned the Irish Pub into a flourishing restaurant that continued to gain notoriety around the world as the place to see in Atlantic City. It was visited often by Yankee great Joe DiMaggio, as well as Budd Schulberg, author of "On the Waterfront," along with innumerable governors, senators, and sports stars. Richard and Cathy bought a millinery shop on the 1100 block of Walnut Street in Center City , Philadelphia , which opened in December of 1980. Jim Belushi, Anthony Quinn and Martha Raye, among others, have all been entertained at this location, which is across the street from the Forrest Theatre.

Three years later, the 20th and Walnut Street location opened a block west of Rittenhouse Square. It became immediate hit with neighbors, young, urban professionals, professional athletes and many of the graduate schools, which continues to this day.

The Irish Pub supports numerous charitable events, including its own non-profit, The Irish Pub Children's Foundation, which organizes the annual Irish Pub Tour de Shore, a bike ride from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. The 25th Irish Pub Tour de Shore in 2012 raised over $5000,000.00 and brought the cumulative total of money raised past $2.7 million dollars. All money raised supports local children affiliated charities including The Daniel Faulkner Educational Grant Fund, The Philadelphia Police Survivor's Fund and the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia. Zagat listed the Irish Pub in the Top Ten Irish Pubs in the country in 2007.