The dinner rush had barely begun when a group of Scottish supporters surged into Jack’s Abby, a bar 40 minutes outside Boston, to watch the World Cup. What could have been just another busy shift quickly turned into what Trinity College Dublin student and Massachusetts native Maddy Pitman describes as a “beautiful thing to watch”. For Pitman, who is working behind the bar at Jack’s Abby for the summer, the World Cup has become a powerful “levelling factor” that “everyone can relate to and bond over”. Pitman says this particular group of Scottish supporters stayed for six hours, striking up conversations with everybody who happened to sit at nearby tables. “We gave them free cans to take home and a stein glass just for being such good company,” she adds. “In Boston in particular people have become enamoured of the Scottish,” says Pitman. “So much so that the mayor has officially made Glasgow our new sister city.” With the arrival of the Scots came a clear uptick in business. “We ran out of two kinds of beer on draft,” Pitman says. “We did somewhere in the neighbourhood of $60,000 in sales in one day.” Scottish fans watch World Cup match at Jack's Abby outside Boston. Photograph: Maddy Pitman In the heart of Boston, Donegal native and chef-partner Aidan McGee runs The Dubliner, an Irish pub that has become popular with travelling Word Cup fans. McGee says the business has “hit the jackpot with the Scottish”.“Like the Irish, they like to drink a lot of beer,” says McGee. “The beer sales [are] through the roof compared to American drinking patterns.” Many supporters have travelled to Boston without World Cup tickets but have nevertheless “really embraced the city” according to McGee. “[The Dubliner] was kind of front and centre of it,” he says.Boston mayor Michelle Wu went to The Dubliner during the World Cup celebrations and went behind the bar, pulling two pints of Guinness. When a perfect white head formed on the Guinness, the bar erupted in applause, says McGee.Mayor Michelle Wu pulls two pints in The Dubliner. Photograph: Isabel Leon Down the east coast in Manhattan, New York, Brian McLaughlin from Tyrone, a partner in The Irish American Pub, says the establishment has “bought almost 100 per cent more [alcohol]”.Guinness has been constantly pouring since the beginning of the World Cup, says McLaughlin.“Everyone is coming to the Irish bars for a good pint of Guinness,” McLaughlin says.“It’s been above and beyond. So many people are coming over. They want to come to the World Cup this year but not go on vacation next year.” “No matter where you are, when you’re at a bar, drinking beer, you’re just always going to have a good time. It doesn’t matter what part of the world you’re in. Just to get away and watch a few games.” Win or lose, McLaughlin says that “no one is having a bad night” in any Irish pub during this year’s World Cup. Are you Irish and living in another country? Would you like to share your experience in writing or by interview? You can use the form below, or email abroad@irishtimes.com. Irish Times Abroad submission guidelines here. Follow us on Instagram to keep up with the latestSign up to The Irish Times Abroad newsletter for Irish-connected people around the world.