Dublin sold its first pint of Guinness in exchange for IrishCoin a new peer-to-peer digital currency today. Staff at Darcy McGees Irish Pub Chain have been looking at introducing the digital currency based on Bitcoin for the last few weeks. Much like Bitcoin, IrishCoin is a form of open-source software, held securely in encrypted digital "wallets" without any physical representation like coins or notes - they're simply encrypted digital items. Manager Harry Farrell said this is a unique opportunity to expand our branding to the tourism industry. We hope to draw more visitors to our regional pubs like Arklow in Co Wicklow and offer set discounts and promotions using IrishCoin. Behind the bar, the staff will have a dedicated tablet. They input the amount of IrishCoin or its divisible component “Pingin” to carry out transactions and award customers promotions accordingly. Darcy’s hope to give away IrishCoin to customers helping grow local tourism again.