1 pub, 7 generations, 250 years.

I passed a little bar near Farranes the other day and noticed an old lady at the door. It was off the moterway from Cork to Macroom so a difficult to turn back, but I thought It might be worth it so I turned. It was worth it. Horan’s pub, run by Carmal Horan is a real gem of a bar. I went in for a coke, there was no-one in there and I immediately got chatting with Carmel, who told me the bar was 250 years old and was in her Husbands family for 7 generations, all of which she could name.

I asked her how the pub was faring, it was on a main road so I thought it must be o.k. Not so, unfortunately. She has had 3 punters in in the last few days. The pub, she said would have sunk if it was not also her home. Her husband passed away recently and word quickly went round that she was selling up. She had no intention, but word went round and she has been approached several times. The last time, two indian gentlemen offered her a large sum of cash and told her they wanted to start an Indian restaraunt, possibly knocking the pub to do so.

Carmel is not confident of the pub’s future, in fact she is utterly bleak “pubs are dead’ she said and proceeded to reel of a list of local bars that had shut. ‘No money in it’ ‘Nobody has time for a drink anymore’ ‘Drink driving laws have everyone scared’ and her kids don’t want to take it on. Thus ending the 7 generations. That’s pretty sad isn’t it? Carmel shared some fond memories of the bar and the characters that had frequented it, that are all now gone. I have her on video. It makes me wonder, is there any point at all? The country will change, nothing will stop that. People will drink in super pubs and eat in Indians. They will be happy with that and oblivious to what went before. Am I completely wrong in thinking that there should be a preservation order on a 250 year old pub?

Kilcrohan pub saved from closing by Welsh woman.

I went down to Kilcrohan music/trad/whatever festival on the glorious Easter Sunday(Killcrohan is at the end of the narrow peninsula at the end of Cork, near Kerry). The spin down Sheeps head is a stunner, I nearly pissed myself with excitement it was so glorious.

When I got to Kilcrohan there was 2 pubs and outside the main one there was a man playing Elton John coversongs with a synthisizer. This was quite funny, in an ironic kind of way. Then I wondered where the trad. music was and bumped into a very nice man who hails from Connemara in Galway. Marcus Naughtan was his name and he tells me he his family line is directly descended from a Pharoh in Egypt (Connected with Scotia, daughter of an Egyptian king who came to Ireland with the Milesians many years ago.Don’t you know?) Anyway, Marcus tells me that If I want to see real trad I should walk out a mile to an old pub called the White house.

I give him a spin to it, and to be sure there is a good session on the go. However, I soon realised that nearly everyone in the bar was English. They all live in the surrounds. It dawns on me that the Irish are all up listening to Elton John covers and the English (hippy types) are enjoying the Irish music. Quite bizarre. Marcus tells me that the English hippies actually have more interest which is oddly disturbing. But good on them I suppose. (One of the only genuine Irish old locals had cycled seven miles for his one glass of wine before cycling back.)

The pub is now leased to a Welsh woman who hasn’t changed a thing. All the old photos of the (long gone) locals are still on the walls and there is a fine pint of Murphy’s (She keeps the keg right under the counter.) Well worth checking out.

[ youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejbkpeYSubc ]

Ballinspittle down from 3 to 1.

Ballinspittle, the village past Kinsale in south west Cork and famous for it’s moving statues, (the Statue of the Virgin got jiggy one day and caused a new wave of Catholic fervour to spread across the country. My family, like many families made the trip to see this miracle but were unable to witness it, my Mother sensibly put it down to our Protestantism) used to have three pubs. In the space of a couple of months it has been reduced to one.
Nash’s was a lovely pub, old style, low lighting, good pool table upstairs, and owned by a friendly biker. It shut it’s doors a few months back.
Not long later the Corner bar announced it’s departure. The Corner bar was frequented by the older crowd. This leaves Ballinspittle with one Pub and one happy Pub owner too. Now there is no choice and the pub left has enlarged and aint very charming I must say.

Nancy Spains gone to Pub heaven.

Nancy’s was a hot spot for many years on Barrack street, especially for the gigs it put on out back. I remember going to see the legendary ‘Scottish Sex pistols’ there, a tribute band. I was thoroughly enjoying the gig when I noticed a friend, Shane O’Brien (seasoned Punk enthusiast) looked completly unimpressed. He later revealed that he had seen pictures of the Scottish Sex pistols and these lads were not them…they were imposters. Alas, their manager confirmed the travesty after the gig. The ‘Real’ scottish sex pistols were unable to play and so he hired in a bunch of musicians who learned the chords the night before. A tribute of a tribute band! Didn’t stop Val, another friend from giving them a detailed interview for a fanzine. Apparently it is being done up and will re-open as a pub, that’s good news…better not be a bleedin’ Tapas bar though, like what they did to the Lobby bar.
Anyone else remember good gig’s at Nancy’s?