Another chapter in Paddy’s story

It may only have been in their hands for a tenth of its long history, but the Tierney family have the honour of this week marking the remarkable bicentenary of Paddy’s Bar in Terryglass.

Brendan and Mairéad Tierney regard themselves as “mere custodians” of the village pub, the origins of which can be traced all the way back to 1826. Research collated by the Kilbarron Terryglass Historical Society tells us that the pub’s longest-serving “custodians” were the Whelan (sometimes referred to as Phelan) family, who ran it for 60 years from Famine times to the turn of the twentieth century. Foremost among them was Anne Whelan (née Tierney), who was “engaged in the licenced business” from 1845 to 1895, when she died at the age of 95.

The pub was subsequently owned by Patrick Heenan and family of Ballinderry (from 1902 to 1924), after which the licence transferred to Peter Sammon (Ballyquirke), who ran it until his death in 1959. His wife Ellen (Newlawn), a former teacher in the local national school, continued to run the pub until her death in 1964.

Next to take on the licence was Margaret Quinlan of Lehinch, Lorrha, who married John Moloney of Caher, Co Clare, a member of An Garda Síochána.

THE ORIGINAL PADDY

In 1966 Paddy and Maria Murray arrived in Terryglass from Chicago. They purchased the pub, which also served as a shop, from the Moloneys. The premises was at the time still called ‘Sammons’, but the Murrays decided to rename it ‘Paddy’s Pub’.

Four years later they sold it to another Paddy – Wilkinson, who decorated the premises with many original pub mirrors. “I did my best to preserve the friendly ambience of the late Peter Sammon’s grand local inn,” Paddy Wilkinson said in a bicentenary book produced by the history society, in which he described himself as “just a caretaker”.

“Many locals supported us; the bar really belonged to them,” he said in sharing memories of some of the many well-known characters who frequented the pub over the years.

So too does Madeline Mitchell, who moved with her husband Robbie Mitchell to Terryglass in 1977. They held the reins until 1989, Robbie driving to a farm in Laois every day while she ran the bar.

‘THE WINDY WILDERNESS OF NORTH TIPPERARY’

She served bar food, soup and toasted sandwiches, from a tiny kitchen, and later expanded the range of cuisine as Paddy’s attracted many students and local women in search of seasonal employment. The Mitchells won a national bar food award in their first year, the first in a long series of accolades for the Terryglass pub, which also included national traditional shopfront awards in 1979 and Ireland's Pub of the Year in 1981.

Such was Paddy’s allure that the Sunday World’s Pub Spy was drawn to “the windy wilderness of North Tipperary” in 1984, leaving with a “Flawless” four-pint rating.

Four years after that, the Mitchells decided to sell Paddy’s and the neighbouring Derg Inn, which they also owned. Paddy’s was purchased by PJ Gavin of Borrisokane on his return home from Australia. The bar became a popular venue for live music at weekends, and it moved to a seven-day food establishment after PJ’s fellow Borrisokane natives Michael and Mary Comerford took over in 1991.

‘ONE BIG FAMILY’

Even though they had no previous experience in hospitality, Valerie Cotter and Conor Hyland took on the pub in 1998 and ran it successfully until 2006. The staff cohort grew to over 20 local people, many of whom stayed working at Paddy’s for years. “It often felt like one big family,” the proprietors recounted of the time.

And that feeling continued when the present proprietors took over. For Mairéad (née Ryan Lacken), the move was a natural progression; she was raised in her family's pub in Dolla, and hospitality had always been part of her life. Together with her husband Brendan, a Terryglass native, and three children, she strengthened Paddy’s renown for great food with an emphasis on fresh, local produce. The Tierneys also used the Covid-19 pandemic – a disappointing but brief hiccup in this long story – to carry out much-needed refurbishment work on the pub.

“Throughout more than 200 years of history, each proprietor has respected the character of this remarkable premises, making careful improvements while preserving the unique atmosphere that has made Paddy's such a special place. Rather than changing its identity, each generation has added another chapter to its story,” the bicentenary book sums up.

“More than two centuries after its doors first opened, it remains exactly what it has always been - a place where people feel welcome, where stories are shared, and where every generation leaves the pub just a little richer than they found it.”

CELEBRATION

A celebration will be held at Paddy’s Bar this Thursday, September 17. It is hoped that some of the previous owners, including Paddy Murray, and staff will be back to join in.

Incumbent proprietor Mairéad last week took the opportunity to thank all her customers for their hospitality and support over the last 20 years, making the point that not many villages in Ireland can support two pubs throughout the year, as they do in Terryglass. She invited everyone in the community to come and join in the 200-year celebration this week, including new people who might have recently moved to the area and are looking to meet local people.

The celebration will begin at midday and there will be food provided. The bicentenary book will be launched and will be available at €10 per copy, with all proceeds going to Kilbarron Terryglass Historical Society.