New chapter for The Thatch

“What's a village without its pub?”

This was a question posed by a great many locals when The Thatched Cottage reopened last May. The popular Ballycommon bar & restaurant was sorely missed when it closed at the end of February this year and, in these difficult times for rural pubs, some feared it was gone forever.

But ‘The Thatch’ is back and with it comes renewed life and vibrancy for the village community. Now run by front-of-house Manager Gerry O’Brien and Head Chef Andy, a new and successful chapter has begun for this historic hostelry.

REALISATION OF A DREAM

It is a chapter that in many ways represents the realisation of a dream for Andy, who always wanted to run his own restaurant. He will be known to many as Head Chef at Matt the Thresher’s in Birdhill for the past nine years. Originally from China, Andy has been a chef for 26 years working at several well-known hotels in Dublin, including the Merrion Hotel. While working at Matt the Thresher’s Restaurant on Pembroke Street in Dublin, the opportunity came for him to swap busy city life with the rural tranquillity of Birdhill, where he and his family now live.

There he befriended Gerry, a Limerick native who married a Tipperary woman and is also living in Birdhill with his family. Gerry comes from a very different background. Having worked in hospitality in Ireland and the US as a student, he has worked in economic development for the past 25 years, firstly with Enterprise Ireland, where he worked to support many of Ireland’s start-ups and exporting companies, and for the past 12 years he has worked for International Development Ireland supporting economic development projects around the world. When the call came from Andy to take on The Thatched Cottage, the opportunity to swap a busy travel schedule for starting a business closer to home was an easy decision and now both partners are committed to delivering quality food and a warm welcome to locals and visitors in Ballycommon.

OLD AND NEW

Their ambition has yielded dividends, with the Ballycommon premises becoming a hive of busyness again right from the moment of reopening. Its popularity has been enhanced by Andy and Gerry’s vision to marry old traditions with modern demands. The Thatch is now open six days (closed Tuesday) offering a hearty and sumptuous roast of the day, which has always been the cornerstone of the restaurant. It has an extensive al a carte menu also available from noon each day and the new addition of a breakfast menu has proven a major attraction – particularly at weekends – with everything from full Irish to eggs benedict options to temp the palette.

While the period of closure was used to refurbish elements of the premises that required it, The Thatch still retains that rustic olde worlde charm for which it has always been renowned, one that is perhaps best enjoyed in the cosy bar area with its welcoming wood-burning stove.

MEETING PLACE

But aside altogether from the great food and drink, The Thatch has retained its status as a popular meeting spot for many local community groups. The Ballycommon Ladies Club meet there every month, the local céilí band call The Thatch home for their weekly practice sessions, while everything from sports clubs to active retirement groups have also made a haunt of the Ballycommon base.

As Gerry is quick to point out, community was always central to the Thatch ethos, and this is something that he and Andy want to maintain under their tenure. They are very grateful to the people of Ballycommon and the Nenagh area in general, as well as family and neighbours for their goodwill and support in the months since the reopening. Gerry took the opportunity to praise Nenagh’s mutually supportive business community for their support and well wishes, mentioning in particular the Nenagh Guardian’s print and advertorial services for assisting the business in its start-up phase.

He also wanted to especially acknowledge Thatch owners Tony and Kathleen Donlan, and the Harty family, who have been very supportive, especially in the weeks leading up to the reopening. Gerry and Andy are especially thankful to the wonderful, hard-working staff of The Thatched Cottage and added a special mention of praise for Noreen Cavanagh, who managed The Thatch for 17 years, for her “immense support” to the new management team, lending her invaluable assistance in the organisation of functions and events.

Thanking everyone for their custom and friendship so far, Andy and Gerry looked forward to welcoming a great many more people to The Thatched Cottage in the times ahead, and we wish them every success towards that end.