Sources: FAS Teamwork Scheme 1989-1992

Leader; Mrs. Marie Fahy

Scheme Sponsors: Athenry Project Society

The oldest recorded pubs in Athenry town were small, thatched, two or three roomed houses without light except candles, no water or other modern conveniences.

1821

In 1821 there were four in Cross Street: John Mitchell, Mary Kelly, William Hayse and Patrick C. Tonnpr.  In Old Church Street (Back Street) there were Patrick Healy, Patrick Fahy, Mary Rooney and Thomas Callanan.

In North Gate Street, there were Francis Healy, whose shop later became Kelly’s pub and always reckoned to be the oldest pub in Athenry, Richard Kilkelly and James Burke.  These old pubs also sold food and groceries and may also had been boarding houses.

1881

Sixty years later in 1881 there were 21 pubs in the town with owners names like Barrett, Blackball and McDonagh.

1920s

By the 1920s the number of licensed premises had increased and in Cross Street there were Currans, Mahons, Dalys, Sweeneys and Kellys. In Burkes Lane there were Currans and Kellys.  In Davis Street there were O’Neills, Fords, Higgins, Jordans, Glynns and Rooneys.      

Northgate Street had Corbetts, Ruanes, Fallons, Ryans, Walshes, Nolans and later there were Finnertys and Houlihans.

Old Church Street continuing into Church Street had Brodericks, which was also a boarding house, Glynns, Duddys, Nolans, Lardiners, Sweeneys which was a hotel, Fox’s and Durcans.

Cullairbaun had Duffys and the Railway Hotel.  Some of these owners had diversified into other business also like Tommy Fox who bought wool and sold hardware and fuel and also had a bakery.  Corbetts were also large merchants in hardware and grocery.  Ruanes had a factory. Sweeneys were auctioneers.

In pre-supermarket days practically all of these publicans were grocers and provided “parking lots” in their back yards for the horses and traps or carts of country people coming into town for the weekly shopping, going to mass or for fairs and markets.  All grocery and butchers’ shops opened on Sunday to facilitate country people.

1960s

A feature of pub business in later years from the 1960s onwards is the “christening” of pubs like the Skillet run by John Cumiskey in North Gate Street, the Cosy Bar owned by Rita Glynn, the Arch Bar owned by Murphys; also in the same street are Whelans and Houlihans.

In Old Church Street there is the Pine Tree owned by Mr. Courtney and the Jersey Bar owned by Michael Melia.  Other bars are Keanes, owned by Maura Burke, Hansberrys Hotel owned by Lilly and Martin Byrne and Glynns owned by Bridgie Feeney.

In Davis Street there is the Hop Inn owned by Paddy Burke, the Central Bar owned by Ray Glynn and McDonaghs owned by Paul McDonagh.

In Cross Street the Athenry Hotel is now called King John’s and reminds us of the historical connections of the town.  The Dunclarin Arms is owned by Peggy Sullivan, which is named after the nearby ruin.  The Square Inn is owned by Leo and Marie Gardiner and Torpeys owned by Sean and Carmel Torpey.

The only other older pub outside the town of Athenry is Egans of Cashla, situated in a picturesque setting on the Galway – Monivea road, amid beautiful gardens surrounded by magnificent stone walls. The pub was licensed in 1901 and continues in the Egan family to the present day.    

In the 1970s a new pub and entertainment complex was built at Moyvilla, now called the Green Briar.