Group in Kilteely pooled savings to buy bar and licence and ‘everybody brought something to the table’
A century ago, the County Limerick village of Kilteely had seven pubs but one by one they shut. This year, it braced to lose the last.
The economic and social trends that have shuttered family-run pubs across Ireland appear remorseless, leaving many communities with nowhere to meet, have a drink and share stories.
But this week Kilteely bucked the trend. The doomed bar reopened after 26 villagers clubbed together to buy it. “We felt we were going to be annexed into other communities if we didn’t have a place to meet and call our own,” said Liam Carroll. “So here we are, we’re publicans.”
The new owners pooled their savings and formed a syndicate to buy the pub, which otherwise faced probable demolition and conversion into accommodation.
