Curran’s and Foxy John’s: These pubs are throwbacks to the humble day when a single hole-in-the-wall address would do double duty: commercial shop by day, pub by night.
James Curran runs Curran’s Pub out of what was once his grandma’s general store. On the last Saturday of every month – when farm families were in town for the market – the wives would pick up their basics here, ordering butter, tea, sugar, jams and salted meat though the little window. Just about everything else they consumed was homegrown. The same shelves grandma used for jams and socks today stock beer and whiskey.
Notice the “snug” in front. Until the 1950s, women weren’t really welcome to drink in Irish pubs, but they could discreetly nurse a sherry in the “snug” while their men enjoyed the main room. The great photos all around give you a sense for the old days. Buy a beer and chat with Mr. Curran.
Foxy John’s Pub is still a working hardware store. Any time of day, you can order a bag of nails with your pint. Notice the back room; while pubs historically have had a legal “last call” at 11:30, the action would often migrate to the back room after the front door was locked.
Dick Mack’s Pub – another traditional pub worth a peek. This was once a tiny leather shop that expanded into a pub at night. The pub was established in 1899 by great-grandpa Mack (master of the westernmost train station in Europe), whose mission was to provide “liquid replenishment” to travelers. Today, Dick Mack retains its old leather-shop ambience. In fact it’s popular for handcrafted belts. The latest Mack, Finn, has changed the focus to whiskey – very trendy in Ireland – and is also starting up a microbrewing operation in the back lot. Finn has no menu – guests just ask him their options. Exploring the pub, you’ll see a classic snug by the window, wonderful photos of generations past, and Hollywood-style stars on the sidewalk outside that recall famous visitors.
