A PUB which closed 14 months ago has been saved — by 13 regulars determined to keep the pints coming.
Haughton’s, in Kilmeaden, Co Waterford, said goodbye to their loyal locals in August 2023, after landlords Gerry and Margaret O’Connell announced the time was right for them to retire.
But the loss of the hugely popular 150-year-old boozer devastated people from the area so much that a plan was put in place to bring it back.
And the rural pub is now pulling its famous pints of Guinness once again on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with volunteers chipping in behind the bar, much to the delight of local punters.
Ben O’Donnell, one of 13 shareholders behind the reopening of Haughton’s, said there is so much joy in the community that the pub is back.
The 24-year-old told The Irish Sun: “The pub dates back about 150 years so there is so much history under its roof. It always had this old world charm which was so popular with everyone from the area.
“It was run by three bachelors for years, until it was taken over by Gerry and Margaret in the early ‘90s.
“They decided last year that the time was right for them to retire, which of course you can’t begrudge them — but the pub was missed so much that we really wanted to do something.
“Then we held a meeting in August asking what could be done and realised there was a way to get the doors open again.
“A committee with 13 shareholders was set up and the licence was transferred. It’s now been back open about a month on a not-for-profit basis.
“Gerry and Margaret were great at helping us getting the pub back open and transferring the licence.”
Ben said many of the people behind the move have been chipping in to keep the place running as it was a huge task to get the doors open again.
Devastated punters were left distraught when the final pints were served last year and described the closure as “the end of an era”.
He said: “I’m studying law and will become a trainee solicitor next year so I’ve been helping out with the legal work.
“We have an electrician on the committee, and an accountant, so we have these people who’ve all brought their skills to the table.
“We have a meeting every Monday where we do a stocktake to find out what orders we need to make.
“I’ve no background in bar work but I’ve been helping behind the bar and learning on my feet really.
“We’re open just Friday, Saturday and Sunday and it’s been packed at weekends. It was also open over Halloween.”
‘OVER THE MOON’
Gerry and Margaret ran Haughton’s Pub from 1997 until 2023 when they retired.
Before that, the pub was run by Paddy and David Haughton, whose father Patrick ran it before them.
Gerry said: “When we retired we weren’t sure what we wanted to do. We gave it 12 months before we decided if we’d put it up for lease or sale.
“Along the way, the local lads approached me and asked if I’d have an interest in leasing it to them. I was over the moon and thought it was an excellent idea. It’s the best thing that could have happened the place.”
David Power — who says the use of TV is minimal in the pub which has no WiFi — is also on board and said he has many fond memories of Haughton’s over the years.
‘MORE THAN A PUB’
He said: “It’s more than a pub, it’s an institution really.
“Sitting inside in the main room is like being at home in the sitting room, it has a cosy feel. People are forced to talk — and that’s the way we like it.”
Ben said Haughton’s was famous for its pints of the black stuff, which were missed by everyone when they closed their doors.
He revealed: “It was well-known for its pints of Guinness, which were missed by everyone in the area. It has the keg right under the tap, which apparently is key to a great pint.
“And pints are €5.50 so not too bad at all. There were two taps before, Guinness and Carlsberg. We’ve replaced the Carlsberg with a Heineken and even added a third tap of Coors Light, so you could say we’ve expanded in the past month.
LIVE MUSIC
“We’ve had some live music from local lads who were only too delighted to play.
“There are just two pubs in Kilmeaden village, we’re out the road a bit, and they’ve been invaluable with their help and support. The owners and staff would have been patrons of Haughton’s so they’ve been only too happy to help out.”
And Ben said it’s all just been about a community spirit and showing other rural pubs which might have closed for varying reasons what can be achieved.
“I’ve no background in bar work but I’ve been helping behind the bar and learning on my feet really.”
Ben O’Donnell
He said: “We’ve done it so others can too. It has been a lot of work but we have our pub back and that’s what counts.
“But it’s all been about community spirit and showing what can be done with enough determination.
“We might have to look at perhaps hiring some part-time barmen soon — we’ve been that busy and we all have day jobs but it’s been so worth it.”
The reopening is an unusual boost to a huge decline in pub numbers in Ireland, particularly in rural areas, where a combination of changing drinking habits, the high cost of doing business and poor transport options have been a knife in the heart of the industry.
More than 2,000 boozers have closed for good since 2005 — or around 114 a year, according to the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland.
Many boarded up pubs are now being repurposed, with 100 nationally being redeveloped for nearly 300 homes as part of a Department of Housing initiative to tackle vacancy and ramp up supply.
