It takes 19 men to replace veteran publican Maudie
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Last orders have been staved off in a Co. Waterford village after locals came together to buy their local pub.
A 19-strong group from Rathgormack, near Carrick-on-Suir, have bought the establishment, formerly known as Maudie's, and are opening it at the end of the month as part-pub, part-coffee shop.
They decided to join together after the pub went up for sale as its closure would have left the village, located right at the foot of the Comeraghs, without a watering hole.
A flurry of phone conversations in the village last September led to a meeting between the interested locals, with many of the group deciding to proceed with a bid, with a simple motto of 'saving the pub'.
"Without this pub here you can take Rathgormack off the map," says Jim Harrison.
"It has to be kept.
"We had a common goal and we've gelled pretty well because of that I think."
There was a long wait for the final papers to be approved, according to Gerard Kirwan, a local welder, who will be one of the three directors of the company set up to manage the business, which will be known as 'The Village'.
"Thank God we got it over the line two weeks ago and got the keys then. We're all from the parish so all understand that if the pub was gone, it would be the end."
Each man has paid roughly €12,000 for their share, with Kirwan joined by Harrison and a local physio, Stephen Flynn, as directors.
There's a variety of backgrounds among the shareholders. Harrison has a kitchen fitting business in Carrick while there's also an electrician, farmers and a county councillor.
In total, it has taken 19 men to replace the woman running it. Maudie Kennedy, who ran the pub for over 50 years, is happy to see it remain open after deciding to retire last year as she reached her 70s.
The family involvement will continue in the trade through her nephew Ryan Roche.
"There's a lot of lovely memories here and you'd be very proud to see what they've managed to keep it going," Kennedy says.
"We have to have music though," she tells Roche, calling for music as well. "To do a bit of dancing, for the women. It's needed."