'We've simply given it our all': Well-known rural Cork pub to close after nearly 40 years
Blair's Award 2021 Picture: File Campbell's Place Won Pub O'hare Year Happy The Georgina In And The Award In Of Inn 2013 Eddie
One of Cork’s best-known rural and award-winning pubs is to close.
The family who own Blair's Inn in Cloghroe, near Blarney, which won the Georgina Campbell's Pub of the Year Award in 2013 and Happy Place Award in 2021, made the announcement on Facebook.
They didn’t explain why but they said they “haven’t taken this decision lightly”.
The pub, which was taken over in 1986 by Anne and John Blair, was taken over by their sons Duncan and Richard in 2005. John, a former city councillor, died in 2022, and as well as his sons and wife, he was also survived by his daughter Judy.
The family said on Facebook that “sadly Sunday November 3rd will mark the final day of this particular chapter in the history of this mighty little country pub”. It acknowledged its “phenomenal staff past and present” and “our fantastic regulars and locals”.
Of the staff, it said they “had a constant stream of fantastic young people through the place over the years” who were “genuinely a credit to our community”.
On the customers, it said: “We will be eternally grateful for your support, particularly those of you that stuck with us through the challenges of the last four and a half years.”
Of their time as a pub over the years, the owners said it’s been “a wild ride with memories to last a lifetime”. These included, they said, the Christmas tree lighting ceremonies, the New Year’s Eve banquets, huge community barbecues, weddings, and big corporate events.
They also recalled “christenings, communions, confirmations and graduations”, adding “some of you have celebrated each one of those milestones with us”.
The family also recalled the “weekly impromptu Sunday night ‘have ye no bloody homes to go to?!’ sing songs of yesteryear” and “those legendary Monday night ‘packed to the rafters’ trad music sessions”.
The family also paid tribute to “the people we’ve met along the way from the four corners of the world” and “chats across the bar with the locals”.
They said: "Lads, the craic has been just mighty. It really has been a pleasure to be at the heart of such an amazing community.”
Describing the post-covid period as “Blairs Inn 2.0”, they spoke of the summer of ‘21 with the garden “looking better than ever, the wood-fired pizza oven at full blast (and) local craft beers being sold by the barrel full”.
They also said: “The quality of food we were producing in the kitchen, our burgeoning little country store laden with the very best of local produce and the massive support of our community and friends will live long in our memory".
The post concluded by saying: “That ‘Blairs Inn 2.0’ which emerged from the struggles of the lockdowns genuinely reflected the very best of what we had to offer.
“(We) hope you appreciate we haven’t taken this decision lightly. We have simply given it our all. As for the future of this magical pub, that’s a conversation for another time. Thank you all again sincerely from the bottom of our hearts.”