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| Through famine, rebellion, civil unrest and economic downturns...one place remains... |
A Brief History
Through ages and World Wars, Rebellion,
Civil Unrest and Economic Downturns, one place remained the same…
1831
What
started out as a private residence in 1831 the first owner John O’Neill,
Hotelier and businessman foresaw an opportunity for success when word of a new
cemetery was to be placed in Prospect, Glasnevin, and that this cemetery would
be open to all of Dublin’s dead. As the main entrance would be ‘right’ next
door to his residence, well, it certainly was an opportunity not to be missed…
John
O’Neill converted the ground floor into a bar and a brisk trade followed as
funeral corteges would await their turn to enter the large cemetery gate, where
better to wait it out, other than warm interior of the bar. John’s daughter
Susannah married a John Kavanagh on this marriage John O’Neill handed over the
business to the Kavanaghs, nice wedding gift indeed. John Kavanagh’s name was
put above on the facia, a name that is there to this day.
Mr and
Mrs John Kavanagh not only had a busy public house but also raised a large
family at No 1 Prospect Square, twenty four children no less. Three of their
sons would travel to the United States to fight in The War of Independence, and
where mentioned in the chronicles on The Battle of Gettysburg.
One son
returned from his travels to find that the cemetery had moved the entrance to
another location, causing a sharp fall in business. Undeterred he installed a
Shooting Range and a Skittle Alley. Slowly as the area of Glasnevin became more
populated, Prospect Square remained a quiet haven; the pub became a local to
the workers of the cemetery and surrounding businesses.
In the early 1900s Josie McKenna
Kavanagh from Howth Co Dublin was licensee. Josie had married the younger John H
Kavanagh and she would become a driving force behind the business adding a
grocery shop, some of the remnants can still be seen behind the bar today. A private meeting room was also added, it is
said many a republican meeting was held here in the early days of a fledgling Nation. Josie and John had four sons, Fintan, John H, Michael and Gerard During Josie’s
era the pub would be called either Josie’s, or The Widows a name that many
locals used up till the 90s
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| The heyday of Josie |
In 1943 Josie's son John M. Kavanagh took over, John ran the
business alongside his brother Fintan. Their other brothers followed a trade, Michael in carpentry and
Gerard into printing.
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| Circa 1980-notice no pitch roof. |
In the 1970s Eugene Kavanagh brought the pub from his uncle (and Step-Father) and
with Kathleen his wife raised their family while keeping the business going. In
the 1980s a lounge, number 2, was added to the bar. This was more appealing to couples
although children and crisps were not allowed in the carpeted lounge till 2000 when it was renovated by the Kavanagh family. The pub and surroundings have changed some but some things
within the pub remain the same, no music allowed, no TV, there has never been a
telephone. Stories abound of rowdy wakes one story is that the cream of Irish
and International music descended on the bar in the 90s to mourn and celebrate a
much loved Irish Folk singer, when the crowd started to ‘tune up’ they were
quickly told ‘No Singing, No Music, No Exceptions’ simply because it would mean
the regulars would sing every night, and they don't have a note between them. Although there is one or two that can hold a note?
The great thing about this bar is the continuous family link.
John Kavanagh’s is perhaps the longest generational bar in Dublin and even
Ireland. Often three generations of the family will be working side by side at
any given time of day. So it could be a Kavanagh serving you Coddle, or pulling
a pint. You never know who could be there, perhaps even one of the gravediggers
from our neighbours next-door?
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| And it just keeps getting better, keeping true to it's origins. |
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