The 25 men and one woman bought Ahern’s, the only pub in Kilteely, near Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, after it went on the market for €300,000.
The group renamed the premises the Street Bar and have extended an invitation to US president Donald Trump to visit and drink his first pint of non-alcoholic “Kilteely cream”.
One of the pub’s saviours, landscape gardener Noel O’Dea, said: “They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I tell you, it also takes a village to save its pub.”
Not one of the 26 investors has experience of pulling pints.
“The pub is the heart of any community, and because all the shops and pubs here were gone, this was our last meeting place,” Mr O’Dea said.
The group of villagers invested up to €15,000 each to save their local
“We just couldn’t see the people in the village having no place to go to, because otherwise it is just a group of houses.”
Lamenting the loss of two pubs, two shops, two post offices and a creamery, Mr O’Dea said the only other business in the village is a recycling venture, KDI (Kilteely Dromkeen Innovation).
It employs seven people and was also set up by locals “after the last recession hit and because employment was hard to get”.
The group of villagers invested up to €15,000 each to save their local.
They include a clinical psychologist, a barrister, a solicitor, a pharmacist, a carpenter, an accountant, a teacher, a sign-maker, builders, farmers and electricians, and are now considering how best to use a shop premises that was included in the pub sale.
Some of the 26-strong group who pooled their savings to save their local pub from closure in Kilteely, Co Limerick. Photo: Brendan Gleeson
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – August 19th
“There were a few suggestions, but I don’t think we would get away with some of them,” Mr O’Dea said.
One of the group suggested they should invite Mr Trump, who does not drink alcohol.
“Yeah, we could. Sure , why not send out the invitation,” Mr O’Dea said.
Extending the invite to everyone, he added: “We have a festival every year and it’s on in two weeks’ time, and this year we’re going to have Ireland’s first-ever black pudding festival, so everyone is welcome.
“We’re starting that off this year. We’re asking butchers and anyone who is good at making food at home, because the art of making pudding is dying out and we’re just trying to revive it.
Rural pubs are dying out, so we decided to come together to save ours
“During the festival we’ll serve you the perfect pint and pudding.”
Another member of the group of investors, barrister Liam Carroll, said: “Rural pubs are dying out all over the country, so we decided to come together to save ours.
“Hopefully, we can keep it going, employ a few people and harness the community spirit that we have on tap here.”
He also encouraged other communities to get together to keep their pubs open.
“There’s little or no profits in this type of venture, but it’s vital to keep local communities from dying out,” he said.
The rebranded Street Bar opened its doors last Saturday.