The restaurant will be reopening in the coming weeks
Husband and wife team John and Niamh have reopened the Mountain House bar and restaurant in Ardfield(Image: The Mountain House)
The new publicans at a lovely local in the West Cork countryside are “so excited” to finally have the doors open on their new venture – and can’t wait to see some new faces at the bar.
John Culloty and Niamh O’Sullivan are the new owners of the Mountain House in Ardfield. The husband-and-wife team took over the award-winning bar and restaurant business, which went up for sale in August 2023 as a major opportunity to acquire a well-established spot in a beautiful area – near Clonakilty and boasting serious views from Galley Head Lighthouse all the way to the Stags Islands.
The Mountain House in Ardfield
The 100-year-old property is one of the area’s most respected businesses, with a long history as a year-round food-and-drink spot. At the start of 2020, sisters Catriona and Margaret Hegarty took over the running of the landmark pub and restaurant, bringing passion for high-quality local produce. Now, its new proprietors are giving it a new chapter.
They have a range of cocktails and wines on tap, as well as traditional pints, and a fantastic bar menu loaded with lovely nibbles from cheese boards to charcuterie. The restaurant side of the business will be ready in the next few weeks, they teased.
The doors reopened at the weekend, and the couple say they were blown away with support. In a heartfelt social media post, they shared a snap of the pair behind the bar surrounded by happy customers and wrote: “What a night at The Mountain House!
They have a fantastic bar menu of nibbles from cheese boards to charcuterie(Image: The Mountain House )
“Thanks to everyone who came out and made it unforgettable. We’re John & Niamh, the new owners, and we’re so excited to finally have the doors opened. Bar open from 5pm today and tomorrow for pints, cocktails, and wine on tap. Restaurant will be open in a few weeks — keep an eye out. See ye at the bar!”
The history of the Mountain House goes back many years, with the earliest records of a pub at the premises dating back to 1911, and it also housed the local shop and post office. It went on sale in turnkey condition, with a large bar, a full 7-day licence, a 60-seater restaurant, and three outdoor dining areas. Overhead is a two-bed apartment.