But they have big plans for the rest of the city and county
10:03, 15 May 2026Updated 13:17, 15 May 2026
O’Brien’s Cafe closed on Winthrop street
They would have been real go-to places for anybody needing a cup of tea and a sandwich down the years – but now the two most central O’Brien’s Cafes in Cork have closed their doors.
The outlets on Winthrop Street and Paul Street suddenly stopped trading this week and the parent company which runs the franchise operation says they will not be coming back in these locations.
However, the AIL Group, which owns the O’Brien’s, Abarakebabra and Bagel Factory brands, says the other O’Brien’s outlets on Leeside will continue to thrive, with major refurb and investment projects carried out (or underway) at Mahon, Blackpool, Douglas and Wilton shopping centres.
“We can confirm that the Paul Street and Winthrop Street cafes have closed. The franchise agreement came to an end this month, and the decision was taken by mutual agreement,” said a spokesperson for AIL Group.
“We have longstanding partners in Bill and Leonard Lynch in Cork, they have been investing in their cafes there, and we see those as having a very bright future indeed. There’s been major refurbishment carried out, and they are very much set for the future.”
CorkBeo understands that a major issue with the two cafes in the city centre was size – and there is a search underway for a much larger premises in the city centre, around the Patrick Street area, for a new, ‘supersized’ O’Brien’s Cafe which should open later this year.
The O’Brien’s cafe on Winthrop Street opened in May 2020 and had a very prominent position, next to the famous Long Valley bar, which still does a roaring trade on their famous doorstop sandwiches. So if you are on Winthrop Street and looking for a cup of tea and a great sandwich, go into the Long Valley and sample the best of Cork.
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