Picture perfect in Kingscourt

The last thatch in town is up for sale and the owners are looking for an enthusiastic buyer to continue its traditional venture into the future.

Owned by Sheila and Padraig Smith since 2014, the couple undertook extensive renovation work to restore Gartlan’s in Kingscourt to its original charm.

They bought the place in a “very bad state” with the roof falling down and only an original pot belly stove, which is still there, for heating.

Being such a unique centre piece in the town, they invested to “save the building”. A whole host of work went into making the place look like it was untouched since its original days. Such was their ambition to preserve the pub, which is a listed building, that they photographed and videoed every nook and cranny before numbering all the decor and taking it away to do restoration work. Afterwards, they were able to put everything back exactly where they found it.

“We had the passion for the heritage of the place and so we wanted to plough on with it and try and save it,” Sheila tells the Celt.

With the roof restored straight away, central heating was put in place without disturbing any of the original floors, and after a host of other works, the pub was opened in 2016.

“A lot of people would walk in and say it looks the same as what it did before.

“You wouldn’t believe the amount of work that went into this to make it look like there was no work done.”

With a postcard perfect pub on their hands, the couple saw a lot of tourists and locals come through the doors over the years. The place is home to guaranteed lively trad sessions every Thursday and Sunday evening, and on other evenings depending on what musicians come through the door. With a great interest in music, Padraig and Sheila have instruments ready and waiting to be picked up by any talented musician who pops their head in.

“There’s very few like it, even for locals or for tourists, they all have the same reaction to it. It’s just a lovely old place,” Sheila says, her words beaming with pride for the pub.

“It’s like stepping back in time.”

To people thinking of buying the place, Sheila says it’s “picture perfect”. She hopes that those who do purchase the pub have an interest in “preserving its history and preserving our heritage”.

“It’s the last thatch in town,” she says, adding “I would hope that that would be their main interest.

“After that if they can make a living out of it, great. There’s a lot of potential out the back and further down.”

Sheds out the back provide ample opportunity for conversion, with some of this work already done, as does the courtyard.

“We’ve done some work out there, there’s still potential for an awful lot more.”

While the back provides many opportunities, Sheila says the streetscape is “just gorgeous”.

Just last year, skilled and experienced thatcher, Philip Doran from Rathdowney, weaved his magic with the straw, restoring the decorative ridge across the top. The main roof is thatched using reed, while the decorative part is done using straw, which is less durable, with an eight to 10-year life span.

“We redid that last year,” explains Sheila.

The decision to sell the pub has not been easy, past retirement age, they are looking for “young blood” to take over. The pub is up for sale with an asking price of €550,000.

However, the Muff woman says it “may take a little while to get the right people” for the pub.

“You just have to get the ball rolling,” she adds.

“This is it just starting now.”

They currently open from Thursday through to Sunday, however she said the pub “needs to be open” and suggests that the place “should be open from morning until night” with traditional food and offerings for customers.

“It needs young blood to come in and let it live up to its full potential.

“We’ve laid the groundwork and somebody else hopefully can pick up the baton and move on with it.”

Those interested in the pub can contact Sherry Fitzgerald Declan Woods at info@woodsauctioneers.com or call 049-4380038.