The Dublin Pub Saunter
By Eamonn Casey
This old pub, situated on part of the monastic site of St. Kevin’s Monastery Kilnamanagh has been serving food and drink to travellers for over 250 years.
Once a famed as a high class inn and coachhouse on the old Turnpike Road, this house has in its time been owned by a Goldsmith, a pawnbroker, a Solicitor, a wandering Yank and a Minister of the Protestant Church, Rev. George Bradley, who inherited it in the Fenian era of 1864. But the Rev. George didn’t stay too long, realising that there were easier and less complicated ways of acquiring money - such as passing the basket around during Sunday Service.
By 1912 this house had acquired a Ballroom licence which attracted all the eligible and not so eligible ladies and gents for miles around. However, a rumour still abounds that certain members of the ecclesiastical profession were not too happy about this departure on the grounds that many matrimonial ceremonies were taking place in a rather hurried and unorthodox manner.
In this era Kilnamanagh was the heartland of culchie Dublin - green fields, trees and blossoming Agricultural and Dairy produce. There was no mention of the Tallaght Bypass. The many trees surrounding the premises were inhabited each summer by flocks of nesting Cuckoos, and from this appears the most likely explanation of the title Cuckoo’s Nest.
By 1962 Proprietor Larry O’Neill was tiring of the licensed trade and sold to the late Peadar Lynch who was then preparing for marriage. In August of that year the newly weds Peadar and Phyllis Lynch, who delayed the closing of the sale because of their honeymoon, crossed the threshold of the Cuckoo’s Nest. But on this occasion they were accompanied by Cavan apprentice, John McKeown and guess what, 30 years later, John is still here like Cavan tradition itself. For both of them it was a culture shock and a new world despite their rural origins in County Cavan. Within a year, however, the Lynch’s found a new method of boosting turnover by creating what was to become one of Dublin’s best Pitch & Putt courses.
Of course the Lynch’s looked forward to fine weather and summer Sundays best of all, although this in itself created other problems. Warm Sundays were often the bane of a publicans life for the pints of Guinness and Watneys Red Barrel were invariably high because of the heat. This necessitated the first pulling at 11.30, one hour before opening time and during last Mass so that when the punters came in there were about thirty pints waiting on the counter. On occasions, however, they mistimed the pulling because not all their customers believed in remaining in church for last blessings.
This house is best remembered in Dublin pub lore as one who had mastered the art of Guinness pulling, which was then a slow, careful and sombre undertaking. And it was also a male prerogative which consequently relegated Phyllis’s role as that of Publicans wife rather than business partner.
Old Father Time has brought many innovations to the licensed trade over the past thirty years but unfortunately he has also brought his tale of sadness too, not least of which in recent times was the passing away of Peadar Lynch who to all connoisseurs of the Dublin trade was one of the most generous and charitable publicans ever to stand behind the bar - always renowned for his wit and shrewdness of property valuation.
But the Cuckoo’s Nest is today a vastly different punt to what it was 30 years ago or back in the 17th century coachhouse days. It’s now crowded spacious and convivial pub best known of rits full houses and cheerful Dublin accents which can amount to as a many 1200 on any given night. You should try the lunchtime trade both to sample the atmosphere and fine food, supervised by Geraldine Lynch, which to my experience is far more adventurous than you would conventionally expect from pub cuisine. This also the home of St. Kevin’s Gaelic Football Team who have inherited the monastic athleticism of St. Kevin himself.
And, by the way, if you happen to be a Manchester United or a Dubs supporter you will get on a very well with Bernard Lynch, that is if they are winning!
