THE PUB THAT REFUSED TO DIE: The inside story of a group of locals who saved their tiny village's only bar - and kickstarted something much bigger than they EVER could have imagined...
A group of locals who came together to save the last pub in their village are already advising communities in other counties on how to do the same.
And one of the stars of a short film made about the project has said the pub initiative has kickstarted a wider revival of their Co. Limerick village.
Last year, a 26–person syndicate in Kilteely, near the Tipperary border, came together and put forward €15,000 each to buy Ahern's pub before it shuttered for good.
The relaunched venue, named The Street Bar, has been thriving since last summer and is regularly thronged with customers.
The story was re–enacted by the community for a short film released on YouTube this month, commissioned by Heineken, which helped to revamp the pub and is encouraging other rural communities to follow Kilteely's lead.
Locals raise a pint outside The Street Bar in the village of Kilteely, Co. Limerick
Noel O'Dea, a gardener who was one of the instigators of the plan, said his community is 'not exceptional'.
He told the Irish Mail on Sunday: 'This can be done in any community, and that's the beauty of it. There's nobody exceptional in our group that had all the skills to do everything. I believe that any community can do this.'
The Kilteely syndicate is currently advising a group in the Cork village of Cullen, who are 'in the process of taking over their last pub'.
'There's a bus load coming from Westmeath and others from another county who just want to come down and see how this is possible,' Mr O'Dea continued.
'Because a lot of villages are going to face the same scenario and they're looking to know the ins and outs of how this came about.'
What the Kilteely community did have was a mix of professions, from legal experts and accountants to tradespeople – although no–one with hospitality experience.
Mr O'Dea said the core group were 'selective' in who they approached, but 'didn't turn anybody away'.
And Heineken's local rep Shane Boland was 'instrumental' in helping to modernise the pub, including installing new lines and a new refrigeration system, funded by the drinks giant.
Another publican from the area acted as a consultant, while the previous owner also helped.
All 26 backers are equal shareholders, but the 'straight and honest' directive from the off was that there may be no return on investment.
'If you've €15,000 and you want to make money, this is not the place to go,' Mr O'Dea said. 'It's an investment in your community.'
In any event, the revamped pub is thriving and it is hoped investors will be repaid in full.
A company was set up with five directors from the shareholder group and two managing directors, including Mr O'Dea, who liaise directly with a bar manager.
And a shareholders' agreement was drawn up, with help from the barrister of the group, to make sure there are no fallings–out in future.
Noel O'Dea was one of the instigators of the village pub plan
Mr O'Dea has yet to pull a pint and does 'not intend to either' – but said the drink served in The Street is 'like manna from heaven'.
The revamp has 'breathed new life' into the pub, with regular activities including 'sip and paint' nights with a local artist and organised card games.
'There's been a major response from the community,' Mr O'Dea said. 'It vindicates what we did.'
The whole village is being 'revitalised' at the moment, he said, led by the pub effort. 'We developed a shop next door into a butchers. We've got a large yard out the back we want to turn into possibly an outdoor music venue.
'We have a five–bedroom house as well [as part of the pub purchase] that we need to look at hopefully renting.'
Another former pub in the village that closed during the pandemic has been turned into a multi–purpose office; the village school is undergoing redevelopment; and the 'last derelict house' is being done up.
'There's a good aul vibe around the place,' Mr O'Dea said. 'I know we're down to the bare facilities, like a lot of villages and towns, but there's a good go in the village and there's nobody saying this is terrible. That's the way Kilteely always has been anyway – we do stuff for ourselves a lot of the time.'
Gar O'Rourke, who directed the short film for Heineken, The Pub That Refused To Die, said it was noticeable 'just how well that community works'.
He told the Irish Mail on Sunday: 'This isn't the first community initiative they've done off their own bat. They created a recycling plant business that they made happen collectively.
'I came away from that place feeling that once you start to lift the stones up on a small village like that, you would be surprised as to the different skill sets that people could bring to the table. At the core of it, though, is working cohesively with a shared vision.'
He said there was even untapped acting talent: 'I was taken aback by how great they were on camera.'
The Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI) this weekend said Kilteely 'is a fantastic example of the role pubs play at the heart of rural communities'.
'It shows how important these spaces are as social hubs. It's an amazing effort and reflects the deep value people place on their local pub.
'The VFI would encourage communities to explore every option to keep a pub trading.'
- To watch the film, or to find advice, visit heineken.com/thepubthatrefusedtodie
