Moving to Kiltimagh - Would you?

SeosamhNYC

I haven't lived in Ireland in 20+ years, but there's "talk" now of moving back home to Kiltimagh. I really haven't spent any time in Kiltimagh itself since '08 when Granny passed. I can ask family, but of course, they'll be biased in that they want us to move home and as they're older (bachelor uncles on the farm and widowed auntie in Knock - all over 75) I don't know that I'll get the "real story", you know?

So, rather than continue being the lurker on here reading posts, I thought I'd sign up and ask your opinions.

I'd be looking to buy a business, I own two pub/restaurants here in NYC, so it would be something like that -- or maybe a hotel (I saw the Cill Aodain is for sale and that really caught my interest - when/why did that happen?), but not sure if either option is viable. Can Kiltimagh support another pub/restaurant? Does it need the Cill Aodain with the Park down the road?

I'll be honest, the whole idea of moving home is really appealing, but not being on the ground in so long, I'm thinking my memories may be colouring my thinking here. I'm planning on coming back the end of the month to investigate the possibilities more thoroughly, but I thought I'd get some unvarnished views on here before hand. So give me your true thoughts on Kiltimagh, on opening a pub/restaurant or even the Cill Aodain.


Cheers!
Seosamh

yop

MOD NOTE: No smart ass remarks or discussions heading off topic like we have had on previous threads. Help the poster or else an instant ban will be handed.

Coillte_Bhoy

Pub trade has gone downhill last few years here, i can count 8 pubs ha have closed in the last 10/15 years. I couldnt see any new entrant into the market making a go of it tbh. There are rumours about the Cill Aodain re opening every month but nothing as come of any of them. With the right person at the helm i think it definitely has potential, i's not really in direct competition to the park as it doesnt cater for functions/ conferences etc, it built it's reputation on it's food initially.

No sure why it closed, it all happened very suddenly about a year ago. Business wasnt great i think, maybe there wee other issues too.

As for the town itself, it's quiet these days but it's a great place to live, there is a great community spirit. Are you from Kiltimagh yourself originally? 2 pubs in NYC?? ER?

SeosamhNYC

Thanks very much Coillte_Bhoy! This is exactly the type of view I'm looking for - an honest unvarnished one!

I rather thought the pub trade had gone down - I took a "ride" through town on the Google Street View and noticed the number of places to let, for sale or just plain shut down. I see O'Hora's is still open, there were a few others that rang a bell too - though I can't for the life of me think what was where The Electric Mouse is now on Thomas Street.

That's exactly how I remember the Cill Aodain too - the food! That was the place you went to when you wanted a good meal. In fact, last time I was in Kiltimagh, we had a meal at the Cill Aodain. Looks like the place has been done up from the pics now - though also looks like it lost some of the charm too. Wasn't there a hotel on James Street (?) - The Westway or something like that? I remember people staying there when visiting. Cill Aodain to eat, Westway to stay and head to Jerry Walsh's or Aidan O'Hora's for the session -- probably dating myself now.

You may be the first reply, but you've buoyed my spirits in that the Cill Aodain could be made a success - which was my thought too especially given the proximity to Knock with only 1 hotel now. Even with the Park - for weddings and such, there's usually spill over looking. But agreed - the food would be the thing.

I'm not going to lie, would be very nice indeed to move back. I have very happy memories of Kiltimagh and I've been going back and forth with this - somedays 100% for, other days, thinking I'm fooling myself. Here's hoping it works out, PG!

Yes - parents stayed in NYC with the older kids, us younger ones were sent back home (I was the youngest at 7). We grew up between Kiltimagh and Gweedore until one by one we headed back to NYC. I was the last to leave. Yes, two pub/restaurants here in NYC - one in Manhattan, one in Queens.
"ER"?

Thanks again, Coillte_Bhoy!

oscarBravo

SeosamhNYC wrote: »

...I took a "ride" through town on the Google Street View...

Do keep in mind that the street view imagery is more than four years old now.

Coillte_Bhoy

SeosamhNYC wrote: »

Thanks very much Coillte_Bhoy! This is exactly the type of view I'm looking for - an honest unvarnished one!

I rather thought the pub trade had gone down - I took a "ride" through town on the Google Street View and noticed the number of places to let, for sale or just plain shut down. I see O'Hora's is still open, there were a few others that rang a bell too - though I can't for the life of me think what was where The Electric Mouse is now on Thomas Street.

Mouse was previously Dermot Hickey's bar and before that it was an old style bar run b Kathleen Commons.

SeosamhNYC wrote: »

That's exactly how I remember the Cill Aodain too - the food! That was the place you went to when you wanted a good meal. In fact, last time I was in Kiltimagh, we had a meal at the Cill Aodain. Looks like the place has been done up from the pics now - though also looks like it lost some of the charm too. Wasn't there a hotel on James Street (?) - The Westway or something like that? I remember people staying there when visiting. Cill Aodain to eat, Westway to stay and head to Jerry Walsh's or Aidan O'Hora's for the session -- probably dating myself now.

Don't think The Westway was still open when the present Cill Aodain was refurbished and opened.

SeosamhNYC wrote: »

You may be the first reply, but you've buoyed my spirits in that the Cill Aodain could be made a success - which was my thought too especially given the proximity to Knock with only 1 hotel now. Even with the Park - for weddings and such, there's usually spill over looking. But agreed - the food would be the thing.

Exactly, the park was more attractive for a wedding venue with the extra capacity the cill aodain offered.

SeosamhNYC wrote: »

I'm not going to lie, would be very nice indeed to move back. I have very happy memories of Kiltimagh and I've been going back and forth with this - somedays 100% for, other days, thinking I'm fooling myself. Here's hoping it works out, PG!

Yes - parents stayed in NYC with the older kids, us younger ones were sent back home (I was the youngest at 7). We grew up between Kiltimagh and Gweedore until one by one we headed back to NYC. I was the last to leave. Yes, two pub/restaurants here in NYC - one in Manhattan, one in Queens.
"ER"?

Thanks again, Coillte_Bhoy!

The ER was a guess at your name but you're no obviously Eugene Rooney who has 2 pubs in Manhattan, i wonder do i know you?

SeosamhNYC

oscarBravo wrote: »

Do keep in mind that the street view imagery is more than four years old now.

I know Oscar - wasn't really using it as a guide, just wound up on it and got to thinking "I wonder what the town looks like...I wonder if I can see Auntie Nora's house...etc." and so I went for a "drive"

SeosamhNYC

Thanks Coilte, now I know where it is on Thomas Street!

Oh Lord, I'd say the Westway has to have been closed for years and years now, no? When I'm saying I remember people staying there when they were home, that was early to mid 80's.

Was it always "The Cill Aodain Court Hotel"? I always remember it as just "The Cill Aodain" - or maybe that's just what we/everyone called it. When was it redone? I'm remembering it in '08 as I would describe it, a typical market town hotel with warmth and character. It looks fairly nondescript on the outside now and inside doesn't look like it has much charm at all. But then again, pictures can be flat.

Ah - ok. No, not Eugene - know his pubs tho - very nice the pair of them.

Thanks too to all you who have PM'd me with your input - much appreciated! Keep the input coming here or if you prefer in a PM.

THANKS!!

StewartGriffin

SeosamhNYC wrote: »

I haven't lived in Ireland in 20+ years, but there's "talk" now of moving back home to Kiltimagh. I really haven't spent any time in Kiltimagh itself since '08 when Granny passed. I can ask family, but of course, they'll be biased in that they want us to move home and as they're older (bachelor uncles on the farm and widowed auntie in Knock - all over 75) I don't know that I'll get the "real story", you know?

So, rather than continue being the lurker on here reading posts, I thought I'd sign up and ask your opinions.

I'd be looking to buy a business, I own two pub/restaurants here in NYC, so it would be something like that -- or maybe a hotel (I saw the Cill Aodain is for sale and that really caught my interest - when/why did that happen?), but not sure if either option is viable. Can Kiltimagh support another pub/restaurant? Does it need the Cill Aodain with the Park down the road?

I'll be honest, the whole idea of moving home is really appealing, but not being on the ground in so long, I'm thinking my memories may be colouring my thinking here. I'm planning on coming back the end of the month to investigate the possibilities more thoroughly, but I thought I'd get some unvarnished views on here before hand. So give me your true thoughts on Kiltimagh, on opening a pub/restaurant or even the Cill Aodain.


Cheers!
Seosamh

My first thought on your post Seosamh is that it would be a great first page to a novel or a narrative to the start of a movie. Now, would that novel would be a horror, a comedy, a romance? Who knows?

Other thoughts, Kiltimagh is not as isolated as it once was, that big road from Dublin cuts in quite close to it. Also, if you're coming from New York to open a restaurant and you have a basic premise in mind, I think the best thing you could do is put a call in to RTE or TV3 to see if they would send a camera crew to follow your first few months. There's so much demand for this stuff now, and it would give you a great start up boost.

But the main question is, have you a family and how would they adapt to the culture shock of a move from a stagnant New York City to the bright lights of Kitimagh?

voz es

I really wouldnt advise anybody to open a public house in rural Ireland. Kiltimagh is a town that has no accountable passing trade. Castlebar town has no Public house between Pat Morans on Spencer street and the Toyota garage on the ballinrobe road. that is aprox a mile of urban area not serviced by a public house a large catchment area. If you are thinking of moving back to Kiltimach there are pubs in Bohola and Ballyvary with potential for utilisation of passing trade but not a lot if im honest it would be essential for it to have a food element.

A pub like the huntsman inn in galway ( http://www.huntsmaninn.com/ ), the Uluru (http://www.uluru.ie/ ) in Waterford city on in suburban location but with easy acess on driving and the parking front , adiquate room for suitbale non cramped dining facilities and the ability to provide functions in a tastefully designed enviroment is the way foward as far as i am concerned. both are purpose built modern business The the links below are of other bar resturants doing well in Mayo out side of the main county urban centres.

http://www.nevinsinn.com/
http://www.grainneuailenewport.ie/
http://www.tasteofireland.com/restaurants/503-Flanagan-s-Pub-and-Restaurant-Near-Claremorris-Co-Mayo + http://www.flanaganspub.ie/

Castlebar12

Mod note : so far all your posts are just bitching about other towns and dragging up old threads to do so. Your on a warning. Any more and you will be banned.

Aru

Hi OP im assuming you are the same person who posted in After hours...

Anyhow on topic here....I grew up in Mayo and spent the last year or so working in around swinford/Castlebar/kiltemagh.....Much as I hate to say this as a reopening would be great for the area I genuinely think you would struggle with a pub in this area of Ireland at the minute,
for example there is a pub newly opened on the N5 between swinford and castlebar(ballymiles) at the moment and they have been serving food for a while and have a very good trade due to location and demand especially for truckers but have still quite restricted pub opening hours and rely quite a lot on food income for revenue.
Kiltemagh is not on a main thoroughfare and the volume of traffic through the town in low. To be honest its on my list of slowly dying rural towns though the people there are generally lovely.
The towns in this area are not large enough to support a specialist brewery and the population is turning largely older as the younger generation are leaving as there are no jobs. As your kids get older this may become a bigger issue.

To brew good beer and survive running a pub I would seriously consider a more in demand spot....a very touristy area to have a larger demand for services....westport would be a good spot in mayo and close to the area you are familiar with and I dont think they have specialist beers there at the moment. of the larger areas...sligo, galway or its surrounding towns would have a larger population and sligo and galway both are student towns who would be a potential customer niche to tap into.

Coillte_Bhoy

Aru wrote: »

Hi OP im assuming you are the same person who posted in After hours...

Anyhow on topic here....I grew up in Mayo and spent the last year or so working in around swinford/Castlebar/kiltemagh.....Much as I hate to say this as a reopening would be great for the area I genuinely think you would struggle with a pub in this area of Ireland at the minute,
for example there is a pub newly opened on the N5 between swinford and castlebar(ballymiles) at the moment and they have been serving food for a while and have a very good trade due to location and demand especially for truckers but have still quite restricted pub opening hours and rely quite a lot on food income for revenue.
Kiltemagh is not on a main thoroughfare and the volume of traffic through the town in low. To be honest its on my list of slowly dying rural towns though the people there are generally lovely.
The towns in this area are not large enough to support a specialist brewery and the population is turning largely older as the younger generation are leaving as there are no jobs. As your kids get older this may become a bigger issue.

To brew good beer and survive running a pub I would seriously consider a more in demand spot....a very touristy area to have a larger demand for services....westport would be a good spot in mayo and close to the area you are familiar with and I dont think they have specialist beers there at the moment. of the larger areas...sligo, galway or its surrounding towns would have a larger population and sligo and galway both are student towns who would be a potential customer niche to tap into.

I think his main interest was in the Cill Aodain Hotel, not a pub as such and i think the Cill Aodain is viable with the right owner/management. ideally a couple living here with experience in the hospitality sector. This was not the case with the previous owners.

Im not sure how the subject of microbreweries came into this but anyway there is one in Islaneady and a number of Wesport pubs stock their products.

nuac

I am not from Kiltimagh, but knew many f rom Kiltimagh since school etc,

I remember the Westway, John Ronayne. Excellent hotel, but closed for 30+ years.

Cill Aodáin did a good trade especially in lunches etc. It was the venue after the local courts but sadly they have been centralised, Might still be possible to do a business there.

Marty O'Hora's is probably the busiest pub,

btw Kiltimagh featured on TV recently - a musician called Spillane did a tour around the town, playing various numbers in pubs, TG4 I think. Might be possible to get it on their player, or ask them direct. TG4 is Teilifis na Gaeltachta , Na Forbatha , Co Galway.

Kiltimagh is a quiet town compared to some of the larger towns about, and Galway and Sligo. The people are very friendly, and as already stated they always had a good community spirit

The pub trade is at a low ebb. Price of drink, prohibition of smoking in pubs, tougher enforcement of drink/driving laws, cheaper drink from off licences, less money about

It might be as well to have a quiet holiday there to look around.

The suggestion upthread of calling with a TV crew would not be the best way of making a shrewd property investment

Good luck with your plans.

Coillte_Bhoy

nuac wrote: »

I am not from Kiltimagh, but knew many f rom Kiltimagh since school etc,

I remember the Westway, John Ronayne. Excellent hotel, but closed for 30+ years.

Cill Aodáin did a good trade especially in lunches etc. It was the venue after the local courts but sadly they have been centralised, Might still be possible to do a business there.

Marty O'Hora's is probably the busiest pub,

btw Kiltimagh featured on TV recently - a musician called Spillane did a tour around the town, playing various numbers in pubs, TG4 I think. Might be possible to get it on their player, or ask them direct. TG4 is Teilifis na Gaeltachta , Na Forbatha , Co Galway.

Kiltimagh is a quiet town compared to some of the larger towns about, and Galway and Sligo. The people are very friendly, and as already stated they always had a good community spirit

The pub trade is at a low ebb. Price of drink, prohibition of smoking in pubs, tougher enforcement of drink/driving laws, cheaper drink from off licences, less money about

It might be as well to have a quiet holiday there to look around.

The suggestion upthread of calling with a TV crew would not be the best way of making a shrewd property investment

Good luck with your plans.

Couple of points, the Cill Aodain when at its best was one of the best restaurants in the region, im talking dining out, not just carvery lunches, and one court sitting a month didnt really register on the bigger scale of things in all fairness.

As for the busiest pub, O' Horas is a grand spot but nowhere near the busiest, you seem to be basing your judgement on a few afternoons in town??? I dont think anyone on this thread has been in any way positive about taking over a pub in the town or indeed anywhere else a the moment and for the foreseeable future.

Oh and the Westway went through a few incarnations after Mr Roynane, certainly has not been closed for 30 years.

The G4 programme is here...search under documentaries and find Spillane An Fánaí - Episode:6
http://www.tg4.ie/en/player/tg4-player.html