Historic pub gets new lease of life
LEIXLIP, 26 April 2002: by Bill Trapman. The former Captain’s Inn in Leixlip was reopened on Wednesday as the Tábhairne Uí Neill and The Three Sisters. The ceremony was performed by the Tanaiste, Mary Harney TD, who was introduced by Michael Rodgers, Cathaoirleach of Leixlip Town Council.
Cllr Rodgers retailed the history of the premises, which for over 30 years had been called the Captain’s Inn in memory of one of the several captains who lived on Captain’s Hill, nearby. It was run by the McNamee family during that time.
Prior to that, from 1909 and perhaps earlier, it belonged to Mrs M B Wardell, who ran Wardell’s for over 50 years until the early 1960s. “Back before Wardells, we had the Coogan family,” Cllr Rodgers recalled. “Bartholomew and William, followed by Eliza, were running a pub here from as long ago as 1824, when they appear in the street directory of the day, but we do not know what they called it or when it first opened.”
Cllr Rodgers believes that over 350 people work in Leixlip’s pub, hotel and restaurant facilities. The latest owners of the historic premises are Leixlip Taverns Ltd, who bought it a couple of years ago.
Among the distinguishing features of the new pub are modern silks pained by artist Renata from Poland; the bog-oak sculptures of Galwayman Mike Weerakonn, and portraits by local artist Janet Colgan. The picture above is of the engagement in 1917, of James O'Neill, then Commandant of the irish Citizen Army, and Mary Cully of Leixlip, together with Mary's sister. The Cully family were from Clane and are connected to the American President
Kennedy clan.
©2002knn