When Alan Cooney, or “Buddio” as he is known to his many friends, took over as proprietor at McHugh’s pub at the end of March last year it was the start of a new chapter in a story that stretches back almost 200 years.
Alan has built up the Barrell at the back of the premises into the premier music and comedy venue in town and has also initiated big changes to the layout and decor of the front bar where he is hoping to attract visitors from near and far with music sessions.
Here historian Sean Collins traces the history of the pub, its owners and customers over the centuries:
The premises we know today as McHugh’s pub and The Barrel venue at Laurence Gate is first listed in McCabe’s Directory of Drogheda in 1830 as being owned by Thomas Martin who sold wines and spirits.
By 1863 the premises had changed hands and was being run by a native of Termonfeckin called Nicholas Leech who was an elected member of Drogheda Corporation and the first owner of the premised to be licensed under the 1863 Licensing Act.
Leech had extensive business interests in Drogheda, he was a member of the Harbour Commissioners, the Fishery Conservators, and St. Peter’s Dispensary Board.
He was also a coal merchant and owned a ship called the SS Glamorgan which sank with a full cargo of coal en-route from Troon in Scotland to Cork in 1872. Thankfully Captain Maguire and his 30 man crew were all saved by a passing merchant ship.
Throughout his career Nicholas Leech took a very prominent role in Drogheda’s affairs and served as Mayor on three occasions, 1874, 1875, and in 1881 for one month, and 1882 for two months, when the then incumbent Ald. John Mangan was held in Dundalk Jail for sedition.
Both Mangan and Leech were Home Rulers and staunch supporters of Charles Stewart Parnell M.P. in 1871 Leech became the first Chairman of the newly founded Home Rule Association in the town.
In 1876 Leech unveiled the Whitworth Monument at the bottom of Peter Street which was moved ten years later to North Quay at the request of the local traders.
In the same year his wife Teresa died at the age of 31, which proved a very sad occasion for all. She was buried in Termonfeckin and the local paper said it was one of the biggest funerals ever to leave the town.
Leech continued in business and as a Corporation member until his retirement in 1889. The public house at Laurence Gate was sold at a hotly contested auction by auctioneer Luke J. Elcock for £635.00 plus fees to Thomas Callan, a native of Mosstown, Dunleer.
Like his predecessor Thomas Callan had extensive business interests and was elected as a member of Drogheda Corporation, becoming Mayor in 1909. So the premises at the corner of Francis St, [sometimes Morgan’s Lane] and the Cord Road, continued to thrive.
After Thomas Callan died in 1942, his daughter Gertrude continued to run the premises until it was acquired in 1959 by Philip Connolly who built on a lounge and extended the premises.
The pub became very popular with the GAA fraternity and buses were regularly organised to attend matches at Croke Park. At this time regular customers included Kevin Dowd, and Matt Clarke, the Finglas family from Francis Street, John Hafford and Frank Clinton the doorman from the Hibernian Bank at the Tholsel.
The barman’s name was Tom Gallagher who had previously worked for Gertrude Callan. One astute observer recalled that both Tom Gallagher and the owner Philip Connolly always wore waist length whitecoats when they served behind the bar.
If they were not serving, they spent their time polishing, be it glasses or mirrors and fittings, everything was kept sparkling.
In 1972 James and Anne Irwin acquired the premises, bringing in the modern era, sandwiches and cocktail sausages were provided gratis on most Sunday evenings.
Dominic Kerr became the long serving barman and his wonderful sense of humour made him very popular with regulars two of whom, Owen Murray and Charlie Connor, organised the weekly rings tournament.
In the 80’s local T.D. the late Michael Bell, his wife Betty and his Labour Party colleagues made Irwin’s their unofficial H.Q.
Luminaries observed there on political activities include the British Miners leader and scourge of Margaret Thatcher Arthur Scargill, and one Michael D. Higgins. Pat Judge the local hairdresser and Robbie O’Neill, woodcarver extraordinaire also visited Irwin’s on occasion.
In 1988 the premises became the property of Eamonn McHugh. Two Oulster’s Lane regulars at the pub told me they were unashamedly Spurs supporters. One of them is still going strong, the other is gone to his eternal reward. They wondered what changes the new owners would bring and were amazed to find that 11year old Turlough McHugh was also a Spurs supporter and had an even bigger knowledge of the club than they had.
By the turn of the millennium, Eamonn’s son T.P. was in charge. Tuiteser, Niall, Rory, Ogy, Hanno and Daryll began to make it their regular haunt. S.J. McArdle organised the music and Fiachra McRaghnaill all dropped in from time to time. Even Donal Black showed up.
The Judge Bros and Harafish were regular performers and McHugh’s venue became the main platform for original new music in Drogheda. The 2004 smoking ban and pole dancing in 2007 were all taken in their stride at McHugh’s.
The Covid 19 pandemic was a time of great change and it left as it’s legacy Song and Jenn and their amazing Korean food creations avaiable in the back yard which attracts international clients which proves that Drogheda is not full and there is a welcome here for all, especially at McHugh’s.
Watch out for Podge and Blas do Theanga, Spiral Nights from Kelly and Jasmine and, the latest development, a singing chef with a karaoke machine. Onwards and upwards Alan and Co at the Barrel Venue or simply McHugh’s.
