Famous Laois pub celebrates its 250th birthday
Staff and management at Morrissey's Abbeyleix 250th celebrations. From left: Mark Deegan, Pauline Coughlan (general manager); Orla Tynan (of owners the Tynan family); Orla Maher, Adam O'Carroll, Caoimhe O'Keeffe, Annemarieke van der Voort and Daniel Brain. Photo: Alf Harvey
A FAMOUS pub threw open its doors for a full day of celebrations on Saturday, as Morrissey’s of Abbeyleix marked its 250th birthday.
The landmark premises on Main Street welcomed large crowds for an unforgettable day of nostalgia filled with stories, laughter, music, memories and the official launch of ‘Abbeyleix Celebrates 250’, the third book written by local historian Noel Burke with photography by James G. Carroll.
It was an extraordinary milestone not only for Morrissey’s but for the beautiful heritage town of Abbeyleix, both founded in 1775.
Fresh from its award-winning performance at the international Communities in Bloom competition in Canada, the town is world-famous for its beauty and immaculate streetscape, while the pub in turn is renowned internationally for its authentic traditional frontage and interior, which have remained unchanged for generations.
New memories were created at the joyful birthday celebrations overseen by general manager Pauline Coughlan, formerly of The Pantry in Portlaoise, with duty managers Mark Deegan and Orla Maher. The full staff team donned 18th century costumes as they embraced the spirit of the occasion while legendary former manager John Nolan, who retired in October after 32 years at the pub, returned to help MC the action-packed day of festivities.
Now owned by local man Dan Tynan, the pub began life as a humble thatched cottage built by the Morrissey family and has grown into one of Ireland’s most familiar traditional hostelries, which is a must-visit on any local tourist trail.
The highlight of the big birthday celebration was the book launch led by Abbeyleix Golf Club captain Jack Nolan and introduced by former manager John Nolan, who is chairman of the Abbeyleix Celebrates 250 committee established to organise a year-long series of events to mark the town’s anniversary.
The beautiful book contains 300 pages filled with stories and illustrations about the town that is loved so well. The evocative back cover of ‘Abbeyleix Celebrates 250’ declares: ‘Abbeyleix may be small, but its story is huge. This beautifully crafted volume gathers tales, legends and everyday moments from generations of locals.
‘It continues the legacy of ‘The Stories I Was Told’ and ‘Granddad Tell Us Another Story’, offering vivid portraits of local characters, folk tales and rivalries and snapshots of community life, past and present.
‘Whether you’re a lifelong resident or part of the Abbeyleix diaspora, this book is a heartfelt tribute to the town’s enduring spirit.’
The book is available on Amazon UK, while a limited number of copies will be available at the launch. The book will also be stocked at a range of outlets in Abbeyleix and at All Books, Portlaoise. The non-profit book costs €15, which covers publishing, editing and design.
