Portlaoise pub and restaurant closes after 13 months
Nanny Kelly's in Portlaoise has closed after only 13 months in business. File image
A PROMINENT bar and restaurant in Portlaoise has suddenly shut down, after only 13 months in business.
Nanny Kelly’s on Lower Main Street, once home to the long-standing Egan’s pub, has closed its doors to customers this week.
The venue was trading as usual at the weekend, with a late night party on Saturday and live DJs over the weekend. It is understood that staff were informed of the closure on Monday. All bookings at Nanny Kelly’s will be cancelled.
The premises, which is owned by the O’Loughlin family, has changed hands a number of times over the past decade and was leased to the Chris Kelly Group in April last year, when it reopened as Nanny Kelly’s.
It was previously home to Lilly’s Bar and Kitchen, which was opened by a group involving former Laois senior footballer Kieran Lillis in 2018 after a major refurbishment. Lilly’s ceased trading in February 2024.
Other previous ventures in the premises included The Blue Door, which opened in 2015, and Manhattan Mixer, which subsequently moved to Copper’s in Market Square.
The Chris Kelly Group, which has decided to close the Portlaoise business, runs a number of other well-known hostelries that include Sinnott’s and The Black Lion in Dublin, as well as the Parkview Hotel in Co Wicklow and a late night venue in Marbella.
The landmark building was taken over by the O’Loughlin family in 2014 following the closure of Egan’s, which was an extremely popular venue for many years.
The Chris Kelly Group has been contacted for comment.
