Sir Henry’s is back… kind of: Australian pub pays tribute to iconic Cork nightclub

A new bar in Perth has adopted the name of the famous Cork venue 

Sir Henry's on South Main Street, Cork. Picture: Theresa Lucey

A famous Cork nightclub which once saw Nirvana take to its stage is the inspiration behind a new Irish pub in Australia.

The bar, which opened in Perth  last week, is named after Sir Henry’s in Cork, a much-loved music venue for generations of music fans.

In the 1980s and '90s, the original Sir Henry’s on South Main Street began welcoming acts such as The Pogues, Sonic Youth and The Fall. 

Kurt Cobain famously took to the stage to a crowd of just 200, jumping around in his trademark torn jeans and going through several guitars, when his band played support to Sonic Youth. 

The Cork venue also served as a dance destination for Irish clubbers with the explosion of house music. Sweat, probably one of the best-remembered nights, was even voted the best dance club in Europe by MTV at the time.

The Perth pub, which pays homage to the original venue, is owned by three friends; Pat Van Brakel, Dave McKee and Ian Jeffery. Jeffery — a Galway native —wanted Sir Henry’s to reflect Europe’s classic pub culture.

“We’re going to have some Irish drinks and some European-style beers on tap,” he told Perth Now, “but we’ve also put a lot of time and effort into the tap set-up to make sure the pints and the glasses are cold and served correctly. We’re just bringing over the things I used to like when I lived in Ireland.” 

Sir Henry’s on South Main Street in Cork was originally named after Sir Henry Browne Hayes (1762-1832), a one time Sheriff of the city, before being banished to Australia for the supposed kidnap of a wealthy local heiress.

Sir Henry Browne was subject to penal transportation to New South Wales, where he went on to build Vaucluse House, a colonial country estate (now a tourist attraction) near Sydney.

A decade later, the real Sir Henry was pardoned. He made his way back to Cork where he survived a shipwreck at the Falkland Islands on his return journey. He retired where he was born, and died in 1832.

Sir Henry's in Perth is located at the epicentre of nightlife in Northbridge, an inner city suburb. A second launch date for the pub is planned for March to tie in with St Patrick's Day.