Planning board allows Dingle pub to keep outdoor dining area for two more years after appeal

Kerry County Council wants operators to remove, or in some cases improve, the temporary developments outside pubs, cafes and restaurants

The single storey timber outdoor seating area had been constructed at the east gable wall of Murphy’s Pub alongside a laneway on Strand Street opposite the Dingle Marina. File picture: Dan Linehan

A popular Dingle pub has been allowed to keep its outdoor dining area for two more years following enforcement proceedings by Kerry County Council. 

A number of enforcement files have been opened by Kerry County Council to clamp down on outdoor structures erected during covid.

The council wants operators to remove, or in some cases improve, the temporary developments outside pubs, cafes and restaurants.

Murphy’s Pub in Dingle was granted retention permission for two years by the council in October 2025. The decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála, however, by a third party.

The single storey timber outdoor seating area had been constructed at the east gable wall of Murphy’s Pub alongside a laneway on Strand Street opposite the Dingle Marina. It occupies an area of 43 sq metres and has limited views of the marina.

Two objectors had raised concerns about the obstruction of a local laneway, the visual impact of the streetscape, and the impact on architectural conservation.

Mr Murphy said the outdoor seating area was erected to help his business remain viable during the pandemic. 

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A retention application was made in response to enforcement proceedings by Kerry County Council and he was seeking to regularise the structure which had become "an essential part" of maintaining the viability of licenced premises.

When the route for the relief road was finalised he would consider applying for a more permanent structure with a more aesthetic design, Mr Murphy said.

The board of the commission ruled the development can operate for two more years but it will then have to be removed “in its entirety”. 

No amplified music or other specific entertainment noise emissions are permitted within the covered private open space to the rear of the pub.