U2 birthday bash bar in Kerry village is up for sale
The Blue Bull Bar and Restaurant, Sneem, Co Kerry. Picture: bluebullsneem.com
DRUM roll please — a legendary Sneem hostelry where U2 drummer Larry Mullen held his 30th birthday celebrations is on the market, along with an adjoining property, for €750,000.
The Blue Bull Bar & Restaurant can also lay claim to William Melville, who was arguably the inspiration for James Bond’s ‘M’, the fictional head of MI6.
His family ran a bakery from the premises in the late 19th century. Melville, born in Sneem, emigrated to London in the 1870s and joined the Metropolitan Police. He foiled many high-profile terrorist plots and after ostensibly retiring, he was recruited by the British Government for intelligence gathering and became known as 'M'.
This is part of the folklore of the pub the O’Carroll family bought in 1991. They reckon The Blue Bull is one of the Ring of Kerry's oldest pubs, certainly the oldest in Sneem to obtain a licence — which was 24-hour, to cater for local fisherman coming in off the boats, says Katie O’Carroll, who bought the bar in 1991 and ran it for most of the 1990s, before selling it to her sister Colleen in 1999, who is now bowing out and putting the premises on the market.
Katie was only 21 years old when she bought the The Blue Bull and recalls getting a call to ask if Larry Mullen could host his birthday there.
“It was off season [October 1991] and I was the only one there as I was the chef. The whole of the U2 crew stopped in. It was a quiet time of the year, so they had the place to themselves. It was fantastic,” Katie said.
Other showbiz luminaries to stop by included Irish movie director Neil Jordan and English theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who gave a glowing review of the restaurant’s food in the .
Famous chef Peter Robinson, brother-in-law of former Irish president Mary Robinson and one of the first chefs in Ireland to win a Michelin Star, was awarded the prestigious Egon Ronay stars for The Blue Bull in 1979 and 1980.
The pub’s name — taken from a quote in playwright JM Synge’s drama ("Strike him yourself Michael James or you’ll lose my drift of heifers and my Blue Bull from Sneem")
— may have helped draw showbiz customers, but for former Irish soccer manager, the late Jack Charleton, it was a more a case of going to the local during fishing holidays in Kerry.
Another famous (or infamous) visitor was former taoiseach, the late Charles Haughey, who had an affinity with the area and enjoyed fine dining.
So, having devoted time and energy to running this illustrious pub for more than 20 years, Colleen is now selling up, as a package, the pub and adjoining three-storey property, known as Jack Micín’s, (name of the premises' original owner).
The bar and restaurant premises include a 264 sq m ground floor with seating for 100 people. There’s a newly fitted stainless steel kitchen and, to the rear, a beer garden.
The 177 sq m first floor is suitable for live-in or staff accommodation and includes three bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and sitting room.
Next door, Jack Micín’s previously operated as a gift shop on the 48 sq m ground floor (official opening performed by singer Mary Black) and while the two overhead floors, with independent access, need renovation, “there’s great potential for Airbnb or a boutique hotel or apartments”, say the vendors, who point out there may be grants available under schemes such as Living over the Shop.
Colleen says the pub and restaurant comes with a seven-day licence, although they scaled it back in recent years, closing for the winter and just re-opening next week in time for St Patrick's weekend. There's great scope to build up the business again, Colleen says, and make the most of a very busy tourist trade, which was booming thanks to tour buses pre-Covid.
Selling the bundle is auctioneer Pauline Sugrue who says it’s “an exceptional opportunity to purchase a well known public house, in the heart of picturesque Sneem village, on the scenic Wild Atlantic Way/Ring of Kerry”.
"There are endless business opportunities for the two historical properties and plans were drawn up for either apartments or a guesthouse, while a microbrewery were also amongst the many opportunities considered," Ms Sugrue said.
The Blue Bull is a traditional pub and restaurant, known for its friendly service and good quality food, selection of beers, and Irish coffees.
Pauline Sugrue Tel: (066) 9474310 Email: info@kerrypropertysales.com
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