Different folks sought as Kinsale venue hits market

Live music gigs, honeymoons, discos at the Bacchus-Kinsale’s Folk House was a fixture of the town’s social scene and pub culture for decades. Closed since covid, it’s up for sale now via Knight Frank on behalf of a Dublin-based developer.

One of Kinsale’s oldest and best-known licensed premises, The Folk House, has been launched to market with an asking price of €1.5m.

The landmark former pub and nightclub, which includes substantial overhead accommodation and potential for a range of commercial/mixed use purposes, subject to planning approval, is being sold by a Dublin-based developer. The property has already generated strong interest from hospitality operators in Kinsale.

A feasibility study commissioned by the vendor indicates potential for future residential development, with scope for six to 10 residential units. The part two-storey, part three-storey 17,000sq ft terraced premises currently has 27 en suite bedrooms across the first and second floors.

A second option would be to retain the bar and accommodation, while scrapping the nightclub element — formerly known as Bacchus — and replacing it with a more substantial hotel reception area, while introducing a small function room for private events.

News that the property on Guardwell St is for sale has already prompted a strong reaction on Facebook, with former patrons sharing nostalgic memories of “a great bar and live music venue”, while expressing hopes that a new owner might revive its live music tradition. Among the memories shared was one former customer recalling spending his honeymoon there in the ’70s, another remembered attending a Boomtown Rats gig at the Folk House, while yet another recalled how Michael Frawley, who ran the business with his wife Rose for a period in the ’80s, would play Friday night matches on a video on Saturdays, with strict instructions on one occasion to the bar man not to reveal the score. “I won’t, but you won’t see any goals,” came the witty response.

Although the premises closed during covid and never re-opened, it was for many decades a popular fixture of Kinsale’s hospitality scene and indeed it’s been an institution in the town for almost 300 years. During the late 20th and early 21st century, it established its reputation as a live music venue and was also known for its extensive whiskey, beer, and craft drinks selection.

The Frawleys took over in 1987 before later moving onto another well-known local venue, The White House. Company registration records show previous owners included Denis and Geraldine Kieran, whose ownership was reflected in signage over the door. It changed hands again in the mid-2000s — reportedly for between €2-3m — and has been in the ownership of a Dublin-based developer since about 2007.

The property is being brought to market via commercial agents Knight Frank who describe it as “occupying a strategic town-centre position ... superbly located within one of Ireland’s most established and high-performing coastal destinations”.

While the property is currently not trading it is being sold with the benefit of a seven day ordinary publican’s licence.

Knight Frank agent Amanda Isherwood said the property’s central positioning “ensures excellent accessibility, high visibility and sustained demand, underpinned by Kinsale’s limited supply of centrally located commercial premises”.

“Its proximity to Cork City, Cork Airport, and the wider Wild Atlantic Way further enhances its appeal from both an operational and investment perspective,” the agent added.

Knight Frank’s phone lines were busy from the moment the “For Sale” sign went up.

“It’s early days yet and we can’t say for certain if the buyer will be a private investor or someone in the hospitality industry, but it will probably appeal to both,” Ms Isherwood said. “But we have had one serious enquiry for an established hospitality operator in Kinsale.”

The agent added that the location represented “a rare opportunity to acquire a property with enduring trading potential, strong asset fundamentals and exposure to one of Ireland’s most resilient and desirable tourism destinations”.

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