Rory getting serious with his ‘shy’ South American
It only seemed like yesterday (August 2018, in fact) that The Queen of Ireland himself Rory O’Neill was telling me, “I have never been a ‘serious relationship’ person. That could change tomorrow.”
Those words, it transpired, proved prophetic. “My on-again, off-again fella has become more permanently on,” Rory told me last Thursday, “and moved in a few weeks ago. But he’s the shy type and doesn’t like attention, so don’t bother asking for a name or anything!” Is he South American? “Ha! Yes!” Yet more good news for Rory, whose alter ego is Panti, is that on February 15 he will be opening the swish doors to Penny Lane — a sister venue to the legendary Pantibar which opened in 2007 on Capel Street — on Great Strand Street. The new emporium is something of a nod to Rory’s Jack Russell super pooch Penny, who lives with Rory and new live-in lover from South America, of course.
“I’m super excited to be opening Penny Lane, mostly just because of how beautiful it is!” Rory said. “And also because my business partner in the new venture is Shane Harte who has been the manager and soul of Pantibar since it opened 12 years ago, and it’s also he who has done all the work to turn the neglected and ignored building across from Pantibar into the beautiful venue that opens in just two weeks after a lot of hard work.”
Let’s hope Mr South America never has cause to say that about his new boyfriend — that he is hard work.