TREATED LIKE ROYALTY AT CASTLE BAR
DESSIE AND KAY CORBETT RAN POPULAR SEATOWN VENUE FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS
Sixteen years was more than enough time for Dessie Corbett to work for other people, when the time came he and wife Kay jumped at the chance of owning the Castle Bar in Seatown back in 1987 and making it one of the most iconic pubs Dundalk has ever had.
Dessie began his love affair with bar work when he ‘served his time’ in Enda McGuill’s bar (now Murphy’s) in Church Street where he spent four years, from there he sent the next eight years working in Tom Sextons (Tata’s) in Seatown, managed for two more years in The Ploughman’s and finished off with seven years part time work in the Lisdoo before the pub he had eyes on, came on the market.
The Castle Bar was a small pub in Seatown owned by Cooley man Vincy McArdle and two years previous to its sale Desie and Kay had made enquiries from its owner about its availability and swiftly snapped it up when it went on sale back in 1987.
With a small front bar adjacent to an archway gate that allowed access to a large lounge at the rear that was more of a barn than a comfortable place to enjoy a few drinks, they had their work cut out to transform it into one of the most loved pubs in the town. Bit by bit through their first few years they changed the premises round to make it more conducive for enjoyment and the major renovations took place in 1994 that transformed it into what it is today.
Along with joining the access between the bar and lounge, they refurbished not one but two beer gardens and the archway that led to the main street with furniture and fitting so people could enjoy a drink in the open, they refitted the huge store room at the rear and included a full size snooker table, two pool tables, dart board and bar so this gave them a games room adjacent to the lounge and this was one of the facets that proved so popular with an ever growing number of regulars.
But it was the music that really helped to make the place on the map with a traditional session on Thursday night and a hugely impressive line up of local acts like Tommy Kelly (who was the first to play in the lounge) and was followed by the likes of Mark 2, Merrymacs, Long Riders, Mc
Collum Brothers, Henry Mac, Gerry Larkin and Paddy Doc to name but a few and it was from this bigger names came to play, the likes of Mary Black, Eleanor McEvoy, Red Hurley, Sunny Knowles, Johnny Feane and Steve Travers, John Spillane Danny O’Reilly from the Coronas and Derek Davis all appeared in the lounge at different times there with appearances by Ryan Giggs and Brian Kidd special to this Man Utd. pub.
Always ones to come up with innovative ideas to keep the regulars entertained The Castle Bar played host to some of the most exceptional nights to be found and one of the most outstanding had to be during the Seatown Patron when they ran a fundraiser for the Louth County Hospital where, along with Irish Dancing on the street, they marked out squares on the road outside the premises, sold each of these to everyone there, and brought in a cow to walk around. The winner of the prizes was the square where the cow relieved itself on. Unfortunately, whether it was the couple of hundred people there to cheer it on or the excitement of being beside the bar, the food it was served or the pint it had, the poor unfortunate cow got stage fright and
couldn’t perform. Time was dragging on and they decided that they would count down the last three minutes before they made a decision (which square it’s back leg was in when the time ran out) with 18 seconds to go, the cow came up trumps to a huge applause from its audience.
During the World Cup fever in 1990 Dessie decided to build a 60 seater wooden stand in the lounge to add to the atmosphere with the help of well known carpenter the late Brendan Farrelly but this fell by the wayside when it was changed from wood to steel!
In the early days, two of the pubs biggest back to back nights were the Sunday night after the Women’s Mini Marathon when full buses run by Freda Hearty came back and completely packed the lounge and bar. The following night was the now legendary Ireland England game at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart when all Irish fans went ballistic and the Castle bar was no different!
Although the ladies night after the mini marathon were always a huge success, Dessie was caught out one year when he received the call from Freda when the buses reached Castlebellingham on the
way back from Dublin to have everything ready for their arrival. Dessie was out at the gate with champagne at the ready to welcome the tired runners back, caught sight of the first bus that pulled in down the street, everyone got out and headed up to Dessie who greeted them with their champagne and bid them down the archway to the lounge. It was only when the two real busses arrived that Dessie realised he had greeted a group of American tourists who had just happened along and were more than impressed with his welcome. Unfortunately it was short lived as he had to go in and explain the error of his ways and asked them to vacate the lounge! All was not lost, they ventured up town and then returned back to enjoy the rest of the night with the runners.
Their very own Mini Maracycle was also a huge success. Joining forces with the Order of Malta, they fundraised money to send sick children to Lourdes and every child that got the opportunity to go is still here today.
It is said that a good staff can really make a pub and in the Castle bar this was a certainty with the likes of Thomas Flynn who served under the Corbett’s for 19 of their 20 years in residence, Sam O’Neill, Kevin Sheilds, Gerry O’Hare, Barry Kieran and Damian Ross (who is now the pubs manager) all deserved of a mention for their longevity and dedication to the bar.
Being a sports orientated pub they had affiliations to Man Utd., but had their own teams in football (McConville Cup winners with Darryl O’Kane as manager), darts, snooker, pool, a thriving golfing society, clay pigeon shooting and Tour De Seatown cycling races and when they were on the lookout for something different, were known to host marbles completion, a hoola hoop completion and a special mention for the battle of the battery operated cuddly toy dog and pig competition!
Christmas was always a special time in the Bar and the place was always packed for Santa’s arrival on Christmas Eve with all his presents for the regulars. His entrance was always a spectacle and he arrived on various modes of transport including on a sleigh pulled by two dogs, on a horse, a reindeer, as an emu, on a motorbike and out of the back of a rhino (ace Ventura style!) and it always turned out to be a huge night for everyone lucky to be there.
Well Dessie and Kay decided that 20 years running a pub was what they had set out to do and they had surpassed this with flying colours. So back in 2006 they put the pub on the market and it was sold to Hugh Morgan. Both have been back in on numerous times and have nothing but great memories of an excellent pub. Such was their influence that the Castle Bar is still an iconic bar and always worth a visit.