UNIQUE HISTORY FOR ONE OF OLDEST BARS IN TOWN

Having your family name over the door of a pub for a century is certainly recognition that you’re doing something right and there aren’t many premises in town that can boast that fact, but one that certainly can is Tom Clarke’s bar in Quay Street which celebrates its centenary this year.

Although the pub can trace its roots back to the late nineteenth century when it was called the Liverpool Arms, it was then one of a number of pubs that serviced the British army when they occupied what is now Aiken barracks. Other pubs included The Garrison (The Nest) and the Manchester Bar (Georgie Connolly’s). But a young MJ Clarke, who had owned a pub in Belfast and was a cattle dealer, was forced out of the northern capital by a protestant paramilitary group. He moved back to Dundalk and took over what is now Tom Clarkes which at the time was a bar and grocery shop for the quay area.

He worked for 26 years building up a good reputation but unfortunately died suddenly in 1946 and it was left to his family to keep the bar and the cattle trade going as best they could. This they did but in the early 50s, son Tom bought the bar from the rest of the family and made it his own, but also continued in the cattle trade.

These were busy time for the premises, Dundalk boasted two shoe factories Halidays and Rawsons both of which were located close to the pub and along with facilitating the locals living on the quay, they also provided food and beverages for a huge workforce employed in both factories.

This they successfully did through the 60s and early 70s, but when the shoe market took a major down turn, both factories (then called Clarks and Connollys) closed and the prosperity of the area suffered too. Some say that the quay never quite recovered from those heady days and have been abandoned by the powers that be, even to this very day.

A change was needed in Tom Clarkes and the grocery shop was replaced with a singing lounge (the Althea Lounge). The current owner James was working in Galway doing summer work in the pubs there and staying with his brother Tom. But the call to the homestead was too strong and he returned to Dundalk where he helped out in the pub and the bookies shops that were being run by his dad.

James then took the reins in the early eighties. He transformed the Althea Lounge into two larger snugs that was more conducive to the regular clientele and kept the main bar as the focal point of the premises.

To say that Tom Clarkes is a sports orientated bar is somewhat of an understatement. It has been associated with all aspects of sport and none more so that the two local teams that hail from the area, The Sean O’Mahonys and Quay Celtic which they have proudly sponsored down through the years.

Their biggest achievement with the GAA club first came back in 1973 when they won the Louth Junior Championship and the celebrations went on for days on end! A feat they repeated three times since, but they went on to bigger and better things in 2016 when they won the Louth Senior Championship and only narrowly lost out in the Leinster Semi Finals. These games took place in early October and yes, the celebrations were still on going at Christmas!

Such is their popularity that the pub has become a home from home for many of the county teams and you’re as likely to see lads from the Gaels, Clans and the Geraldines side by side and even St. Pats and Cooley Kickhams play enjoying the craic together over a few beers.

On the soccer front, Quay Celtic have always had a huge support from Clarkes since their inception back in 1966 formed by Jimmy Clancy, Joe Callan and Barney McArdle and the great Jimmy Clancy actually work for Clarkes in one of their bookies.

Possibly one of the club’s biggest achievements was the senior team’s involvement in the Leinster Senior League back in 2004 where they qualified for the first round of the FAI Cup with Paul O’Connell as manager. The Dublin teams loved their visit to Dundalk were they got a hard game of football but were treated to a bowl of stew and a few pints afterwards in Clarkes.

Tom Clarkes has also a good pedigree where horse racing is concerned and over the years regularly ran buses to the various meetings around the country. They can also boast an excellent and exclusive Golfing Society which has seen many of its members go on to become respected members in the various golf clubs in the area.

If they were to try and name some of the characters and influencers in the pub over the years James says there would be too many to mention. But one man who sums up ‘ the quay’ would be his late friend Thomas ‘Guzzler’ Shields a true gentleman.

But now with the immanent reopening after nearly four months closure due to the pandemic, James is really looking forward to getting back to doing what they do best in Tom Clarkes and that is providing a quality service that has lasted for 100 years. There will be social distancing for the next while and early closing times. They are looking at 10.00pm, but Tom Clarkes are ready to resume where they left off and make sure that anyone that crosses the threshold of the door will receive a proper Quay welcome and guarantee them a great night.

Even though the name Tom Clarke is over the door, James says it will remain there for some time to come he is optimistic as his grandson Tom Clarke was born last Christmas!