Retirement never an option for Joe
Joe O’Donovan, who died in the Mater Hospital, Dublin, on Friday January 1, was a very well known businessman who didn’t know the meaning of retirement.
A native of Co Cork, Joe first came to Dundalk in 1956 as a young Garda. He settled in the town and after leaving the force, made his first venture into the pub trade, when he bought The Emer Bar.
He subsequently moved to England, where he dabbled in the antiques trade for a number of years, before returning to the bar trade, managing and owning some of the UK’s busiest bars and restaurants over 20 year period, from Regent’s Street to Suffolk, Essex and Berkshire, before returning to Ireland 25 years ago.
He bought The Moby Dick bar and restaurant in Blackrock and ran it for a number of years before retiring. It was a retirement which didn’t last very long as he purchased An Sos coffee shop in Castlebellingham, renaming the landmark thatched premises ‘Foley’s Tearooms’ after his mother’s maiden name. Retirement beckoned a second time and he sold it, only to buy it back again as he missed it too much.
In Foley’s, which he ran with the help of family, he combined his love for the hospitality trade with antiques, and delighted in welcoming visitors from far and wide. When the thatch was engulfed in flames in 2018 and the premises badly damaged, Joe put on a brave face and pledged to reopen but unfortunately red tape proved to difficult to overcome. This might have seemed a good time to finally retire, but Joe was determined to keep busy and opened Fadó antiques in Bridge Street, working there up to the second lockdown.
His passion for keeping busy extended beyond work. He was always in the garden, fixing things up, buying cars, sourcing`stuff, doing crosswords and sukodos, going on trips. Best of all, he loved spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In August 2019, after 50 years together, Joe and Gertie tied the knot before their family and friends.
Joe is survived by his beloved Gertie, children Shelly, Raymond, Finbarr, Riona, step children, Bernie, Margaret, Siobhán, Fra, John, and Elaine, his brother Tim, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sons in law, daughters in law, nephews, nieces, relatives, and friends.
Due to Level 5 restrictions his funeral Mass took place privately on Tuesday January 5 in St Joseph’s Redemptorist followed by burial in St. Patrick’s Cemetery.