Family steps back from Corkery’s Bar leaving fond memories behind

SUNDAY night marked the end of an era for the Corkery family who closed the doors on the family pub on High Street, Killarney.

The well-known pub has been in the Corkery family for 72 years but they have decided to take time out from life behind the bar, which will re-open under new management later this week.

Corkery’s Pub has been passed down through three generations since it was bought by Jerome’s grandfather in 1946. His parents, Tadhg and Joan, ran the pub from 1967 until 2009 when it was passed down to the next generation.

Tributes poured in this week for the Corkery family and the role they have played in Killarney life, with many recalling fond memories of watching the races in the bar and enjoying tea and ham sandwiches when sustenance was needed.

Jerome (pictured above) was the most recent Corkery family member behind the bar and he was supported by his sister, Mary and brother Tadhg in the family business. Jerome was a great storyteller, as was his father before him, and this attribute stood him well in the trade.

For Mary, Corkery’s was the place where they grew up and they fondly remember their youth behind the bar. “We were pulling pints and clearing glasses from a young age. We were reared upstairs and it was a home to us and to our customers,” recalls Mary. “The kettle was always on in Corkery’s. It was not about the drink but about the chat and the community.”

The new proprietors are Alan Breen, John O’Sullivan and Kieran O’Leary.