Tony Morris takes over Ardee hotel from Dermot
THE former Brophy’s Hotel in Ardee has another new owner. After having been on the market for some months, it is confirmed that the Castle Street property, including the re-named “Turfman’s Bar,” has been bought privately by a Dublin businessman, Mr. Tony Morris, a native of the Midlands.
Having purchased the property from Mr. Garrett Brophy for a sum said at the time to have been bordering the six figure mark, well-known entertainer, Dermot O’Brien (below), had the premises extensively altered and refurbished with the intention of making it a permanent home. But, finding great difficulty in trimming back on his showbiz career, the former star footballer just wasn’t able to devote the necessary time to his Ardee undertaking.
Thus, after much soulsearching, it was decided to put the property again on the market. The restaurant side of the business, managed by Dermot’s wife, Rosemary, has been closed down for some time. The O’Briens, who took possession on Sept. 1,1980, are returning to the city, having purchased a new property at Roebuck Road in the Clonskea area.
Dermot’s sons, Dermot junior and Ronan, are boarding at Blackrock College; eldest daughter, Catherine, had been helping in the Ardee business; Grace is at a boarding school in Dublin, while the baby of the squad, Roinin, was attending the local Scoil Mhuire na Trocaire.