The history of An Droichead Beag
The building remained in the O’Connors’ hands until 1986, when Muiris Ferris bought it and retained it much as it was, apart from the addition of a single Guinness tap. His vision was to transform it into a traditional Irish music bar, hosting the best of traditional Irish music every night of the year. Over the years, it hosted the likes of The Hot House Flowers, Dolores Keane, Nigel Kennedy, Donal Murphy, Cathal Hayden, The Coronas, and many more. It soon became known as one of the top traditional Irish music bars in the country, and it retains that reputation today.
Some of the better-known faces to have appeared in the Droichead include Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries, Pierce Brosnan, Nicole Kidman, and Julia Roberts.
The Ferris family ran the Droichead for 22 years, over which time they bought the surrounding buildings and acquired a dance license. They also ran a take-away restaurant and bed & breakfast, running all of their businesses with the same strong core values.
In 2008, Pat & Eileen Sheehan bought the business. The Sheahan family owns several pubs in the Munster region, including J.M Reidys, McSorleys, The Porterhouse, and Social 15 in Killarney, as well as The Square Pint in Kenmare and country pubs in villages such as Firies and Beaufort. They continue to cherish the tradition of “An Droichead Beag,” with the best of local traditional musicians playing seven nights a week. They also cater for differing musical tastes with a nightclub on the second floor.
Always keen to delight its customers, An Droichead Beag is undergoing renovations – what Sinead likes ot call “TLC” – with the exciting addition of two cocktail bars and a premium drinks menu.
