Built as Tallaghts environs expanded in the 80s, this was reported as being precisely over one mile (1.6km - this will be important later...) by road from the next nearest objecting pub - Delaneys Knocklyon Inn; one mile being the distance at which a new pub could be opened despite objections by other publicans under the licencing laws at the time.
Two things are interesting about this - firstly, the now closed Firhouse Inn was closer, but they were not objecting - the Speaker Connolly being a joint venture between publicans including the owners of the Firhouse Inn. Secondly, despite the road changes since having made the distance between the pubs slightly longer than I believe it was originally, I am only meausring it at as being 1.2km!
A few writueps ago I mentioned my concern that a previous large suburban pub with a large carpark could be eyed up by a developer. Well, this is a large suburban pub with a large carpark; and it already has been - planning has been applied for twice here.
The plans propose to keep the pub, which is often applied for but less often done; although in the south west of the city/county, this has actually happened more often than not; with the Traders in Greenhills being a recent example
The pub itself could do with a refurb if those development plans fail to come through, being a little run down; but it's clean and functional and there's plenty of space inside.
Sorry for the drive-by comment but I came across your blog when I was searching for something else related to the Speaker Conolly pub!
ReplyDeleteConolly was closely associated with the Firhouse and Rathfarnham area - the (in)famous Hellfire Club that sites atop Montpelier Hill was built by Conolly as a sporting lodge. Just before the Hellfire Club car park is a former hunting lodge that was also built by the Conolly family, albeit after The Speaker's death.
Anyway, the Speaker Conolly pub is to finally close on Monday 20th July 2026. Like you, I have little faith that the new building will actually feature a pub.