The Village Pubs of Cork: ‘We have film nights, a fiver a pint, popcorn too... they’re brilliant’

A listed building that was once a Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Barracks stands out at the crossroads in Ballyvolane.

Painted black, The Fox And Hounds pub here is older than the Irish state. Inside, the pub keeps its original front wall, with its original stonework exposed as a feature.

“It’s a protected building, the whole front wall is it’s original stonework,” says Kevin Allen, the pub’s manager.

“That’s all preserved. You can’t touch it. We keep it as part of the decor.”

Inside the pub, there’s a long rectangular- shaped bar with new warm lighting and a ‘whiskey wall’ at the gable end, and, you notice, a recent renovation, yet its century-old feel is retained.

This is Kevin’s local as well. He grew up a stone’s throw away, in Meadow Park, and still lives nearby.

“This place was my family’s local for as long as I can remember,” he says.

“My uncles, my dad, every weekend, this was it.

“When I turned 18 myself, we’d be down here. It’s always been part of the area,” Kevin says.

He started working in pubs over a decade ago, beginning at Murphy’s Rock Bar.

“I had no bar experience at all, a buddy of mine was managing it,” says Kevin.

“I’d lost my job at the time, and I was doing a college course. He invited me up for a chat and he said.’Will you start tomorrow?’ And that was it.”

Kevin is every bit the bar manager. His experience shows in how the Fox And Hounds pub has taken off since its re-opening last August.

“Since, then it’s been going very well, better than expected, to be honest.

“People were crying out for it to come back, he says

Ballyvolane itself has seen huge changes in recent years. Housing developments have expanded it into neighbouring areas.

“It used to be just Ballyvolane village. Now it’s much bigger. But the community is still there,” says Kevin,

“The older fellas are like clockwork, same seats, same drinks. You could set your watch by them.”

Younger customers are taking a different approach.

“They’re not as regular in the old sense,” explains Kevin.

“They might be in on a Friday or Sunday.

“They’ve other priorities, gym, work, all that. But they still come.”

Yet the bar’s worth in the community still stands.

“This place is more than just a pub at times; It’s nearly a community centre. Especially after the pandemic, lads who hadn’t seen each other in years are back in together now. It’s like the old days.”

The pub was painted black, a controversial decision that has drawn comment in the local area.

“Black and gold was always the plan. The black actually works with the stone,” explains Kevin.

“It makes the building stand out without hiding what it is. It’s still an old-style bar. That’s what people want.”

The Fox and Hounds is not a bar that serves food.

“A few years ago, I’d have said any pub without food would struggle,” said Kevin.

“That was my mindset from working in places where food was central, but we’re hitting our targets without food. We’re beating expectations,” he says.

Monday nights feature two darts teams, including one that relocated after another venue closed. On the nights there’s no football, the pub runs film nights.

“We call it Movie Madness. A fiver gets you your pints during the film. Popcorn as well. It’s been brilliant.”

There are regular sessions, DJs, and local musicians, and an Oasis tribute act had the place packed to the rafters recently.

“We tested it first (music acts). The reaction was unbelievable. So we know there’s an appetite for it,” Kevin says.

Kevin has observed differences when rural pubs close versus city pubs. 

“In rural areas, closures are harder. Here, if one place closes, the customers don’t disappear. They move. And when something’s working, people support it.”

The Fox And Hounds is surrounded by other businesses, bookies, takeaways, all feeding into one another rather than competing.

“Everyone benefits. That’s how it should be,” says Kevin.

Looking ahead, expansion is mooted as a possibility, but he’s not giving much away.

“There’s always room for improvement,” he says with a touch of a grin.