The Pubs of Cork: A putt, a pint, a bite to eat, and craic at The Blackrock Inn

A round of golf can work up a healthy appetite, and the 19th hole often does the job for the thirst.

“A lot of our regulars coming to The Blackrock Inn are golfers,” says Barry O’Driscoll, who co-owns the pub with his nephew Ian.

This gastro pub in Skehard Road is adjacent to Mahon Golf Club, and while some of the regulars might take to the fairway first, I take to a comfortable seat to purvey the enticing menu.

“Not a golfer then?’ inquires Barry, who is into all things to do with sport, as he gets ready for the lunchtime rush.

No. Once I caddied for a friend and, tired of all the hold-ups, I trotted off to fetch the golf ball back that had landed in a clump of trees some distance away. I was reprimanded severely, and told that under no circumstances was the ball to be handled while playing a round.

Even so, it is one way to work up a healthy appetite.

“The golfers and the locals really enjoy a traditional lunch of bacon and cabbage or Irish stew,” says Barry, who offers breakfast, lunch and dinner at The Blackrock Inn seven days a week.

“We have a really strong relationship with the golf club. The club hold their functions here and the captain’s prize is always a fabulous occasion here. The golf society is like one big family.

“We are all close and we share a lovely family environment together,” adds Barry.

That environment extends to all ages.

“We introduced a new burger menu for the younger crowd,” says Barry.

“They also enjoy the Sunday carvery and stay for the live music later on in the evening. Parties and special occasions are a big thing here.

“Often, the same family continue the trend into the next generation and even after that. Here, in this area and surrounds, we are known as a good local pub that caters for everyone.”

Barry has been happy to go the extra mile for the customers.

“For years we provided a shuttle bus to bring our customers home,” he says. “The bus driver, Barry, ran it for years until he passed away. We never introduced the service again after covid.”

Barry and Ian cater for their customers in lots of ways.

“We offer pensioners 20 cent off their pint,” says Barry. “The lads like coming in for a pint and to chat about news, sport, and what’s happening in the locality. Covid brought them together. They tend to sit together in the cosy corner near the window.

“The open plan setting in the middle of the bar is great for music sessions and sing-songs,” adds Barry.

“We hold fundraisers as well and raised €4,500 for Marymount with a music event here two years ago.

“Cork Stroke Support also benefited from fundraisers we have held in the pub,” says Barry.

The pub owners and the customers always show up.

“The fundraisers are always very well supported,” says Barry. “Local musicians play for hours.

“After the 2004 tsunami, we raised €4,000 for the Red Cross. The Rainbow Club have golf classics on the course, and we provide Christmas and Easter hampers to the Rainbow Club.”

The Blackrock Inn was already established when Barry and Ian took it over.

“We are the fifth owners, here now for 18 years,” says Barry.

“The McCarthy family were our predecessors. Over the years, the drink culture changed, and we had to adapt the business accordingly.”

Business must be good when customers can enjoy a sandwich with soup, tea, coffee, or chips, for €10?

“Absolutely!” says Barry, whose oldest regular customer, Billy, is 92.

Barry and his nephew Ian go back a long way too.

“Ian was my groomsman when I got married,” says Barry. “We even lived together for a while!”

The men always promote good relations in the locality.

“We had a barbecue recently when a local garda retired,” says Ian.

How has he adapted to the business, being co-owner with his uncle.

“Well, I never expected to go into the smoking room one morning to clean it and find someone asleep there!” says Ian, who enjoys the cráic and the banter associated with working behind the bar.

The customers enjoy the cráic and the banter on the other side of the counter as well.

“A young one who comes in here often always likes a decent sandwich at lunchtime,” says Ian.

“One day we decided to rob his sambo, take out the filling, and put in beer mats between the slices of bread instead. He got a right land and a right slagging!”

All’s well that ends well.

“He got free sandwiches wrapped up in a box for work the next day.”

Any other cráic?

“A Pringles lid is often put on a fellow’s pint,” says Ian. “It’s funny when he tries to drink it!

“Everyone gets in on the fun, and we all enjoy a laugh together.”

How do the men like to run their pub?

“We have the attitude that we like to run our pub just like the one we regularly go to ourselves,” says Barry.

What pubs do they like to go into on their ‘busmen’s holiday’?

“One where there is a genuine welcome, like in The Orchard Bar or The Welcome Inn on Parnell Place,” says Barry.

“We like to think that we welcome everybody and make them feel comfortable and at home here.

“Whether it is the pensioners, the young families, the workmen, the golfers, the partygoers, the shoppers, or the passers-by.

“If someone wants a game of darts or a game of poker on a Wednesday night, or a game of bingo another night, they are welcome to join. There is a place here for everyone.”

So there is room at the inn?

“There sure is!” says Barry.

Who sits at the ‘Nuts Corner’ over there?

“We can’t say,” says Barry diplomatically.

Sitting opposite the ‘Nuts Corner’ at a welcoming table with a steaming cup of coffee in front of me is a good place to be.

“The rain is on the way,” says Barry, checking the weather outside.

No doubt the golfers are on the way to the 19th hole, where there is room at the inn and a warm welcome on the mat.