'So lucky that there was no loss of life': Blaze destroys historic pub in Fermoy

The whole of Fermoy is thinking of the owner of a popular pub which was destroyed by a fire early yesterday morning, a local TD has said.

It is understood that fire broke out in the cellar of Charlie Mac’s pub on Fermoy’s McCurtain Street in the early hours of yesterday, with three units of Cork County Fire Service arriving on the scene around 7am. The building was evacuated and nobody sustained any injuries.

Locals reported that smoke could still be seen coming from the lower floors of the four-storey premises as dawn broke over the North Cork town.

A spokesperson for Cork County Fire Service confirmed that there had been extensive damage to the building, which has been a licenced premises for well over a century.

A Garda source said no offences had been disclosed and An Garda Síochána was not the lead agency dealing with the incident.

Noel McCarthy, who owns an off-licence in Fermoy and was elected to Dáil Éireann for Fine Gael in the recent general election, said his heart went out to the owner of Charlie Mac’s, Ian O’Brien.

“I know that everyone in Fermoy is thinking of Ian at this awful time, and I’m just heartbroken for him, he’s a good, decent man, and a great worker, a hard grafter, a man who ran a good house, and I know everyone wishes him well,” said Mr McCarthy.

“We were so lucky that there was no loss of life. It could have been a tragedy, and thank God nobody was hurt. That’s the most important thing.

“The pub is a great loss to the town, and to its loyal supporters, but hopefully it can be rebuilt and Ian can get it back up and running as soon as possible.”

Charlie Mac’s, which was previously Duggan’s Bar when it was owned and run by the late Tim and Lil Duggan, was bought around the turn of the millennium by insurance broker Charles McCarthy of the McCarthy Insurance Group, and has been owned for the past eight years by local businessman Mr O’Brien.

In a 1915 list of licenced premises in Fermoy, the front section of the pub is listed as O’Regan’s, while the back section, on what is now Abbey Street, is listed as The Hole in the Wall.