Cork bar calls time on 151 years of trade

Cork’s Cotton Ball Bar has announced “last call” as the 151-year-old pub closes its doors.

The Cotton Ball Bar was established in 1874 and has spanned four generations of the Lynch family throughout its more than a century and a half long tenure of trading.

In a post shared on social media, a spokesperson for the pub said that it is with “great sadness” that the owners have decided to close the doors of the Cotton Ball.

“As you can imagine this hasn’t been an easy decision,” the spokesperson said.

“In 1874, Humphrey J Lynch returned home to Mayfield from America, where he opened The Cotton Ball.

“The name Cotton Ball was from his time as a foreman in the cotton mills in Massachusetts.

“Over those 151 years, many generations have come and gone in [Cork], but we would like to think that the bar has added to the heart of Mayfield — creating friendships and relationships that will long endure.

“We would like to take the opportunity to thank all our incredible loyal customers,” they added.

“We hope that many memories were made, and we would like to wish you and your families the very best.

“Also, a special thanks to everyone that worked in the bar throughout the years — as you can imagine there is huge list, but we would like to give a special mention to Ian and Roy, who managed the Cotton Ball in the last number of years.

“We also want to take this opportunity to remember members of the Lynch family that are no longer with us, especially our father Jack, our aunt Sheila, uncle Don, and uncle Humphrey, who were all proud Mayfield people.”

The news of the Cotton Ball’s closure comes following the announcement that the property is up for sale earlier this year.

The sale of the premises, with a price of €950,000, was announced in March, and came as its owners were retiring from licensed trade.

Included in the sale is the traditional Cotton Ball Bar, which was partially renovated in 2019, and the on-site brewery, consisting of a 12-barrel brew house, six 2,000-litre conical cyclo-cylindrical conditioning tanks, and two 2,000-litre bright beer tanks.

The property, being sold by agents Sherry Fitzgerald, sits on 0.5 acres and is contained in an end-of-terrace part-single, part-two-storey building.