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| Publican | Josie Darcy |
| Address | East Port, Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland. |
| Telephone | +353-(0)71-9851575 |
Josie's Bar is a popular pub in the East Port area of friendly Ballyshannon. It is an attractive old style hostelry where people who like to meet for a chat over a pint can find themselves in exactly the right place.
Josie
Josie herself will serve you your pint. Josie is a 'blow in' to the East Port, since she was fifteen and a half years in another famous Ballyshannon watering hole, Sean Og's, before opening her own establishment here with the help of her Ballyshannon born husband, Francie Darcy.
Inismurray
Josie was born on Inismurray, a mysterious island off the coast of Sligo, often mistaken for the mythical Tir-na-nÓg of the fairy people. The island was famous for its poteen (illicit whiskey) and for the resourcefulness and quick wit of its island people. They always managed to outwit the snooping excise men and officious policemen who regularly invaded the island in a vain attempt to stamp out illegal distilling. In the end the Irish government offered the islanders home on the mainland. The people of Inismurray agreed to leave their island, give up their lawless ways and become law-abiding citizens. But did they? You'd better ask Josie about that...
Ancient history
Josie's Bar has a long, long history. Located close to an ancient 'Gap of the North' a shallow ford where it was possible to cross the Erne River and enter the kingdom of Ulster, the bar's origins are lost in the mists of time. Cuchulainn, the warrior champion of Ulster, may have quenched his thirst here on his way to battle against the armies of Connacht. And speaking of time, time is one thing that Josie has plenty of. Josie's collection of 200 clocks give or take a dozen takes up a good deal of wall and shelf space in the bar.
Documentary Evidence
The deeds of Josie's Bar date from 1785. Not quite as old as the Dead Sea Scrolls, perhaps, but a good four years older than the ownership deeds of an interesting bit of land due west of Inismurray, a document better known as the Constitution of the USA which Thomas Jefferson didn't put down on paper until 1789.
Angling Past
During Ballyshannon's heyday as a centre for angling tourism, the pub became the Melvin Hotel and retained that title long after the building of the Cathleen's Falls Hydro-electric Station sent the Atlantic Salmon up a concrete fish pass of of the reach of angling tourists. Before that, you could catch a trout by casting you line out of the back window of Josie's Bar.
Yesterday
In 1981 the bar passed from the hands of Tommy Gallagher to Josie. Tommy was the one time head foreman on the building of the Channel Tunnel connecting England to France and subsequently on the Dublin Port Tunnel.
Today
In 1994 the Melvin Hotel, now owned by Josie and her husband Francie, was completely refurbished and re-created as Josie's Bar. Vying for space with the clocks is Josie's collection of stuffed animals and a demi-sized figure named 'wee Jimmy' after one of the bar's more notable customers. Extensive flower gardens and hanging baskets were introduced, adding to the atmosphere and charm of this attractive bar and earning it a special mention by the judges in Ireland's Tidy Towns Competition.
This Simple Life
"I like a simple life and sunshine, but can't get out to enjoy them," says Josie. However her well-tended flowers suggest she spends more time with the sunshine and simple life than she admits. She loves to stay close to home, a trait, perhaps, derived from her island past and has never travelled further than Dublin. Her husband Francie, however, was a seaman earlier in life has travelled the world with the merchant navy.
Patrons
Famous visitors to the bar include popular folk group, Altan. The bar has hosted a German television crew and featured on German TV. The regulars are very mixed coming not just from Ballyshannon and the rest of Ireland but also from Denmark, Italy, Germany, USA, Australia, Sweden, Thailand, Poland, Hungary, England and Scotland. And that's not counting the tourists!
Real Conversation
There is a no TV policy in the bar which promotes a friendly atmosphere and real conversation. Ultimately that's what Josi's Bar is about.
Josie's motto is: May the hinges of friendship never rust for want of lubrication.
We look forward to meeting you here some time...
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