Keanes Pub
| Keanes Pub | |
|---|---|
| Location | Maam, Connemara |
| Built | 1820 by Alexander Nimmo |
| Owner | Keane Family |
The ancestral home of the club, this pub is situated in Maam in Connemara. It was built in 1820 by Scottish engineer Alexander Nimmo. It is the traditional stopping point for all club hikes and is a second home to many club members
History
The pub is one of the oldest licensed premises in Ireland, it was build in 1820 by Alexander Nimmo as his main residence while he designed the roads and bridges of Connemara. Throughout the building's history it has also served as a small hotel and inn for those travelling through the rugged hills of Connemara and the Joyce Country.
The building was purchased by the Keane family in 1969 and has been ran as a pub ever since, alongside the hardware store and shop next door.
The pub has a long history of hosting many famous people over the years, Padraic Pearse, John Wayne and many more. Quiet Man warp party was held here in 1952
More history can be found on the official Keane's Pub website.
The Keane Family
Club and Keane's Relations
The club have been regulars at the pub for as long as anyone can remember, it is ideally located as a stopping point on the way home from many hikes in Connemara. During the semester a quiet wet sunday evening in Maam is suddenly engulfed by 50 wet, sweaty, muddy, hikers .
In recent years the pub is called prior to arrival to arrange the preorder of pints and toasties as otherwise the bar staff can be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of orders they get.
“How many pints did they say again?? 20 pints of Guinness was it?? lord Jesus”- Mary in Keanes
The pub has graciously hosted the club's christmas party for the last few years. It is a night of revelry and shenanigans where the usual hiking bus is filled and skips the hiking to just go to the pub. The pub usually offers the party goers some finger food such as cocktail sausages, chicken goujons and for the vegetarians... sliced cheddar cheese.
There are many other traditions surround the club's weekly pilgrimage such as "mud or blood" a scheme that is the brain child of Joe Mee. The concept is that anyone who gets mud or blood on their face after falling on a hike is owed a pint from Joe or in his absence a senior hike leader.
Features of the Pub
One of the most important features of the pub is the fireplace, it is perfect for sitting next to after a long day on the hills. The two large leather chairs are reserved for the club's hairiest member's