New era as Offaly village pub has a new licensee

A Portarlington company which runs three pubs has taken over the Hoppers Bar in Walsh Island.

Droughill Builders Ltd was granted an ad interim transfer of the on-licence at the premises following an application at Tullamore District Court.

Judge Andrew Cody was told that Trevor Whelan is the director of Droughill Builders Ltd and Paul and Madeline Flint are the registered owners of the land where the pub is located.

Mr Whelan told the court his company has been in the trade for the last 15 years and has three pubs.

He said the managers of the pubs are trained in the licensing laws and between them have 35 years of experience.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns said there was no garda objection to the application.

Granting the transfer Judge Cody said to Mr Whelan: “Best of luck with the Hoppers.”

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Droughill Builders Ltd is registered in Portarlington and its directors are Trevor Whelan and Sinead Whelan.

Earlier this summer the company was granted a licence for the Palace Bar in Birr.

Tullamore Circuit Court heard the licence was being revived. The bar had closed during the Covid-19 pandemic and a tenant had taken it over but could not get it off the ground afterwards.

The Hoppers Bar was made famous in 1988 when RTE visited and interviewed local man, the late Noel Duffy, for a special report on his invention, a motorised bar stool.

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