Brian Siggins was a well known local historian in the Sandymount and Ringsend area. The former teacher in Ringsend Tech, passed away a few years ago but his Gerard, knowing of my interest in public house histories has passed on some of his Dad’s archives to me. One of the recent deliveries was this unique piece of Irish pub history, an original pub licence transfer from Laytown in Co. Meath in 1895. This is the front and back of the licence. The small village was famous for its beach horse racing and had thrived with the opening of a station in the village on the new Dublin to Drogheda railway line.
The pub, The Seaview Tavern, was in 1893 owned by John Joseph Curran. Curran was born on June 1st 1865 to a Drogheda merchant and William Curran and his mother Elizabeth nee McGuinness.[1] With the assistance of his father, a very young Joseph Curran moved a few miles south seaside town of Laytown and became a publican purchasing the licensed premises that was being operated by John Bonham. The pub he bought was already a famous tavern based on the Irish Sea coast, featured in a painting that currently is available to view in the National Library. It was not long before the Curran’s new pub was appearing in the newspapers. This is from the Freeman’s Journal in 1885.
The pub was also a venue for a number of inquests when people were drowned in the nearby sea, whether swimming or in fishing accidents. In 1893, Curran decided to sell the Seaview Tavern and advertisements appeared in the newspapers.
The following year it was sold to Philip McArdle. It was the transfer of licence that features at the top of this post. While McArdle advertised his re-opening of the Seaview Tavern,
Although just like Curran, the local constabulary were watching and shortly after taking over McArdle found himself in court after a raid for afterhours drinking.
Curran returned to the town of his birth Drogheda where he purchased a pub at 3 West Street which had been owned by the Moran family. This is an advertisement that featured in the Drogheda Independent for his new pub in Drogheda.
Joseph Curran is listed in the 1911 Census as being married to Elizabeth (nee Hughes) who was twelve years younger than her wine Merchant and Grocer husband. They had married on June 7th 1906 in Ardcath, Co. Meath. Joseph Curran died on July 14th 1934 in a Dublin nursing home. His wife had predeceased him in April 1929, aged just forty nine. They had three children Mary (born May 1908), William (born May 1910, died October 1918) and Gerard (born 1917).
The Seaview Tavern continued to trade in Laytown
firstly changing names to the Seaview Bar which was successfully run by Eamon
Lyons for many years. It was later in 1996 to be renamed the Coast Inn by Benny
McLoughlin.
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