THE TREACY FAMILY celebrated 110 years in business last Saturday 12th Feb 2011. Family, friends and customers had a great night dancing and partying to the music of Celtic Invasion. Congratulations to the all the Treacy family. Have You found The Nook! Click here to visit Find The Nook website www.findthenook.ie

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Michael Treacy, proprietor, talks to Christy Parker about the 110th anniversary of the Nook bar in Youghal. The bar will hold a special night celebrating the 110th anniversary this Saturday the 12th of February.

Click below to listen to the interview on CRY Youghal Local Radio – Audio courtesy of CRY

THE TREACY FAMILY are celebrated 110 years in business this Saturday 12th Feb 2011. Family, friends and customers are looking forward to the big birthday party with music by Celtic Invasion. The best of wines, beers and spirits, food and sports are assured. Congratulations to the all the Treacy family. Have You found The Nook!

This pub in Youghal has been in the same family since 1901, when it was bought by Michael Treacy, a local farmer. Previously, the pub had been in the ownership of the O’Mahony family, but it is not known how long it had been in operation. The pub is in the oldest part of Youghal, with Walter Raleigh’s house, which dates from the Elizabethan plantations of the 1560’s, to the rear of it, and thus this pub may have been in operation for several centuries.

When it was bought in 1901, it was a one-roomed bar-cum-grocery, but the Treacy’s extended it by buying four adjoining cottages and converting the former homes into drinking quarters.

In the 1940’s, Michael’s son Joe Treacy became licensee. As the business expanded, the farm was sold. Joe and his wife Maureen continued with the grocery and expanded the bar to include a singing lounge and dance floor. The singing and dancing continues today. The grocery is gone, and is now an off-licence with an eclectic range of beers and spirits and wines. It also has its own deli counter supplying homemade food to go, or to eat in the bar.

Joe’s son Michael Treacy is the current licensee and he is extremely proud of the pub and the central role it plays in the social life of Youghal. Treacy’s is involved in sponsoring lots of local clubs.

As the bar has extended, the décor has been kept in harmony with the pitch-pine of the original premises. Throughout the bar, the walls are covered with photographs of Youghal in times gone by. When the Treacy’s were celebrating their centenary as licensed traders in 2001, all drinks were sold at a penny a pint or a glass.

Over the years, drinking habits have changed, says Michael, with very few customers now asking for the traditional order of “a large whiskey and a pint”. He says:

”As well as drinking less whiskey, people now drink later in the evening. There was a time when I used to have a customer who would come in when we opened in the morning and he would order six whiskeys with a raw egg placed in each of them!”

The Tweenies Club celebrated their 10th anniversary with lots of fun for Mums, Dads, Grans and of course the kids. DJ ‘Spill’ aka Claire Regan entertained everyone with music from Thomas the Tank to the Birdy song. Photo: www.youghalonline.com Email: news@youghalonline.com

Mr. Balloon Man made fantastic shapes with all the coloured balloons, the cup cake station was very popular where the kids made their own cream sprinkled cakes with icing, face-painting, refreshments, teas and coffee, you name it, it was a fun time for all. The organising committee were delighted when the Deputy Mayor of Youghal, Eoin Coyne, helped in cutting the anniversary cake. Great credit to all involved in making the fun day a great success.

The Tweenies Club began in September 2000 and has enjoyed 10 years of success, providing children and their carers and parents with friendship, support and an opportunity to socialise with other families. During that time, hundreds of babies and pre school children with their mums, dads, Grannies and Gran-dads, child minders and au pairs have come along. Families from many countries, Nigeria, Holland, Australia, France, Poland, USA, UK, and counties around Ireland have attended Tweenies – everyone is welcome! The adults stay with the child at the group as Tweenies is as much a group for them as for the children.

Since the first meeting in the hall at the Methodist Church in Youghal, hundreds of children have enjoyed a morning of play, art and singing in a safe child friendly environment. Donna Mitchell and Fiona Murphy, both “blow ins” to the town, set up the group and the first meeting saw 10 children turning up. Over the years there have been many changes – the hall was renovated by the Methodist church providing a modern kitchen and toilet facilities and a storage room for the Tweenies equipment. There has been a succession of new leaders, always on a voluntary basis and usually from the mums who were using the group. The group became very popular and was increased to 2 mornings a week in 2003. The outside space in the yard was also used for outdoor play when the weather allowed. Tweenies also enjoyed activities outside of the hall with a series of summer visits to Fota and Parson’s Green Farm, summer meetings at Green Park and the playground, taking part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade and parents nights out. Christmas was always good fun with usually 2 parties to accommodate all the excited children and of course a visit and photo with Santa.

The Methodist Church have been very supportive of Tweenies and as part of their Outreach work are glad to have the group using the hall and its facilities. The Katherine Howard Foundation provided a grant each year and along with fundraising and subscriptions, the group was able to regularly get new equipment and toys.

A big thanks must be given to everyone who has been involved in making the Tweenies Club a success, all the leaders over the years for their hard work, setting up and clearing away and taking the responsibility for organizing the sessions, the tea makers in the kitchen, the leaders who organized the art sessions, everyone that attended the sessions, the Church for their support, local businesses for sponsorship and of course Santa!

10 years on and the Tweenies Club is still going strong, lets hope children and their parents and carers will find fun and friendship there for many more years to come.
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