Landmark south Dublin pub faces demolition

O’Shea’s of Clonskeagh could be turned into a 39-room guesthouse

O’Shea’s of Clonskeagh, also known as Clonskeagh House. Permission has been sought to demolish the existing bar in favour of a 39-bed guesthouse. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
O’Shea’s of Clonskeagh, also known as Clonskeagh House. Permission has been sought to demolish the existing bar in favour of a 39-bed guesthouse. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons

Less than two years after reopening following a protracted legal fight involving Nama, well-known Dublin suburban pub O’Sheas of Clonskeagh is facing the wrecking ball.

Uniball Bars, a company founded by former New Generations Homes founder Greg Kavanagh, has applied to Dublin City Council to demolish the existing bar in favour of a 39-room guesthouse.

The landmark pub, which is also known as Clonskeagh House, reopened in mid-2016 as a gastropub after it was acquired by Next Generation Homes, a company founded by Mr Kavanagh and his then business partner Pat Crean, for €900,000 a year earlier.

New Generation made headlines during the recession onwards when it spent up to €300 million buying up development land with the assistance of a number of high-profile backers.

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Raheny

O'Sheas ended up under Uniball's ownership after Mr Kavanagh parted ways with his partner in 2016. Crekav Trading, part of Marlet, the company subsequently set up by Mr Crean was on Friday granted planning permission for a development on a site at St Anne's Park in Raheny.

Clonskeagh House, which is situated on the banks of the river Dodder, was the centre of a legal wrangle in mid-2014 as the O’Shea family, who had been in situ for more than a century, sought to resist Nama’s attempts to take over the pub on foot of unpaid debts of more than €2 million owed by Jim O’Shea.

Part of the car park at the pub belongs to Dublin City Council.