GOOD NEWS is rare in the bar trade these days, so the re-opening of a pub is something to be celebrated. One of north County Dublin’s great institutions, The Yacht bar in Loughshinny closed its doors in 2006 due to the recession.
The Yacht had been a great pub since the late John Cloonan started his small business as a grocery shop in 1958 and opened the pub in 1960, but it is better known as the home of the Loughshinny Motor Cycle Supporters Club, and in latter years the home of the Two Stroke Road Racing Supporters Club. John Cloonan was a Kilbeggan native who set up home in Loughshinny and developed The Yacht from a small beginning to the fine premises that stood proud at Loughshinny Cross – or as it is known to the local residents, Ballykea Cross.
John passed away in June 1995, and two of his children, Lorraine and Declan, took over the family business. The business remained with the family until it was sold to partners Christy Jenkinson and Clyde Davidson in 1999.
In August 2005, the pub was sold to another set of partners, Brian, Louis and Brendan. The trio were a breath of fresh air to the village, and they returned to the old style of the village pub. Now the good news is that Declan Cloonan has re-opened the pub, much to the delight of locals. “We don’t even have a shop in the area so this will be a great place to meet,”