Our tourism story - Jim of the Mill’s Pub

The Mill was built in 1800 on the banks of the Abhainn Bheag, “Owenbeg River”. Originally a corn mill, it opened as a pub from 1830 and has always been in the Ryan Anthony family. My father, Jim Ryan Anthony, from Seskin, Thurles, inherited the Mill from his uncle in 1982. He is a farmer, and he didn’t want to be tied to the pub every night so he decided to only open it on Thursdays, although we have a seven day licence. We occasionally open at the weekends for private parties or events, upon request.

The “Thursday Nights” have been a great success mainly because of the music sessions that have thrived beside the open fire with local and international musicians alike. It’s an open session meaning that everyone is welcome to join and play and you could have anybody from any corner of the globe singing or strumming an instrument. We welcome young and old, beginners and established musicians, and because the crowd is always different every week you never know just how many musicians there will be or what kind of music you will hear. At this stage there is hardly a country in the world from which people have not come.

Our entire family are musicians so that helps because we have a natural love of song and music, and musicians gravitate towards the pub because they know it is a place where they can play and they will have an appreciative audience. There is mighty craic to be had in the bar too, and plenty of people come from near and far just to soak up the atmosphere and the unique surroundings that feel more like a house than a conventional pub.

People usually come here because of word of mouth, but obviously in recent years we have got more publicity online, and in national, and international papers and on social media. It is definitely a very unique experience so I think that is what captures their attention.

In recent years my sisters and I have matured into adults and we have our own ideas and ambitions for the place, and we are enjoying bringing our creativity to the establishment. My sister Cáit, in particular, has been the primary force in creating a new music and arts venue in the adjoining hay-barn.

As a musician herself, she organises concerts and other activities there, and in the past year we have offered a carefully curated selection of shows and events there that are usually on other nights than Thursdays, offering a chance for people to enjoy the atmosphere of the Mill on a weekend night and hear some of Ireland’s finest performers and acts.

In the past year alone we have had John Spillane, the late Seamus Begley and his daughter Meabh, Brendan Begley, Cáit’s band ‘The Weaving’ and some theatre events. We also had three nights of sold out concerts celebrating the singing and storytelling of my father Jim - entitled “Jim of the Mill in Concert” which was very much a family affair and we all played and joined our father on stage for various tunes and songs.

There have also been family fun evenings centred on duck racing on the river behind the pub. We are also interested in eco-friendly activities, and returning to the passions and traditions of our ancestors and roots. In June, we held a one day festival celebrating connection and to honour Oíche Shin Sheáin, St John’s Eve, just as our ancestors once did. It included weaving, drumming, foraging, singing, dancing and of course dreaming. We usually post about these events on our social media but word of mouth is also important.

We are in a unique location - on the R503, between the Metal Bridge and Upperchurch village so parking can sometimes be an issue. Also, there is a lack of accommodation - especially during the summer months for people who want to visit the pub and stay overnight in the locality - so if more bed and breakfasts were available and night time public transport, that would allow extra people to access the pub more conveniently, and encourage more people to experience the Mill, and all the other activities and beautiful scenery in the local area.