The new co-owner of Fitzgerald's of Sandycove has revealed his delight after finally acquiring the legendary pub.
Will Agar, 38, told Dublin Live that buying the pub was a "dream come true".
The Dalkey man said: "When I was 16, I was in school and a guidance counsellor turned around to me and said, ‘C’mere, what do you want to do when you get older?’
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"And I said, ‘I want to be the manager of a pub when I’m 21 and I want to own a pub when I’m 25.’
"And obviously, life got in the way, but I’ve always dreamt of that."
The popular local pub is known for its Edwardian charm and connections to the literary works of James Joyce.
It sits just a stone's throw away from The Martello Tower, which is featured in Joyce's iconic work Ulysses and is now a museum focusing on his works.
Will added: "The pub was originally put up on sale two years ago. So it was February 2020 before the Covid lockdown.
"We actually put a bid in ourselves- myself and a different guy in August of last year but it didn’t quite work out. "
Will, who has been working at Fitzgerald's for the last 18 years, said he was due to move to Spain last year but cancelled after he was approached by the previous owner, Tom Fitzgerald, who reopened the pub in the hopes of finding someone who might be interested in buying it.
He said: "Tom tells me we’re opening the pub in September so I was like, ‘Right, grand. Okay!’ I stayed out of loyalty. I was here for 18 years with him.
"By pure chance one day I was putting out the kegs and my business partner walked past me and was like, ‘Would you be interested in buying the place?’"
The pub had been operating under the management of the Fitzgerald family for the last 60 years until Tom and his business partner acquired it in February 2022.
Will said that the feedback from the locals has been incredibly positive.
"Most people have been delighted because we’re not going to change anything. The reason why we bought the pub was to keep it the same.
"Our mentality is just looking after the upkeep like a lick of paint, a few new windows, make it more energy-efficient, make it more green. We’re looking to get solar panels in.
"Downstairs, where the customers are going to be is going to be kept the exact same. We’re trying to keep the legacy of Charlie and Tom Fitzgerald. That’s the plan.
"It’s the community that makes this place rather than anything else. We want to make sure the community is looked after the best we can."
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