Kitty sloyan is one of irelands oldest publicans at 93

KITTY Sloyan has the distinction of being one of the oldest publicans in Ireland. In her 94th year, the Castlebar native still plays an active part in running her bar at Linenhall Street in the county town, writes Tom Gillespie.

Her daughter Una will take over the reins but Kitty is still the licencee and has been for the past 51 years, as was her mother before her, Bridget Kilboy, for 35 years after establishing it in 1929 - three generations of female ownership.

Kitty is now the oldest and only person still resident in the historic Linenhall Street. She loves to travel and spent her 90th birthday in Lanzarote.

After leaving school, Kitty Gilroy worked in the hat factory on Newport Road where she met her late husband, Denis Sloyan.

Kitty takes up the story: “In 1964 I took over the business from my mother. I had a small shop. I sold everything though and we had the pub. I was there until about 1976 and then Una took over.

“Linenhall Street was all pubs when I took over. My mother had a six-day licence first, like most of the pubs on the street, and then she got the seven-day licence.

“On fair days we kept the cattle in the yard and horses at the horse fairs. Both the shop and the pub were small but they worked.”

In those days publicans had to tap the barrels of Guinness and Kitty had a unique way to please her customers. “With the old kegs, I would run off the first pint or so into a jug. Now I had a glass jug because they (customers) were accusing people with enamel jugs of serving slops. So I had a glass jug so they could see what was in it were not slops.”

An old neighbour of the Sloyans, Bridie Maloney, who lived in an adjoining thatched cottage, died recently. Kitty added: “I bought her cottage from solicitor Michael Joe Egan, who was an agent for Lord Lucan. Annie Stewart and Bridie Maloney lived in it. Bridie used always say to me ‘You have our house’. It was thatched and falling in. We had to knock it.”

On fair days animals were housed in a lofty shed at the back of the pub. Kitty continued: “All the wheeling and dealing went on in the pub and the women would come in and buy their tea and sugar and they even bought chops in Andy Jennings’ and fried them here.”

Kitty’s daughter Una also recalls that period: “The street was known as Dodge City. I saw more men’s heads smashed on concrete. There was always this thing about up town, down town. Those down town would never go up town and those up town would not come down town. They would not cross the bridge on Main Street.”

Kitty took up the story: “When we had the pub customers would be knocking at the door to get in when we were having breakfast. I had a family and it was hard to do everything and keep everything going. Being a publican was a hard job and still is. I would not wish it on anyone. It’s a dog’s life, that’s what I once old Hubert McGarry.

“My dad died in 1929 when he was 47. When they got married my mam lived on a farm in Bofeenaun and when dad died she came back to Linenhall again because she had seven in family. What would she do with seven in family out the country? She brought them into Castlebar and sent them to school here and she had the pub here.

“My mother was a home assistance officer and in those days a home assistance officer could not have a business. So the pub was signed over to her brother Mickey McDonnell, with McDonnell over the door. To get the licence transferred to me I had to go to court to have it done.

“I would say I am one of the oldest licencees in the country. I am in my 94th year but I would dance the light fantastic yet.”

Kitty’s brother Tom Gilboy was nearly 96 when he recently passed away. There is one other surviving family member, Eva Reynolds, in Cork who will be 92 in April and she once lived at number 10 in Marian Row.

Kitty’s husband Denis was one of the founding member of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Castlebar and the organisers used to have meals in Sloyan’s.

Reflecting on her formative days on the street, Kitty said: “When we were younger we were not looking for a lot. We played hopscotch. We had a skipping rope that went from our door to Johnny McGowan’s across the road. We played on the street. There wouldn’t be 10 cars around the country. We used to play camogie on the street and the guards used to be running us of course. You would get two ice cream bars or chocolate for one penny.

“On a Saturday, Linenhall Street would be full of ass carts and an odd horse cart. We would be waiting, begging them to give us a spin as far as the Sacred Heart Home. We sat in and they took us. Some did, others didn’t. I would have been around 15 then. There were no cars and we were glad if we got a spin in the ass and cart.

“We were happy with a bit of twine from Thomas and Michael Muldoon’s. We would get the farmers to bring us in sally rods. We would use them as a cane and tie a bit of Thomas Muldoon’s twine and hit it up the street. It was a simple time and we were as happy as could be.”

Kitty’s biggest regret was not being able to afford to travel when she as younger. She sent her 89th and 90th birthdays in Puerto Del Carmen in Lanzarote.

“My one regret is that I did not travel more. We had no money when we were young so we couldn’t travel. You don’t enjoy it when you are old but you would go alright. The last time I was in Lanzarote it was 40 degrees. I could not even go out. I was there three times but the best place I like is Turkey.”