Fanny O’Deas

The country of Ireland is known for many things, from its world-class writers and singers to its award winning actors and playwrights. But there is one iconic institution you can find in any corner of the globe, and that is the pub, with its welcoming charm and decor, and its full-hearted embrace of music. Perhaps this is singularly personified in Fanny O'Dea's (pronounced DEES), a 17th-century pub that is still operated by the same family, for nine generations and counting.

Not only is this family-run business, perhaps the longest continually operated pub in all of Ireland. It also contains a few hidden treasures as well,  if one knows where to look. The first one is easy to locate, but a rarity nonetheless, and that is its thatched roof. Due to modernization, not a lot of places maintain this feature of a bygone era. The second is the traditional turf fire. What makes this common attribute so special is that it has been continually burning for nearly three hundred years!

What started out as a remote traveler's inn serving the clientele moving between the more populated towns of Ennis and Kilrush, would blossom into a restaurant and bar. Fanny's serves traditional meals five days a week and the bar will have both whiskey and Guinness. They also have a speciality known as the Egg Flip. This a family-made concoction with warm whiskey, brandy, or Bailey's. It is a closely guarded family recipe that has been handed down through several generations. It is perfect for those cold and chilly nights.