Established as a Bar and Grocery shop well over 100 years ago by the current owners great grand parents, Edward & Margaret Ramsbottom, Kavanagh’s Bar & Venue is the longest family run pub business on the Main Street.
Patrick and Margaret had 6 children, Norah (who took over the pub with her husband Patrick Kavanagh in the late 1920’s / early ’30’s), Patrick (Paddy as commanding officer of the Laois Brigade of the IRA in 1916 is credited with firing the first shot of the 1916 Easter Rising in Colt Woods), Henry (Har), Kathleen (who married Frank Gowing), Edward Ned (who married Sarah Byrne), James Jim (who married Jennie Byrne) Margaret.
In the 1920’s Edward (Ned) Ramsbottom went on to purchase what is now Ramsbottom & Son’s Pub at 101 Main Street. Ned’s son Henry (Har) succeeded his father. In the late 1940’s Liam Ryan started working there. Following Har’s death in 1957 Liam purchased the premises.
Back at 28 Main Street, Norah and Patrick Ramsbottom had 3 children, PJ, Peggy and Mary. PJ & Vera were married in the 1960’s and took over the pub. They had 6 children, Nora, Ita, Veronica, Siobhan, Claire and PJ (jnr).
PJ (jnr) took over the pub in 1998 and married Niamh in 2009. They have 2 children, Noah & Suzie.
In 2000, the premises was completely demolished and rebuilt with a small bar introduced upstairs, This bar became home to Kavanagh’s Comedy Club.