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THE LONG VALLEY BAR

WINTHROP STREET, CORK

Pub details

Address
WINTHROP STREET, CORK
County
Cork
Eircode
T12 NW64
Opening hours
Mo-Su 00:00-00:30,10:00-24:00
Licence reference
CXP510

Amenities

  • Limited wheelchair access

Building and heritage

The façade of this building is articulated and enhanced by the decorative render detail. The channelled render, moulded render architraves, pediments and panels were clearly executed by skilled craftsmen, and are features which are becoming increasingly rare in the urban landscape. The scale and form of the building make a positive contribution to the streetscape.

Reviewed pub lore

Local notes

Established

Trading on Winthrop Street since 1842. The building had been a stable for the General Post Office's horses — the GPO still stands across Oliver Plunkett Street.

Family

The Moynihan family bought the bar in 1927 and have run it ever since.

Earlier uses

Stable. Then a 19th-century pub favoured by British soldiers — which is why the Long Valley survived intact when the Black and Tans burned much of central Cork in 1920.

Architecture

The bomb-proof wooden counter is original. So are the hand-crafted tables, the stucco-glass panel partition, and the floor tiles. The snug carries etched-glass doors and chased-silver doorknobs salvaged from the *Celtic*, a White Star ocean liner.

Food

Famous for its 'doorstep' sandwiches — slabs of bread thicker than the floor tiles, served with a pint of Murphy's. The combination is the bar's signature.

Regulars

Humphrey Moynahan — the long-time proprietor — wore a customary white apron and was known for playing German marching music while serving the sandwiches.

Reputation

A Cork institution. One of the city's most thoroughly-loved pubs, photographed and written about more than most.

Community memories

Stories from people who know this pub

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