Shorten, not stirred

Things are literally getting shaken up in a West Cork Gaeltacht as a brother and sister reclaim their family pub with some exotic new ideas in tow.

As of this month, Orla and Ben Shorten are the proud proprietors of Tigh Seartan (Shorten’s Bar) in Ballingeary which has stood in the village for over 175 years.

After being leased out for the past two decades, Orla (36) and Ben (33) decided it was time to see Shortens serving behind the bar once again as they bid to breathe new life into their parish and serve up the last Cork cocktails before the Kerry border. They also have a coffee machine.

“Coffee and cocktails; I'd say my grandparents would be turning in their grave!” said Orla who reckons the next nearest cocktail joint is in Killarney, a 40 minute drive from Ballingeary.

She added: “We'll have to get some non-alcoholic drinks and stuff as well for mocktails. I actually made one of those during the week. The first mocktail in the village!”

Having only reopened last Wednesday, in a time when on average a pub goes out of business every three days in Ireland, the local reception has been strong, and Orla and Ben have big plans for the future.

“We’re very excited alright; obviously there's a bit of nerves there as well,” said Orla.

“We worked here when we were younger as well, so it's nice now to take it over and put our own stamp on things.

“It's reminding a lot of the older guys of times long ago when the place was really busy and the Shortens behind the bar,” she said.

With a swiftly expanding cocktail menu, tea and coffee, a pool table, a darts league, and a strong drive to promote local traditional music, the Shortens are working to create a space for all locals to come and feel at home.

“People are looking forward to having live music around the place again,” said Orla.

“Especially that we're in the Gaeltacht as well, it's so important for us to have trad music going and to promote it amongst the young lads.

“We're after sourcing a load of really old photos, black and white ones of our grandparents when they were younger. We've printed them out and we've been collecting old frames from charity shops.

“We're plastering the walls with those now at the minute and people are coming in and they're delighted looking through them. We're trying to get elements of everything in the village up on the walls.

“Just celebrating the locality and giving people a place to come and meet and be comfortable and have a nice, cozy drink,” added Orla.

With plans to reopen the bar’s kitchen for food, and possibly cover an outdoor area for year round live gigs, Orla and Ben are on track to realise their dream of creating a vibrant and welcoming hub for their community.

On top of that, the Cork Independent can exclusively reveal potential plans for a competition inviting locals to come up with alternative names as Gaeilge for classic cocktails. Fionna Colada? Sinn and Tonic? Micheál Martini?

Follow Shorten’s Bar on social media @tighseartan.