Family ‘had no choice’ but to close Cuckoo’s Nest Pub
THE landmark Cuckoo’s Nest ceased trading on Wednesday morning, after the Lynch family, who bought the pub in 1962, “had no choice” but to close the doors of one of Tallaght’s most famous establishments. 
Originally from Cavan, Peadar and Phyllis Lynch bought the Cuckoo’s Nest 53 years ago and as their family and surrounding community grew, so too did the pub – which was a well-known haunt for football and music and a key player in Tallaght’s economic and social history.
However, on Wednesday morning, around 20 staff members were called to a meeting headed by the Lynch family – during which they were informed of the pub’s closure and their immediate redundancy.
The Echo understands that no third party was present and that a creditors meeting is to be held in the coming days, after which a liquidator is expected to be appointed to the business.
One staff member told The Echo: “It’s just brutal, the Cuckoo’s Nest was part of the Kilnamanagh community – there’s staff working their 40 years and local families socialising there since Kilnamanagh was built.
“There is so much history associated with the pub and everyone is just gutted that it has closed – and also that they are being let go.
“All staff members have been told that they will get what they are owed and statutory redundancy – but there are a lot of people with mortgages and families out of work now.
“I guess it’s a sign of the times but the Nest closing is not good news for Tallaght.”
The Echo understands that discussions between the Lynch family and the banks have been ongoing and that, in recent days, the family saw no other option but to close the pub – which was where Peader, who passed away a number of years ago, and Phyllis raised their seven children.
The building and surrounding land is owned by Phyllis Lynch and the pub business operated as a separate entity by the family, which may stall the process of getting the Cuckoo’s Nest onto the market – which is the expected outcome.
On a notice to customers, which was pinned on the front door of the Cuckoo’s Nest on Wednesday, the family wrote: “It is with enormous regret and heartbreak…there are not sufficient words to describe how we feel to say how sorry we are that we have no choice but to cease trading.
“We would like to wholeheartedly thank you for your custom, your loyalty, all the laughs, the slagging, the banter, the fun we have enjoyed sharing all of your life time celebrations – the happy and sad times.
“Phyllis has been here for 53 years and is heartbroken as are the entire Lynch family.”
The note continued: “Old Friends are best was our motto and this is so true.
“This is not how we envisaged we would have to say goodbye.
“The Cuckoo’s Nest was your pub as much as ours.”
Three businesses currently operate on the grounds of the Cuckoo’s Nest, Tallaght Theatre, Boyles Sports and Cuckoo’s Nest Cabs – all of which are currently still operating.
Tallaght Theatre told The Echo that it rents the ground off the Cuckoo’s Nest but owns the building – and that a condition in their original lease provides Tallaght Theatre with ongoing access to the building in the event of something, such as the closure of the pub, happening.
This is the second blow to Tallaght’s economy in the past two weeks, after The Abberley Hotel was closed by NAMA earlier this month – with the loss of 70 jobs.
Subscribe today! http://www.echo.ie/subscriptions
