Barman Darren was ‘cement in the building’

A POPULAR figure in the pub trade, general manager of Molloy’s Bar and Grill, Darren O’Brien has been remembered as a “super driver” in making the pub what it is today following his sudden death.

Darren O’Brien, who worked in the Tallaght pub for the best part of three decades, died suddenly on Saturday (June 3) aged 47.

In 1994, Darren started working in Molloy’s after manager Fran Worrell took him on board as an apprentice for Fables.

The father of one quickly rose through the ranks and after Fables was wound down in 2006, Darren became the assistant manager of Molloy’s and formed a great double act with Fran.

In 2021, Fran retired as manager, but committed to working there three days a week under the new general manager, Darren, and his passionate team.

“Darren will leave a very large void behind in the pub trade, I might be cheeky saying it, but it would be very hard to find anybody like me and him in the trade,” Fran tells The Echo.

“We watched each other’s back and protected each other.

“While I’d be shaking hands with babies out the front, Darren would be more low key fixing the computer, making sure the beer was cold, doing the roster, he was very hands-on, very good with the staff and very good at what he did.

“Darren was the cement in the building, and we made a great team, we had our differences, but it was business.

“We’d always sit down at the end of the day and have a drink and discuss what we’d be doing tomorrow.

“The word ‘no’ wasn’t in his vocabulary because there was no job too big, he was so into looking after the people of Tallaght and the surrounding areas.

“Myself, I’m very upset by Darren’s passing, it was an absolutely pleasure working together.”

In 2017, Darren became a “super driver” behind the implementation of The Station and was “to the forefront” in being “very proactive in bringing the pub to the standard it’s at today”.

A very committed person, Darren also loved his time off and holidays, and has been described as a “shy” and “funny guy”.

Darren started feeling unwell on Saturday evening and was transported to St James’s Hospital by a member of staff.

The Ballyfermot man, who was soon to become a grandfather for the first time, is survived by his daughter Emma, parents Francis and Anne, three brothers Neil, Alan and Gavin, and sister Karen.