Ireland's longest-running pub quiz marks milestone

A pub quiz in Ballaghaderreen is now thought to be the longest running weekly quiz in the world.

A year ago on the 40th anniversary of the quiz, Spells Bar in Ballaghaderreen threw out the question - ‘Have we the longest running weekly quiz in Ireland?' 

It soon became apparent that Spells' Tuesday night quiz was easily the longest running in Ireland. Then through national and international media, the question became - ‘Have we the longest running weekly quiz in the world? 

Now one year on as the quiz turns 41 years old, nobody has ever come back from any corner of the planet with a longer running quiz. A music quiz was identified in Bedford, England that began in 1991, has changed venue a few times over the years but still continues. However, it’s seven years younger than Ballaghaderreen’s quiz which started in Spells back in 1984.

Spells was then Spelman’s and owned by Noel and Mae Spelman who sold the bar to Neil Sheridan in 2003 when it started to become well known as a traditional music pub but also retained the weekly quiz every Tuesday. There are still a few founding members from 41 years ago who attend on a regular basis. Ironically, this weekly quiz has now become a quiz question itself.

Spells Bar will celebrate the 41st birthday on Tuesday next, October 21, commencing at 9pm.