Revealed: The number of Mayo pubs up for sale

There are more than 20 licenced premises for sale or lease in County Mayo.

The figures reflect the continued challenging times for the pub trade in the county, and while some of the premises for sale continue to trade well, others have closed.

More than one-quarter of Mayo’s pubs have shut their doors in the past two decades, according to a drinks industry survey.

The study, commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, found that 135 pubs in Mayo had ceased trading between 2005 and 2024, a decline of 28.9%. There were 332 pubs in the county in 2024. However, that number will have fallen in recent months due to the closure of a number of well-known premises, including the well-known Cox’s bar and restaurant on Tucker Street in Castlebar, which is now up for sale. The Bodhran, on nearby Rush Street, is also for sale with a guide price of €285,000.

A total of 21 public houses and hotels dotted right across the county are listed for sale or lease on property website Daft.ie.

Asking prices range from €1.75m to €275,000 for licenced premises in Mayo with the Downhill Inn in Ballina, commanding the highest price tag.

While some of the bars on the market are in rural locations, many others are situated at the heart of town centres and have been trading for generations. Iconic East Mayo pub Teach O’Hora has been a mainstay on Kiltimagh’s Main Street since 1966 and its owner Marty O’Hora is retiring.

In North Mayo, in addition to the Downhill Inn, a former public house on James Connolly Street is also on the market. The premises traded under various names over the years including Solomon’s and Regan’s and the building has a guide price of €350,000. Thornton’s on Garden Street in the town is also available to buyers.

Legendary Erris bars Una’s in Blacksod and McDonnell’s in Belmullet also remain on the property site with guide prices of €595,000 and €850,000 respectively.

The tourism hotspot of Achill has a number of licenced premises for sale including the Achill Sound Hotel, Gielty’s bar and restaurant, and McLoughlin’s Bar.

Walsh’s bar on Mill Street is the sole Westport bar currently on the market.

In Claremorris, both the Western Hotel and the Dalton Inn are for sale with the nearby Hanley’s bar available to lease.

Elsewhere in the county, The Village Inn, Partry; Hudson’s Bar and Grill, Charlestown; Lough Mask Inn, Tourmakeady; and Irwin’s Bar, Keelogues, Ballyvary are also for sale.

The Thatch in Crossmolina and Hanley’s Bar in Claremorris are available for lease.

South Mayo councillor, auctioneer, and former publican, Richard Finn believes there needs to be more Government support for the pub trade in rural counties. He said the days when licenced premises in the county would be swiftly snapped up for high sums are a thing of the past.

“When I started off in the pub trade myself, over 30 years ago, there were 23 licenced premises in Claremorris, now it’s down to seven pubs in the town and the three hotels,” said Cllr Finn.

He said many smaller towns and villages are now left with few or no public houses.

“The pub trade cannot survive in the west of Ireland without a proper transport system and there is no effort being made to encourage hackneys and taxis and other types of transport to set up in the west of Ireland,” said Cllr Finn.

He said licencing regulations are also making it difficult for licences to be transferred.

“The pub trade has gone so quiet that the banks will not lend money to purchase a pub,” he added.

The owners of Cox’s, Paul and Helen Doyle cited the impact of the current trading environment on their decision.

"It is with considerable sadness that we announce the closure of Cox's Bars & Restaurant, Castlebar," they said in a statement. "This decision was not taken lightly. Despite our best efforts, the prolonged difficulties of the current trading environment have made it no longer possible to sustain the business,” they said.

“It is a conclusion we reached only after exhausting all alternatives, and we are deeply grateful for the loyalty and goodwill that has been shown to us throughout.”