Covert pub set to re-open

Eight years after customers last crossed the threshold, the landmark Covert pub at Ballinafid reopens to the public this week.

Nine weeks of work have been invested in renovation of the premises, the first steps in an ambitious plan developed by the new team at the helm, Sligo nurse Catherine Beirne; her son Michael, and Portnashangan man Derek Leonard.

“It’s now going to be called The Covert Tavern – although everyone will still probably refer to it as The Covert,” says Derek.

A first stage in the three-year plan the trio have for the business is to open the larger of two bars on the premises. Down the line, they aim to serve food – including in an outdoor seating area; they have plans to provide accommodation, and in the longer term to have a garden centre.

That latter ambition is close to Derek’s heart as he is a trained horticulturalist: it was also his horticulturalist’s eye that led to his appreciation that the orientation of the building – south facing – made the front suitable for an outdoor seating area.

When Catherine invited him to become part of the Covert’s future, his interest was piqued and since agreeing the deal, their focus has been on getting the premises renovated and updated.

“Basically, we have two bars. We have one ready, which can seat about 50 or 60; and we have a second bar which will open before the fleadh, so in the next six to eight weeks. “We’re doing accommodation as well.

“We’re going to open first with a bar and then food – but with hospitality the way it is at the moment and everybody looking for chefs and staff and everything, what we’re trying to do is make sure we can walk before we run.”

Derek believes it was around April 2014 that the Covert closed, and while it was in good order, it did need a revamp and the installation of new drinks lines, and a new kitchen.

Derek has known the bar all his life: he grew up near Mother Hubbard’s in Moyvalley and on journeys to relations in Longford, Derek’s family often stopped at The Covert – and for the last few years he has been living near the premises. There’s a considerable degree of excitement locally about the impending reopening, and Derek and Catherine are hoping to be able to recruit staff from the surrounding area.

“Every time you’re doing something outside, somebody drives into the car park and asks ‘when are you opening?’. People are always waving and blowing horns, and we ourselves are as excited about getting it open as the locals are about walking in the front door.

“We don’t want to half do anything for you know, people are asking if we’re doing food, and when are we doing food, and they’re getting excited we’re doing food, so we will probably start by doing what Tom Burke (previous owner) did – tea, sandwiches, and coffee – and run from there and build it up bit by bit by bit.”

We are recruiting: if there’s any good breakfast chef, let them call in. People are dropping in CVs. We’re looking for bar staff and we’re looking for chefs and we’re looking for waiters and waitresses – full- and part-time. We are willing to talk to anybody who works hard.”

While he trained as a horticulturist, Derek made the shift to the racing world some years back, and managed the stocking, staffing and sale of corporate boxes at tracks.