It’s been a difficult six weeks for Barry O’Donovan, the owner of Kilkenny House in Downtown Cranford NJ. In late August, Hurricane Irene ripped through the town, causing severe flooding for many residents and business owners. One of the hardest hit businesses was our beloved Irish Pub, Kilkenny House. During the storm, water from the river ran up South Ave and flooded out the pub’s basement, ruining the electrical systems, cooling and refrigeration systems, and much of the stock. The water also damaged the first floor, warping the wood floors, and ruining the lower portions of the walls. It was hard to imagine how the pub would bounce back!

I recently ran into to Barry at the bank. I was amazed to see that through all the stress he was facing, he had nothing but the most positive of attitudes. Barry assured me that they would be back, and that he and his team were focusing all their energy on their goal of an October Reopening. He also made a point of sharing how touched he was by the support and outpouring of encouragement he felt from the residents of the town, especially when so many of them were facing challenges of their own. A particularly touching moment for Barry was the donation he received from three young children who had raised money with a lemonade stand. Anyone who knows Barry understands how fitting that gesture is as Kilkenny House is famous for their support of our local schools and sports.

Barry, a native of  Kilkenny, Ireland,  says he owes a debt of gratitude to many people, including the Cranford Police and Fire Departments, Mayor Daniel Aschenbach, local politicians, the Small Business Administration, and the many contractors who worked so hard to restore Kilkenny House and get it up and OPEN  in just six weeks.

We are all so pleased to see that The Kilkenny House is opening it’s doors this evening, Friday October 7 at 6pm with an Irish Toast with it’s patrons. Starting tomorrow (4 pm onward), the Pub will operate with a limited menu for the next 2 weeks: Appetizers, salads, chicken sandwiches, burgers, veggie burgers, bison burger, shepherd’s pie, curry pie, fish-n-chips, NY strip steak, “grown up” mac-n-cheese (MY FAVORITE!!!), chicken penne, and a Kids’ menu. No Sunday brunch or live music this weekend, but Barry and Damien assure us that they will get there soon!

So come down and welcome back our Dear Friend. We’ve missed you, Kilkenny House!

Kilkenny House is located at 112 South Ave East in Cranford Nj

Visit them on the web at http://www.thekilkennyhouse.com for directions and more information