The Early Days (1870s – 1940s)
The story begins in the 1870s when Stephen O’Brien first put his name over the door of a modest premises on Emily Square.
In 1875, Stephen and his wife moved to Athy after selling their tea shop in Dublin. On doctors orders, he sought the health-giving benefits of the fresh country air and found them in the bustling market town on the banks of the Barrow. They bought a small spirit-grocers, where they and their 11 children quickly thrived.
Back then, Athy was alive with traders, grocers and merchants. O’Brien’s served both as a grocery and a spirit-merchant, supplying essentials at the counter and draught at the tap. Stephen soon became known locally not just as a businessman but as a community figure active in civic life and proud of his town.
By the turn of the century, O’Briens was well established, even branching into mineral-water production for a time. Through recessions, wars and changing fashions, the O’Brien family kept serving Athy, one customer at a time, laying the foundations for nearly a century and a half of continuous family trade.
Frank O’Brien – Keeper of the Tradition (1948 – 2017)
When Frank O’Brien, Stephens grandson, took over the business in 1948, he inherited not just the premises but a living tradition.
For almost seventy years Frank kept the doors open, greeting locals and worldwide travellers alike. Farmers would drop in for groceries on market day, neighbours would call for a chat by the stove, visiting soldiers and musicians often found their way to the back bar where stories and songs filled the air.
As Ireland modernised and most pub-and-grocery houses disappeared, Frank refused to follow fashion. The shop at the front remained stocked with tea, biscuits, soap and preserves. Behind it, the bar carried on with quiet pride, timber floors, photographs of old Athy and the gentle clink of glasses.
In 2012, Athy Town Council honoured him with a Lifetime Contribution Award, recognising his role in preserving the spirit of Athys past. When Frank passed away in 2017, tributes poured in describing him as “one of Athys legendary figures” a man who kept the heart of the town beating.
Judith O’Brien and a New Chapter
Today, Franks daughter Judith O’Brien continues that legacy. Under her care, O’Briens Bar & Grocery remains exactly what it has always been a genuine family pub rooted in tradition but open to the world.
The shelves of the old shop still stand proudly at the front, a reminder of simpler times. Behind them, the bar welcomes locals, friends and visitors from every corner of Ireland and beyond.
Now set against the beautifully redeveloped Emily Square and neighbouring Shackleton Museum, O’Briens has become a must-see stop for anyone exploring Athys history and hospitality.
“When you step inside O’Briens, you’re not just walking into a pub you’re stepping into 150 years of Athy life.”
