After 33 years behind the bar, John Gordon closes up shop in Mohill

After more than three decades behind the bar, John Gordon is calling time on Gordon’s Cosy Corner in Mohill.

The beloved local pub, which has served generations of customers, will close its doors for the final time this month—marking the end of an era not only for John and his family, but for the town itself.

“When I came back here from London 33 years ago, there were 19 pubs in Mohill. Now I think there’s just six left,” said John. “The town has declined hugely. The pub trade has changed massively in that time.”

John and his wife are now retiring to their farm, having recently moved into a new home on the land. But while they’re ready to step back, the closure is bittersweet.

“Yes, we’re sad to go in one way—but it’s time,” he said. “This is a young man’s game, and nobody wants to work seven nights a week anymore for little reward. We had the pub up for sale a long time, but there was no interest from anyone who wanted to run it. Only developers.”

‘They never came back after Covid’

When asked what changed most, John didn’t hesitate.

“There’s no one reason. It’s a combination—smoking ban, VAT, licensing fees, drink-driving laws—but Covid was the nail in the coffin,” he said. “People just never came back after it. The older ones got afraid to go out, and others got used to drinking at home where it’s cheaper and there’s no hassle.”

Rural transport issues haven’t helped either.

“We used to have three or four taxis in Mohill. Now we have none. That’s another nail in the coffin. And it’s not like young fellas are lining up to take on the job—there’s no money in it for them, and the insurance is savage.”

John said many of the pub’s regulars now just stay at home or skip town altogether.

“There was a time you’d have people coming in from the country on a Friday night for two or three pints. Now they won’t even have one. They go straight home after the mart.”

The culture is shifting

John said that even among younger generations, the culture around pubs is disappearing.

“The younger crowd might only go out once or twice a week, and then it’s all or nothing. The days of people calling in for a quiet pint and a chat are mostly gone,” he said. “And midweek, forget it. Some pubs now don’t even open until Thursday.”

Despite all this, John has fond memories of his time behind the bar.

“We had great times here—festivals, music, characters singing and telling stories, the odd horse or donkey wandering through. I’ve seen deals done for ponies or carts over the counter. We won a few darts trophies too,” he laughed. “There was always something going on.”

'The bills are fierce'

Aside from dwindling footfall, John said the cost of running a pub has become impossible.

“In 33 years, we never had a single insurance claim. Yet every year our premium went up by a thousand. We’re paying €5,000 now, and that’s just insurance. You’ve rates, bins, water in and water out, licences for everything. It’s endless.”

He also criticised the government’s attitude toward the pub trade.

“It feels like they want less pubs. They’ve made it so hard, it’s like they’re pushing us out. Meanwhile, supermarkets are selling slabs of beer for nothing—and that’s where the real damage is being done. People drink a full 24-pack at home, no control, no social outlet. It’s not good.”

A heartfelt goodbye

As the end approaches, John is full of gratitude for the people who kept the pub alive for 33 years.

“I want to thank everyone who supported us. We never had trouble here. It was a good house, and that’s down to the people who came in. The support we got since announcing we’re closing has been unbelievable—cards, calls, well wishes. It means a lot.”

As for the future of pubs in towns like Mohill?

“It’s hard to see how the smaller ones can survive,” he said. “Unless something changes, we’ll just keep losing them.”

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