The Town that climbs the mountain...

Cahirciveen is a small town in the far west of Ireland: next parish New York, they say in these parts. That is not entirely true as Newfoundland is the next closest part of north America, but really New York sounds so much better. The town of Cahirciveen has a population of around 1200 and consists mainly of a long high street with the houses painted in many different colours. The shops and businesses of the town serve an extensive rural and coastal area.

When I first visited the town in the 1980s Cahirciveen was said to have 50 public houses; most of the shops had a licence to serve drink on the Fair Days. The most famous of these pubs is the Anchor, found in the centre of the town:

The Anchor Bar, Cahirciveen.

The Anchor Bar, in those days, doubled as a fishing tackle shop and a late night debating chamber, where the affairs of the world were discussed around the owners back kitchen table. Today the Anchor Bar still serves a great pint of Guinness, but the famous owner of years ago, Pauline McGuire, now can only look at the drinkers from a portrait on the wall.

Pauline McGuire still at the Anchor Bar, Cahirciveen.