This is a very significant week in the history of La Zenia and the entire Costa Blanca. It is the 25th anniversary of the opening of Paddy’s Point Pub. I opened the door of Costa Blanca’s first Irish Pub on 4th June 1999. We staged the official opening a month later, when Pamela got off school, but the June 4th opening is the one that is the milestone.
But first things first on this rather special occasion, and the most important fact is to congratulate Hazel and Rory on the fantastic job they have done since they purchased the business from me a decade ago. They have added the best food venue to what was in my time only the best and most popular pub in Spain.
We never wanted anybody but Hazel and Rory to succeed us – and we worked it out with that end in mind. That our faith in this young, hard-working couple was well founded and borne out by results, is a source of immense satisfaction to the Comaskey family.
I am not normally great on remembering dates, but I woke up on the morning of 19th March this year, and that day 25 years came flooding back to me. Overseen by the genius wood-crafter that was Ronnie Coogan, we loaded a container full of bar furniture, fittings and timber and waved it on its way to Spain. Part of the cargo was a long wooden sign with the name ‘PADDY’S POINT’ engraved thereon. A couple of days later, Ronnie, my great friend Joe Bardon and I headed off to cross from Rosslare, with a newly purchased American car filled with tools and oozing this great sense of adventure. Included in my vivid memory of the great challenge is the sad fact that neither Joe nor Ronnie are with us anymore. May God rest them both. We used to have a photo on the bar wall of Ronnie working away on a half-finished counter, in the midst of saw-dust and chaos!
Great friendships were formed through Paddy’s Point and one of the most unlikely was that of Ronnie, with his broad Navan accent, and Englishman, Howard Wrigley, who spoke with his undiluted Leeds dialect. For years afterwards whenever I met either of the two boys, I would be given the price of a pint for the other! I was saddened a couple of weeks back to learn of Howard’s passing. May he too rest in peace. One more link lost to the ‘old’ Paddy’s Point.
There were so many trials and tribulations in getting the pub ready for opening – but we got there; because I set a target and stuck to it. I said that if we waited until we were ‘ready’, we would never open and so I set a deadline of ‘opening the door as promised on 4th June.’ My squash buddy, Oliver Carey asked if he could come and work the bar. Oliver was a brilliant front-of-house man and exceptionally popular in those early days – especially with the ladies. Many is the time I had to ‘save’ him! In the midst of turmoil we got lucky with staff – none more so than the famous Yolanda. Through Yolanda, we sourced a bunch of great third-level students she had worked with in Dublin. One of these young girls was Hazel, the current co-owner. Hazel also worked for a time as a valued member of Ian’s ‘Comaskey Properties’ staff. (That company also since sold off). Yolanda moved on and is now general manager of the Hotel Playa de Torrevieja, (formerly Cabo Cervera). Rory came to us a couple of years later and he too showed exceptionally qualities in working his way up the ladder to being co-owner.
‘Time and tide stands for no man.’ The past is no more than a footnote in history – but I am so proud of what Pamela and I founded in La Zenia. We created an Irish community on the Costa – because people wanted to buy apartments close to an Irish pub. I was the first with live GAA and bringing well-known music acts out from Ireland. We established the landmark: the landmark is the history … and history cannot be rewritten.
But everybody must live in the present and this is why it is so satisfying for my family to see Paddy’s Point continue to grow and prosper. Full credit must go to Hazel and Rory for the effort they have put into the business over the past ten years or so.
We made amazing friends from the very beginning – many of whom we cherish to this day. We don’t get invited to the 20th or 25th celebrations, but like Loretta Lynn in ‘Coalminers Daughter’, it is secure in the memory of me and many more of those early ‘pilgrims!’
Great memories indeed!
Don’t Forget
There’s one thing for which you should be thankful – only you and God have all the facts about yourself.
