Photos: A Look Inside The New Brogue As It Opens Its Doors

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Micheál, Saidhbh, Caoimhe and Eimear Cotter help their parents Kevin and Fiona and uncle William fling open the doors at 9am on Thursday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean

THE doors were flung open in The Brogue on Thursday morning as a new era began for the old dame of Rock Street.

And TraleeToday.ie was there to capture the moment.

Kevin Cotter, wife Fiona and their four children were present to welcome all to the new-look bar and restaurant and it was an emotional occasion for them all, especially Fiona.

“I’m overwhelmed in a sense and quite emotional. I can’t believe that we’re back in and the doors are open,” said Fiona, on Thursday morning.

“We’re just looking forward to welcoming everybody now. It’s taken eight weeks to transform the place and Kay Sayers, who did the interior, deserves great credit. We kept the essence and character of the main bar so we’re delighted with it. We’ve a great team and staff behind us who have helped us get to where we are,” she said.

Everything looks great inside the refurbished bar, but the main changes are upstairs where there is a more open plan restaurant. The wall separating the lounge and the restaurant is gone, giving it a fresh and spacious feel. The new snug,  ‘Just William’s’, adjacent to the bar downstairs is bound to be a great attraction too for a quiet pint.

A number of well-wishers called in to Kevin and Fiona while we were there sampling a beverage, which, as Agent Dale Cooper said in ‘Twin Peaks’, was a damn fine cup of coffee.

The real celebrations will be on Friday night when Midnite Cafe take to the stage to a, no-doubt, packed bar.

Scroll down for photos…

Thumbs up from the Cotter family at the opening of the new look Kirby’s Brogue Inn on Thursday morning. Included are mum and dad Kevin and Fiona, with Micheál, Eimear, Saidhbh and Caoimhe. Photo by Dermot Crean

Fiona Kirby in front of the ‘Talking Wall’. “It’s just called the ‘Talking Wall’ for the moment because of all the characters on it,” she said. Photo by Dermot Crean

The upstairs lounge area where the wall separating it from the main restaurant has been knocked creating a more open plan design. Photo by Dermot Crean

Kevin Cotter, William and Fiona Kirby inside in the new ‘Just William’s’ snug in the bar. Photo by Dermot Crean

The bar downstairs has kept the character of its previous incarnation. Photo by Dermot Crean

The interior of the restaurant upstairs in Kirby’s Brogue Inn. Photo by Dermot Crean

The comfy new bar in Kirby’s Brogue Inn. Photo by Dermot Crean

Kevin Cotter serving up some tasty goodies in the cafe part of Kirby’s Brogue Inn on Thursday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean