The Present
Mc Grory’s of Culdaff - Hotel, Bar, Restaurant and Music Venue - was first established here on the Inishowen Peninsula of Co. Donegal, Ireland in 1924 and has remained a family run business for three generations. The current owners are brothers John and Neil Mc Grory and their sister Anne Doherty.
Mc Grory’s of Culdaff boasts two unique bars: - The Front Bar which is noted for a fine selection of quality food and drink, traditional Irish music and a friendly Irish welcome, while The Backroom is famous throughout Ireland and beyond for its range and quality of music and entertainment. The Backroom can also be used for weddings, conferences, meetings etc. and has full AV facilities available. Mc Grory’s Restaurant caters for up to sixty diners in a comfortable yet stylish setting.
The Past…
McGrory’s of Culdaff was first opened for business in 1924 by John and Minnie Mc Grory as a general merchants store. Specialising in drapery and general supplies, customers travelled from near and far to buy everything from a bicycle to a clay pipe. Their son, John Joe, was introduced to the business and was indeed ‘handed the reins’ at twenty one. He continued to expand the business and added rooms for guests along with a dispense-bar, where ironically you could order a drink but you weren’t allowed to look at it beforehand!
After John Joe’s marriage to Deirdre in 1954, they undertook to upgrade the fledgling guesthouse to a hotel. They developed a reputation for fine food and a hearty Irish welcome.
The sixties were a boom time for tourism in Inishowen with droves of visitors from Scotland and Northern Ireland filling every available bed in the Village (and indeed some of them still haven’t gone home after settling in the area!).
During this time, John Joe and Deirdre started the Sing-Songs in McGrory’s. Being both fine singers and musicians, they entertained locals and visitors seven nights a week for the summer season. A warm welcome awaited singers and performers and each was given fine accompaniment by Michael Galbraith. It was during this period that Mc Grory’s developed its reputation for music and entertainment.
Anne, John and Neil - three of the eight McGrory children, took over the business in the mid nineteen eighties. 1999 not only marked the McGrory family’s 75th year in business but also saw the completion of a major re-development and refurbishment programme culminating in the current hotel with seventeen high quality guest rooms, the award winning Mc Grory’s Restaurant, The Front Bar and The Backroom - nationally and internationally recognised as one of the best live music venues in Ireland.
The family hopes to continue the tradition of hospitality established over the years by their parents and grandparents.
