Cronin's Pub

Hi, we are Sean, Thecla, Denis and Joleen and we run Cronin’s, our family owned traditional Irish pub.

The history of Cronin’s Pub goes back to when Sean’s parent’s Jo and Denny bought the former Kennefick’s Hotel in 1970. It actually opened as a hotel by the Kenneifck family in 1892!.

Jo and Denny ran it as a popular bar in Cork’s favourite holiday destination of the time, ‘Crosser by the sea’. Sean met a Dutch lady, Thecla, who came to Ireland after finishing art college. They later married and had two children; Joleen and Denis. Thecla brought lots of ideas, enthusiasm and with her love of cooking, made Cronin’s known as a great lunchtime destination with lots of local seafood treats including chowder, mussels and oysters.

Denis inherited her culinary flair and in 2009 opened the Mad Fish Restaurant, a quaint dining room tucked into the back of the pub, which has picked up numerous Irish food awards. Denis now lives next door to the pub with his Kiwi wife Caroline and their family. They have a large garden and grow lots of vegetables and herbs, which they love to use in their cooking in the pub.

Sean’s biggest hobby is collecting curios and antiques and has even dedicated an enormous section of the bar to his favourite sport of boxing. He continues to amaze people with his infinite knowledge of Irish whiskeys and loves chatting to our regular and loyal customers.

Joleen is a photographer, graphic designer and our marketing manager. She loves to organise events and has made Cronin’s a focal and cultural part of the Crosshaven community with regular film screenings, art exhibitions and the now famous Irish Redhead Convention.