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 his 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 partner Caroline Burgess, a lady from New Zealand. 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.