Morrissey’s of Abbeyleix

Stepping into Morrissey’s in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, is like stepping back in time—with jars of sweets lining the walls, boxes of breakfast cereal placed high on the shelves, and vintage cigarette advertisements populating the walls.

It’s a reminder of the way pubs used to be when they often operated as general groceries, post offices, or hardware stores alongside the primary task of serving up a tasty pint. The original Morrissey’s operated as an undertaker, an auctioneer, and an insurance agent—and as if that wasn’t enough, they also sold tickets for the Titanic’s one and only voyage.

Founded as a grocery shop and shebeen in 1775, the pub has now been at the centre of life in Abbeyleix for over two centuries.