Doyle, Tony
October 27, 1995
Former Wicklow Star
Tony Doyle
Now Manages Meaghers In Dublin
1995 could hardly have been a better year for the GAA even if they could have written the script themselves. If variety is the spice of life then the past year surely turned out to be a tasty dish for the country's largest amateur sporting organisation.
It was all changed over the twelve months and the appeal of it fairly injected life into what had become a pretty staid and predictable menu in both football and hurling. The older order hath changeth!
If Westmeath minors provided the shock result of the year and Clare chipped in with the romance, the footballers of Dublin fairly engineered a tonic for the Association in its bid to up the ante in the battle for the hearts and minds of the capital's sports mad youngsters.
Tony Doyle is a Wicklow man by birth but one who now resides and earns a living in Dublin City. A former Garden County Senior player and for years now an astute and avid follower of Gaelic football, Tony is the manager of Meaghers, a place of excellence and very much a Gaelic games-friendly business.
Located at Richmond Road at Fairview, Meaghers represents a perfect place in which to relax and unwind after playing in or simply attending a game because such is the spaciousness and comfort on offer at 283 that for all kinds of punters, Meaghers is THE business.
Formerly known as Meaghers Log Cabin and originally owned by the Meagher family from Tipperary, the Richmond Road establishment still trades under the Meagher name. For a growing number of punters from the Fairview, Drumcondra, Ballybough, Clonliffe and Donnycarney areas, Meaghers is the number one port of call, before and after a match at Croke Park.
Including the aforementioned, Tony Doyle and kitchen staff (incorporating a fully qualified chef) Meaghers employ approximately forty people and is owned by Myo O'Donnell, Meaghers is actually run and managed by Myo's daughter Philomena and her husband Dave Dowling.
"Thankfully business is going very well for us and we try to maintain a good standard all year round, be pleasant to our customers and make sure that we achieve a good ambience which enhances the business," Tony explained.
Offering a renowned carvery lunch five days a week, from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 12 noon and 3 pm, Meaghers can satisfy even the most discerning connoisseurs of food and fine wines. For the convenience of customers, a substantial, supervised car park is also available.
Over the years, Meaghers has established itself as a fine supporter of Dublin's GAA teams. They have provided sandwiches and general refreshments for Dublin Senior football panels over the years.
"We have regularly facilitated the Dublin team because it's nice to be in a position to give something back to the community from which you derive the major part of your custom. In return too we receive a lot of goodwill and it's nice to be able to have a chat with the likes of Jimmy Keaveney, Tony Hanahoe and Pat O'Neill when they drop in."
Expressing the hope that Meaghers will be able to host an informal lunch for the Dublin team in the near future, Tony Doyle says that a lot of Meaghers customers would be dyed in the wool Dublin GAA fans but, in truth, the excellence of Meaghers food, drink and service is such that even the non-committed GAA fan would be wont to spent an afternoon or so in the Fairview establishment.
"We take pride in our work and the service we give to our growing clientele. We do an average of sixty to seventy lunches per day which excludes that of tea, coffee and sandwiches. Our menu of food is fairly extensive. We intend to maintain and increase our standards if anything."
Such is the prominent and convenient location of Meaghers that a large number of people working in the local garages, offices, builders, plumbing establishments and panel beating operations are glad to avail of Meaghers super snacks such as soup and roll at just one pound and fifty pence and quality sandwiches at one pound and fifty pence. Hot meals are available at Meaghers daily and a succulent roast beef dish would set you back just £5.30. Each of the dishes are more popular that the next.
"Our meals are very popular and we are kept very busy all day long. The reality of business in the city is that if we weren't providing meals during the day, we would, like most other pubs in Dublin, be a bit on the slack side. We now have a nice balance between the food and the drink."
Only the finest wines and spirits are stocked at Meaghers and the top standards are demanded by the management. All members of staff are fully trained and are members of the trade union movement. "We are very concerned that every member of staff is able to do their job properly. We run a very clean house, offer a quality service and uphold the highest standards," Tony explained.
Located just a ten minute walk from Croke Park, the All-Ireland football and hurling finals weekend is understandably on of Meaghers busiest times. Especially like this year when the Dubs formed the centre of attention. Tony Doyle has an innate 'feel' for the rarefied atmosphere which pertains on both sides of the bar counter on such weekends for the man has been there, done that etc.
"The atmosphere on All-Ireland finals weekend has always been something to behold in Dublin. It makes the whole weekend, regardless of what team you are in town to support," Tony enthused from Meaghers.
Tony Doyle's first sporting love was Gaelic football and as he grew older he learned to talk as good a game as he once played. In 1965, the Newtownmountkennedy stalwart played as a razor keen forward for the Garden County and thoroughly enjoyed himself. It was the same story on the club scene too as Tony and company helped themselves to a Senior Championship title in 1964, beating none other than Baltinglass.
Winding the tape fast forward, Tony was delighted to see his near-neighbour Roundwood doing the business this year against the self-same Baltinglass battlers. "Roundwood are just next door to us back home and it was nice to see them win through. I know a lot of the stalwart GAA families in the Roundwood area and they deserve their success."
Reflecting on the way football has changed over the last thirty years or so. Tony acknowledges that the game has become much more commercial and professional. "It's gone very professional. The players don't strip in the ditches anymore which is at least a good thing." Tony quipped.
The truth of it all, according to Tony, is that is that Gaelic football has become a lot faster, more skilful and the onus is on the modern player to be much, much fitter. "I'm a fan of the modern type of game because it's very attractive and a very good spectator sport now. A lot more matches are being televised now and partly because of that a lot more people are going to the matches," the Artane resident explained.
A loyal and long time supporter of Gaelic games, Tony follows the Dubs on a frequent basis. Needless to say he watches the Sky Blues in action on the television and he confesses to watching all kinds of sports.
Tony Doyle is a parent of a handicapped son and is very active in fundraising for the cause of the handicapped. He is astonished by the generosity of the staff and customers of Meaghers. A founder member, along with Tony McCann, of a new parent organisation called Irish Contact Society, the group offers support and information to the parents of handicapped children and they can be reached at 01-8724911.
"There are a lot more sport that young fellas can choose from and that's good, but I would hate to see the GAA losing out because it is part of our culture. While the passion may have gone out of Gaelic games since the likes of Kerry were on top, there are still a lot of role models around who have done a wonders for the game."
Tony remembers attending the 1974 All-Ireland semi-final clash between Dublin and Cork and getting a great trill out of being part of Heffo's army. "Dublin's win in '74 gave Gaelic football a great boost but that impetus has been maintained with the emergence later of the great Kerry team. Then again who could have predicted that Donegal would have come through to win the All-Ireland or that the teams from Ulster generally would have proceeded to dominate things in the nineties.
"I have no fears for the future of Gaelic football. The GAA has plenty of capable men at the top, able and willing to guide it along while the game itself is a very good product and as attractive as ever."
Taken from Hogan Stand magazine
27th October, 1995
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