Want to run a beautiful little pub in the rugged far reaches of western Ireland? Heineken is offering as much with its latest campaign around McCloughlin’s Bar in Achill Island. The lucky selectee will enjoy a real bucket list experience in overseeing the quaint establishment that got its start back in 1870.
As the legend goes, the family-run bar has been overseen by four generations of McCloughlin’s. The latest owner, Josie, is approaching retirement and there’s nobody in the family tree available to take over. So, Heineken has stepped in with an assist and is searching the globe for a new McCloughlin to keep the bar alive and well.
There is a catch, as you must bear the McCloughlin name to have a chance. That way, the bar can hold on to its rightful name, a big time tradition in Ireland. For generations, these places have been community outposts on top of great places to nurse a pint or two.
Heineken says this is one of many stories like it in Ireland, where the eldest generation is struggling to keep family bars afloat. “When we heard Josie’s story, we just knew we had to do something to help,” says Heineken marketing manager Mark Noble. “Pubs in Ireland are more than just places to enjoy a drink; they are living pieces of history, places of laughter, song, and kinship. With many of these institutions facing uncertain futures, we want to rally the Irish diaspora, inspiring a new generation of pub owners to take on not just a business, but a cultural legacy.”
You can check out the related video here. Interested McCloughlin’s can apply for bar ownership here. Here’s to keeping gathering spaces alive and healthy.
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