The Outpost bar in Bishopstown sold for residential redevelopment

The Outpost bar in the Cork suburb of Bishopstown has been sold to Kerry developers for conversion into apartments.

The 0.25‑acre site on Curraheen Road was put on the market last year by auctioneer Sam Kingston of Casey & Kingston with a guide price of €975,000, but attracted limited interest from publicans. Owner Denis Desmond declined to disclose the sale price, saying he was “very happy” with the outcome.

The bar licence was sold separately to Tempside Ltd, the Irish company behind the Polonez grocery chain, for transfer to an off‑licence at its new supermarket in Ennis, Co Clare.

Desmond noted that while it would have been preferable for the premises to remain a public house, the economics of the trade after Covid made it difficult to find a buyer. He said a shift to a larger food operation was not something he was prepared to undertake.

History of the venue

The Outpost has been a local landmark for six decades. Acquired by Denis Desmond’s parents in 1968 from Murphy’s Brewery, the bar became a popular sports venue and community hub, even hosting charity soccer matches that raised over €250,000 for local causes. In 2011 the front of the student lounge was turned into an off‑licence and a minibus service was introduced.

Plans for the new development have not yet been released, but Desmond confirmed the intention is residential use, potentially creating up to seven apartments on the 5,000 sq ft premises.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Anna Lupa / Pexels.