Dalkey’s historic Queens pub returns to the market for €3.95m

Just over three years on from its acquisition for €3.5 million by hoteliers Ray Byrne and Eoin Doyle, the landmark Queens pub in Dalkey has returned to the market.
While the sale is expected to see strong interest once again from a wide range of publicans and investors, they are likely to face competition on this occasion from hoteliers as the venue now has planning permission for a 30-bedroom boutique guest house to the rear of the property.
With that valuable planning consent now in place, the Queens is being offered to the market as a going concern through joint agents JLL and Lisney at a guide price of €3.95 million.
Located in the heart of the affluent south Dublin seaside village of Dalkey, the Queens is one of the oldest pubs in Ireland with a history dating back to 1745.
The subject property briefly comprises a large main bar and dining areas on the ground floor, including The Parlour, which is available for private celebrations. The first floor houses The Vico, a function and event space with its own bar and seating areas, along with storage and service facilities.
The Queens also has an enclosed courtyard terrace, which is south-facing and overlooks Dalkey’s Castle Street.
The planning permission secured by the current owners for a 30-bedroom guest accommodation scheme is expected to see a significant increase in the level of interest from prospective purchasers.
As it stands, there is a distinct lack of tourist accommodation in Dalkey village itself, with the nearest guest rooms available at the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel in Killiney and the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire.
Commenting on the sale, Dan O’Connor of JLL said: “Due to its prime location and the added benefit of a guest bedroom planning permission, we anticipate high buyer demand for this esteemed pub with a rich history.”
Tony Morrissey of Lisney added: “The Queens represents an opportunity to acquire an iconic landmark hospitality complex capable of sustaining strong volumes of trade with excellent future business potential”.
News of the sale of the Queens pub comes just three months after its owners, Ray Byrne and Eoin Doyle, placed another of their venues, the four-star Eccles Hotel and Spa in Glengarriff, west Cork, on the market for €5 million through agent CBRE.
The duo acquired the Queens in 2021 from its previous owners, former AIB chief executive and one-time Aer Lingus chairman Tom Mulcahy and his wife, June. The Mulcahys paid an estimated €7 million for the pub in 2003 and owned and operated it until the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic forced them to close its doors.
Speaking at the time, Mr Mulcahy said the decision to close the historic venue had left them “with a huge sense of loss”.
“The Covid cocooning gave us time for reflection. We realised that our time for retirement had arrived,” he added.