Irish pub seeks someone named ‘McLoughlin’ to carry on 155-year legacy

A pub in Ireland with your name on it: Heineken launches global search to keep a family tradition alive. Irish pubs, those bastions of warmth, wit and well-poured pints, are facing a crisis of succession. More than four in ten rural publicans are considering retirement, yet 84% have no heir to take over. Now, one historic establishment on Ireland’s rugged west coast is at a crossroads. McLoughlin’s Bar, perched on Achill Island where the Atlantic crashes against the shore, is in danger of losing the name that has graced its door for 155 years. Fourth-generation publican Joseph ‘Josie’ McLoughlin (pictured), who was born upstairs in the very pub he now runs, has spent 43 years behind the bar. With no family member to pass the business on to, he faces the unthinkable: seeing the McLoughlin name vanish from its signboard. “I have no one to leave the pub to, and I’d resigned myself to looking for a buyer outside the family,” says Josie. “That would just break my heart. The name McLoughlin is woven into the very fabric of this pub. The past 50 years have been incredibly fulfilling for me and I’d love to see that story continue. If I could guarantee the McLoughlin name would still be above the door in another 155 years, I’d die a happy man.”

Heineken steps in

Enter Heineken, wielding its considerable marketing clout in a bid to track down someone named McLoughlin willing to take up the mantle. The search extends far beyond the shores of Ireland – to the 88 million people of Irish descent scattered across the world, from New York to Buenos Aires to Sydney. The recruitment campaign will see McLoughlin’s name emblazoned on billboards in cities where the Irish diaspora has flourished. Digital ads, PR initiatives and a widespread outreach strategy will ensure that no McLoughlin is left unaware of the opportunity. It’s a rare chance to own not just a pub, but a legacy – and to do so with a little help from Heineken, which is offering mentorship, business support and initial investment guidance to help the new custodian get their feet behind the bar.

More than just pints

In Ireland, the pub is where friendships are forged and music flows as freely as the stout. But these pillars of community life now face an uncertain future, as long-serving landlords retire without a successor in sight. “When we heard Josie’s story, we just knew we had to do something,” says Mark Noble, marketing manager at Heineken Ireland. “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. For those who have longed to reconnect with their Irish heritage, this is more than an investment; it’s a homecoming.”

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

Picture it: walking into a pub with your family name above the door, a place where your ancestors gathered, and where future generations will continue to do the same. McLoughlin’s Bar, established in 1870, is not just a pub – it’s a piece of Irish history. The warm welcome, the roaring fire in winter, the sprawling beer garden for summer, the traditional live music played late into the night – it’s all part of what makes this pub special. Beyond the bar, Achill Island offers breathtaking views over the Atlantic and the towering Slievemore mountain. It’s a place that captured the imagination of Hollywood – The Banshees of Inisherin was filmed here – and remains a magnet for those drawn to natural beauty and close-knit community life. For the right McLoughlin, this isn’t just a business venture. It’s a return to something real, something rooted in history and heart. It’s a chance to stand behind the bar and pour a pint for old friends and new ones. To keep the fire burning, the stories flowing and the name above the door for another 155 years. Could that McLoughlin be you?