The landmark public house, also known as McCague’s Bar, at the entrance to Roslea has been family run for almost 40 years.

The owner Jim, with brothers Kevin and Eamon McCague are retiring after 37 years of trading in the border village.

The popular Roslea bar has been at the heart of the many community activities in the village over the years. It draws its clientele from a wide area including Roslea and the surrounding rural area with  customers enjoying the benefits of the family run pub.

It has most recently gained a reputation for good food and hosting social functions. 

Jim, the owner has been in the business for 37 years. Before that it was owned by another local man, Larry Flynn.

“Really it has been a very local pub from day one,” explained Jim.

The three brothers Eamonn, Kevin and Jim have made a real success of the business. Eamonn runs the kitchen and Kevin is the bar manager.

“It has become a real institution with funeral and anniversary dinners, holy communions and confirmations and all types of parties regularly booking the restaurant and bar over the years,” he said.

He recalls that in the 1920s or 30 the pub was taken over as an army barracks and sandbagged in the 1920 or ‘30s, by the Black and Tans, according to Jim, and a photograph sits in the bar as a reminder.

“But when we took it over in 1979 it was just an ordinary rural pub with a big backyard and the toilets at the bottom of the yard,” he quipped.

“We soon built a function room and continually added other things to enhance the site, like the carry out and the off licence,” said Jim who previously had a bar in Monaghan. 

“We’ve been able to attract a strong clientele from north and south through the bar, the off licence and the restaurant. 

In recent times it has developed into a bar complex incorporating the bar, lounge, function room, restaurant, off licence, kitchen and has become renowned for its food and function trade.

Jim is keen that McCague’s corner site remains a lively homely place for people to enjoy food, drink and a bit of craic.

“I’d like to think that new buyers would keep up the tradition of serving the people of the area.”