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Summary background to the development of Boss Murphy's and the renewal of Churchtown Village. Introduction From the early 1990s Gerry Murphy watched the decline of his home village. In 1992 he saw the closure of Jerry Sullivan's pub in the village and more and more dereliction of village properties. He was aware that Churchtown with all its fine stone Georgian buildings was a treasure weighting to be discovered and made a few attempts to purchase small properties in the village. In 1996 he became aware of the initiative of the Fehin family who established Padre Pio Nursing Home on the edge of the village, as this was the first infrastructural development in Churchtown since the creamery was built in 1889. In February 1997 Gerry Murphy was reading a copy of the Sunday Tribune in Dublin about the sale of the contents of the actual village pub in Churchtown where he did his socialising as a youth to a new Irish pub in Vienna called Flanagan's. He saw what was happening in his home village as the death knell for Churchtown and rural Ireland and decided he was going to take on the renewal of Churchtown village as his "legacy" in life. Chronologically commercial developments since 1997 include: February 1997 Gerry Murphy reads the Sunday Tribune article (which was based on an article that appeared some days earlier on a front page report in the Evening Echo) about the pub moving to Vienna and decides he is going to "do something". He telephoned local auctioneer, Michael Broderick and asks him to see if the owners of the derelict Market House in Churchtown (which was also part of the overall village pub property) would be prepared to sell it. After some negotiations in relation to the price Gerry agreed to purchase the old pub, dwelling house, out houses, stables and the Market House from Liam and Marie O'Herlihy who had bought the premises from Jerry O'Sullivan, the previous owner on 24th December 1992. The deal closed in August 1997 as Gerry Murphy resigned from First Active Plc to pursue his "legacy" of developing a portfolio of interests. It became clear to Gerry that he needed to separate what would be seen as commercial in his developments in Churchtown with what would be voluntary and philanthropic and so he also set up the Churchtown Village Renewal Trust in 1997. Initial private donations amounted to €20,000. June to December 1997 Working with his accountant Peter Stewart of O'Donovan & Company, Gerry Murphy set about devising a tax efficient use for the premises which he was convinced had to be tourist related and offer accommodation as a "service" that would open up Churchtown to visitors. With help from Alexis FitzGerald, a plan was prepared to open a "holiday hostel" in Churchtown and this was presented to Bord Fáilte for BES approval and for possible grant support under the EU's ERDF grant scheme. Ciaran O'Brien of Gerry Cahill Architects surveyed the premises and overseen by Gerry Cahill, whom Gerry Murphy met as chairman of the EU Thermie project a planning application was submitted to Cork County Council on 28th July 1997. Planning permission was obtained from Cork County Council under reference N/97/3043 and BES approval was obtained from Bord Fáilte for €627,000 on 23rd December 1997 (Certificate number 5545). In Summer 1997 Gerry was thinking about branding the business and considers many options before settling on the name "Boss Murphy's" after his great grandfather William Murphy (1831-1911) and his grandfather, John Murphy (1875 - 1955). He also borrowed the "Boss" name from his father-in-law, Jim Cunningham who were also both known as "Boss". In early Summer 1997 Gerry invited a group of key decision makers from Ballyhoura Development Ltd, Cork County Council, Bord Fáilte and Cork North Enterprise to discuss his plans for Churchtown under the Boss Murphy commercial heading and under the umbrella of the Churchtown Village Renewal Trust. Carmel Fox, Ballyhoura Development and Greg Collins, Cork County Council attended this important meeting as did Rochie Holohan from Cork North Enterprise which subsequently supported the development of the dotcom company George's Street Technology Ltd. Carmel Fox and Ballyhoura Development went on to become major supporters of the renewal of Churchtown. A public meeting to discuss the plans was held in the Community Hall in Churchtown as well in July 1997 as a follow on to a two-day course that was organised by the Churchtown Village Renewal Trust. A meeting was also held in O'Donovan Stewart's offices in Dublin of all his advisors, including Pat Cusack of Cusack McTiernan, Solicitors and Martin Keaney of Keaney Design to outline his master plan. A presentation of the overall plan to Cork County Council results in a grant of €19,000 to the Churchtown Village Renewal Trust. 1998 With Eileen Ahern-O'Connor acting as an intermediary Boss Murphy's acquired two more adjoining properties in Churchtown from Jack and Gail Mortimer. This part of the Boss Murphy premises has special significance as these properties were operated as a pub by Gerry Murphy's grandmother and grandfather. A revised planning application is submitted and approval is obtained for the enlarged scheme. Funding for the BES was agreed and drawn down on 25th September 1998 and an ERDF grant of €190,000 was also approved on 3rd December 1998. BDO Simpson and O'Donnell Sweeney accountants support the BES and with substantial further capital from Gerry Murphy building work was about to begin. 1999 A special meeting was organised on 26th January 1999 entitled "Facing the Millennium with Confidence" and it was attended by a wide range of decision makers including Maurice Moloney, County Manager and Theresa White, Asst County Manager. The Churchtown Declaration was presented to this meeting. It read: "Churchtown will become an example to rural Europe that small communities can become sustainable by developing "bottom-up" strategies that are implemented locally with regional agreement and financial support". One of the most important events was the appointment of Maurice Gilbert as builder at Boss Murphy's in 1998. Maurice was recommended by Oliver Byrne as he had completed the building of Padre Pio Nursing Home. Maurice Gilbert has since been responsible for the refurbishment of Boss Murphy's, which includes the Market House and his contribution to the renewal of Churchtown has been enormous. So, after some initial building work in late 1998 work began in earnest in early 1999. Michael Barry who Gerry Murphy met in August 1997 took over as project overseer and a director of Boss Murphy's Ltd and moved to Churchtown to carry out the task. Ben and Patricia Dorney became the first official visitors to Boss Murphy's when they stayed in August 1999. In a disappointing outcome Gerry Murphy decided to open a Boss Murphy's pub in Dortmund in Germany. Trading was most disappointing and the pub was both opened and closed in 1999. Former school mate of Gerry Murphy, Francie Conway helps to make Boss Murphy's first major piece of original merchandising - Boss Murphy's Spirit of Cork - with over 10 tracks including Finbar Furey's "Song for Churchtown". On 20th July 1999 Gerry Murphy signed a contract to purchase an 11.5 acre field across the road from Boss Murphy's from Thomas O'Brien. This site was earmarked for residential housing and a full planning application was submitted. We buried Maurice Gilbert's father in 1999 and suffered the terrible Nivita tragedy on 27th October 1999 when Carmel Conroy, her daughter Emma and Niamh and Anita O'Herlihy died in a road accident outside Charleville. Carmel had worked in Boss Murphy House and the O'Herlihy girls lived in Boss Murphy's before Gerry Murphy purchased the premises from their parents. The first official dinner took place in the Imogane Room on 2nd September 1999 and it was attended by Doctors Tony and David Walsh of the successful Sims Clinics in Dublin where Gerry Murphy was founding director. 2000 American Gwen Burkard was recruited as the first manager of Boss Murphy's and she moved from California to Churchtown to carry out her duties. She recruited Jason Bernier as chef who also moved from California and with Michael Barry and Joan Quinn Boss Murphy's was ready for business! Tom Martin, an MBA colleague of Gerry Murphy's and a supporter of Churchtown (its first webmaster) introduced substantial corporate business to Boss Murphy's when he was responsible for hiring the entire premises for 9 full weeks in 1999. During this time Boss Murphy's operated as a residential training venue and had visitors from all over the world. Planning permission for 72 new houses was received in March 2001 and Ballyhoura Construction Ltd - the new company incorporated by Maurice Gilbert - began work on this development which was named "Bruhenny" in May 2000. In July 2000 President Mary McAleese visited Churchtown to open the new Community Hall and Deirdre and Niamh Murphy opened Boss Murphy's on the same day. In the Summer of 2000 legislation was passed that would allow Boss Murphy's to purchase a licence and open a pub on the premises. It became clear that Boss Murphy's required a "dedicated" couple who would manage it and prepare for the pub. In August 2000 Mary Kelly and her husband John visited Churchtown having been recommended to by a friend of Michael Barry's as potential "landlords" for Boss Murphy's. Mary Kelly arrived in September and had an immediate impact on the business with her dedication to service and hospitality. John joined the full time staff team in June 2002 when The Village Inn finally opened. Jason Bernier finally succumbed to the weather and headed back to California and Gwen Burkard left for a job in Tralee having both left their indelible mark on Boss Murphy's. Gwen even appeared on RTE's Nationwide programme talking about Boss Murphy's. Thank you Gwen and Jason. Housekeeping staff included Mary Jones and Linda Chamberlain. Waiting staff led by Helen Ahern included Brenda O'Sullivan, Clare Denise, Heather O'Brien and Stepanie Flavin. Kitchen staff includes Joan O'Donovan, Danielle and Joanne Quinn. 2001 Having managed Boss Murphy's through the initial stages Michael Barry decided to spend more time in developing his own plans and moved to Majorca in the Balearic islands off the Spanish mainland. He maintained his interest in Churchtown. It was decided to re-brand the restaurant as "The Windmill Restaurant" and the premises woodwork was painted blue as a contrast to all the grey stone. Huge consideration went in to deciding where exactly to locate the pub premises in Boss Murphy's. It was agreed that the original pub premises was too small so the "Eontec" training room and the Imogane room were converted into "The Village Inn" and some private parties took place here in December 2001. Maurice Gilbert with support from Terry Brennan of Chatham Design built the pub. In December Gerry Corbett retires from Gerry Murphy's office in Dublin and is awarded the Churchtown Village Renewal Trust "Medal of Honour" for his valuable service to the parish. 2002 Revenue and Planning approval were obtained for the conversion of Boss Murphy's to a full hotel in early 2002. A court date was set for a pub licence hearing in June 2002 and the licence was granted. On Friday 7th June the pub opened its door and the first drink was purchased by Toby Manning. By July 2002 over twenty new homes had been sold at the Bruhenny site and 15 new families had moved into Churchtown. Work had begun on a further 18 houses in phase 3. Michael Barry applies for planning permission for a development of 9 Finnish style log homes and a fisherman's lodge at Leap, Churchtown in July 2002 but this was lost following an objection to An Bord Pleanala. 2003 to 2005 2003 and beyond… yet to be written … on 4th March 2004 Gerry Murphy sold his 100% shareholding in Boss Murphy's to Richard Fitzgerald and Donal O'Sullivan. Click here to go to Boss Murphy's homepage ...
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