The Debate Over Worcester’s Oldest Irish Bar

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Derek McLean, GoLocalWorcester Reporter

Moynihan's Pub

What is the oldest standing Irish bar in Worcester? Two local establishments both claim to take the honor.

Moynagh’s Tavern and Moynihan’s Pub were both established in the 1930’s after prohibition was lifted. At both bars the owners, employees and regular patrons knew the two establishments were built around the same time. They also all had their own theories as to why their bar should be considered the oldest.

“I think everyone feels pretty confident that we have the longest and continually active liquor license,” said Tim Moynagh, son of the tavern’s current owner Robert Moynagh Jr.

Moynagh’s received a liquor license in 1935, just two years after the end of prohibition. A large sign on the front of the old building located on 25 Exchange Street reads, “Moynagh’s Tavern, Worcester’s Oldest Tavern.”

Ownership of the 77 year-old bar has never left the family. The tavern’s founder, Robert Moynagh Sr. owned the bar until his death in 1995. His son Robert Jr. has taken over ever since.

Moynagh acknowledges that there were bars in the city prior to prohibition, but they have all since shut the doors. “I don’t think there is anyone else in the city that can say that,” Tim Moynagh said.

But management at Moynihan’s Pub’s claims that the bar was established on March 15th, 1933. two years before Moynagh’s received a liquor license. Today, a sign on the front of the building reads “Raise A Pint To Our 79th Year.”

“It was in the Moynihan family through all these years,” said the pub’s manager Nick Karcasinas. The long-time Moynihan family friend has been an employee at the pub for 23 years and was a patron for around 15 years prior.

Timothy Moynihan, an immigrant from Kerry, Ireland initially founded the establishment. Through at least its first 15 years, the pub was called Moynihan’s Restaurant. Since his death, the bar has been passed down from daughter-to-daughter. Moynihan’s granddaughter Anne Rose has owned the pub since 2006.

Moynagh's Tavern bartender Ed Mulhearn

Karcasinas said the bar has always been a popular spot for the working man. “It's been the same family, same neighborhood, same kind of people,” Karcasinas said. “The years go but essentially the same kind of people come in.”

But the controversy over which came first still holds, due to the lack of evidence of a liquor license. Hanging over the bar at Moynagh’s, a framed original liquor license from 1935. But since Moynihan’s was originally labeled a restaurant, there is no evidence that the pub served alcohol during the first years of its existence.

Employees at the City’s Planning and Regulatory Services Division said that such evidence would take several days to find in the city archives.

But regardless of which came first, over the years both bars have become a second home to hundreds of local patrons.

Mark Fontaine, a long-time Worcester employee has sat in the barstools at Moynihan’s for the last 20 years. “It’s a good middle class working peoples bar and the bartenders are all right too,” he said.

Fontaine first started going to Moynihan’s after class while he was in college. The bar still has a reputation of attracting college kids today.

Worcester native Jack Morris has been going to Moynagh’s for the past five years. “It's a home friendly bar, decent prices, good people, a good neighborhood type bar,” he said.

The bar has attracted old athletes such as Carleton Fisk. Babe Ruth used to go to an old bowling ally on the top floor of the bar that closed down in 1945. Dozens of pictures of famous ball players and athletes who have spent a night or two at Moynihan’s are put on display around the bar.

Over the years both old bars have created thousands of memories and both are likely to create thousands more.