The appearance of one global superstar to your business is always going to have a knock-on effect. The appearance of two is going to takes things to the next level. This is exactly what Carole and Kieran Clarke at Clarke’s Bar on Patrick Street have been living with for the past twelve months, following the high-profile visit of both Mullingar’s Niall Horan and Scot Lewis Capaldi to their popular tavern during Fleadh ’22.
Getting the pop duo to Mullingar proved to be one of the best kept secrets in Mullingar.
“Initially we were approached and asked if would we be interested in hosting an event,” says Carole. “Following that, two scouts came to check the place out. While they were here they told us that they were scouting for a travel show. I spotted a rat straight away. Filming a travel show in a pub just didn’t add up. We pressed the scouts on it and they let us know that we’d be earmarked along with a number of other venues in town to host Niall and Lewis.”
Ultimately, Clarkes was chosen to hose both Horan and Capaldi. The knock-on effect from having two stars at their bar has been second-to-none.
“Having two superstars in your pub is something you can only dream of,” said Kieran. “We’re nearly onto our third visitors book. We’ve been having people dropping in from all over the world on a daily basis, just looking to see where the two men were sitting!”
Superstars aside, Carole and Kieran have spoken highly of last year’s Fleadh in general. “Everyone who came to the bar just spoke of Mullingar so highly,” says Carole. “It was fantastic to see. From a marketing perspective, it’s put the town firmly on map.”
Ahead of this year’s Fleadh, final touches are being made to a new purpose-built staging area to the rear of the bar, which will host many musical acts over the course of the festival week. The new staging area coupled with their reputation as a haunt for the stars of music will be keeping Carole and Kieran busy over the course of the week. “We’re really looking forward to doing it all again!” says Kieran.
