26 Mina McHugh, Glege Street, Ballinrobe

Mina and Paddy Flannery of Flannery's Bar in Cornmarket (Michael Flannery's father).

Grainne McConnell

She worked hard, was a proud, ambitious and resilient lady.

By Grainne McConnell

Mina, daughter of Eliza Mc Hugh (nee Higgins) had many of her mother’s resilient and hardworking traits.

Marriage

Mina married Michael Tierney, a Galway man in the 1930’s. They took on the mantel of running the business alongside Eliza. While still a young woman, tragedy hit the McHugh household with the death of Mina’s husband leaving her a widow at the age of 40. Michael died the week before Christmas in 1945 having suffered a broken back leaving Mina with five small children under the age of 6 years, her now ailing mother and her elderly father to look after. Eliza McHugh died a year later in 1947 at the age of 66 years from complications related to diabetes. 

Operated a Thriving Business

A daunting task, Mina with the help of her children ran the pub and operated a thriving business, catering to the Fair Day customers and to the many farmers and their families from around the area. Whiskey and Guinness was sold in abundance. She kept lodgers and provided meals to visiting show bands, sales representatives, bank clerks, telephonists and fisheries officers.

Entertainment

Card games were played till the early hours, stories were told, recitations cited, advice given and taken, scores were settled and the world put right on a regularly basis.  You could expect to meet anyone and no one in McHugh’s. 

Pub Closed in 1999

Mina, always known by her maiden name Mina McHugh, ran the pub until she was 85 years old when her own health began to fail in the mid 1990’s.  The pub closed in 1999 when Mina passed away.  McHugh’s still remains over the shop door.

Losses, Tragedies and laughter

Mina was an incredible lady who lived through extraordinary times. She singlehandedly juggled motherhood and business in times that didn’t lend support to such circumstances.  She experienced the losses and tragedies, the fun and the laughter that fills lifetimes. She worked hard, was a proud, ambitious and resilient lady.