"A kind and greatly admired man, who was an institution in Bray".
The Harbour Bar have expressed their condolences for Paul O'Toole Senior, whose family ran the popular Bray pub from 1932 til 2013.
The former publican passed away in his sleep on Monday (14th).
In a statement shared on social media, the Harbour Bar team wrote:
We are very saddened to hear of the passing of our dear former owner, Paul O’ Toole Senior.
Paul was a kind and greatly admired man, who was an institution in Bray. A great friend to all the customers and generations of staff who had the pleasure of working with him at The Harbour Bar, Paul will be sorely missed.
The O'Toole family took over the Harbour Bar in 1932 - before that it had been an undertakers, originally opened 1872.
The O'Toole family ran the pub - which was named
best pub in the world by Lonely Planet - until 2013, when it was taken over by the Duggans.
In that time, the Harbour Bar established itself as a go-to venue for music lovers and artists, with plenty of cosy snugs and warrens to discover - usually with a cat curled up on a comfy chair in every corner.
Harbour Bar regulars also took to the comments to share condolences - one wrote "Very friendly publican always a warm welcome". Another said "Sad to hear of Paul’s passing. Never a dull moment with him around".
Header image via Instagram/theharbourbar
