The Irish Cottage (Google Maps)
May 7, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
The Irish Cottage, a popular Irish pub and restaurant that has operated in Forest Hills since 1960, has closed due to the COVID-19 economic shutdown.
The family-run traditional Irish bar, located at 108-07 72nd Ave., was run by the McNulty family and was a staple for locals and members of the Irish American community. It served up Irish food and beer and hosted weekly music sessions.
“It’s very sad, we were one of the oldest family-run Irish bars in Queens,” said Danny McNulty, the son of the late owner Kathleen McNulty, who died last month.
McNulty said that the bar was no longer economically viable. He said that since the March 17 shut down revenue had shrunk significantly–and that the take-out orders they were providing were not enough to sustain them.
McNulty also said that the outlook was bleak since the city is likely to impose occupancy limits when bars and restaurants are permitted to reopen.
He said the future for many family-run bars and restaurants does not look good. Many will close due to lost revenue and upcoming restrictions.
“There will be no more mom-and-pops after this,” he said.
The family employed seven staff members who are now out of work as a result of the closure.
“Our longest serving staff member has been with us for 30 years,” he said.
The family had hoped to get help from the federal government to keep them in business.
“We applied for the federal bailout but we didn’t get it so it’s just not possible to keep it going,” McNulty said.
The closure is the second big blow for the family in a number of weeks.
McNulty’s mother passed away last month.
Kathleen, 80, an Irish immigrant, was struck by COVID-19 while she was recuperating from a hip injury at a care center in Long Island. She passed away on April 3 stemming from complications pertaining to the virus.
McNulty said his mother planned to come back to the bar after she recovered from her injury.
The bar was an Irish establishment but McNulty said his mother embraced people of all backgrounds.
“She made the place into a melting pot for all kinds of people to meet,” he said.
“Come as a stranger, leave as a friend,’ she would say.'”
Featured Events
7 Comments
This is very sad. The mayor and the governor will be so happy that they are erasing all businesses that have anything to do with the Irish-American community. The mayor and the governor have immense and unbelievable disdain for anyone with Irish heritage.
As part of the Irish Bookclub that met there monthly, I was always welcomed and feel Forest Hills is the lesser for the loss
A really great place, and sad to see it go.
One of our go to places on the weekend.. Great food and friendly faces. Thank you for the beautiful memories that will forever be cherished.
People have to make life changing decisions. This Virus is not going to go away and everything is not going to go back to normal for a long time. NYC is too dense and over crowded..and people who can are smart to close up and get out while they can. NYC will be even more for the very poor that qualify for benefits who just deal with the mess because they have no other choice and the very rich that will try and take advantage of the working and middle class closing up and selling properties.
I think there’ll be a big exodus out of NY in the coming years.Any minimum wage workers are just wasting their time here.
This is sooooo sad. I remember going there in the 80’s many good times. All good things come to an end I suppose. Thanks for the memories.