The story of Nolan’s Public House is a story of a dream carried across an ocean and passed down through generations. It begins not here, but in the late 19th century with our ancestor, Cormac Nolan, a young man from the rolling fields of County Carlow, a heartland for the Nolan clan. Cormac found work in a bustling Dublin public house, where he learned that a pub was much more than a place to pour a pint; it was the very heartbeat of the neighborhood. He absorbed the art of the perfect pour, the rhythm of lively conversation, and the sacred importance of providing a place of welcome and refuge.
In the early 20th century, as so many Irish did, Cormac’s son, Eamon, set sail for America, seeking new opportunities. He carried little in his pockets, but his heart was full of his father’s stories and a single, burning ambition: to one day open a public house of his own, a place that would honor the traditions of home. Life, as it often does, presented its own path, and while Eamon worked tirelessly to build a new life for his family, the dream of the pub remained just that—a dream.
Yet, it was a dream he passed on to his children, and they to theirs. Today, we, the current generation of the Nolan family, have finally brought that century-old dream to life. Nolan’s Public House is more than a business to us. It is a tribute to Cormac’s lessons, Eamon’s journey, and the resilient, hospitable spirit of the Irish people. It is our honor to share this legacy with you.
The Atmosphere: Craic, Ceol, agus Pobal (Fun, Music, and Community)
Step inside Nolan’s, and you are stepping into a place designed to engage all the senses. We believe the atmosphere of a true Irish pub is built on the pillars of craic (a unique Irish term for fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation), ceol (music), and pobal (community). The air is filled with the faint, pleasant scent of a smoldering peat fire. Your eyes are drawn to the dark, polished wood of the bar, the intimate privacy of the “snugs,” and the soft glow of the lighting. But above all, the sound of Nolan’s is the sound of community: the clinking of glasses, spirited conversation, and laughter.
The true heartbeat of our pub is our weekly Traditional Irish Music Session. It is crucial to understand that a “Trad Session” is not a performance for a passive audience. It is a living, breathing gathering of musicians who come together to share tunes and stories. Musicians of all levels are welcome to pull up a chair and join in spontaneously, creating an experience that is unique every single time. This is ceol in its purest form—communal, unscripted, and from the heart. We see our pub as a home for this beautiful tradition, and we extend an open invitation to all local musicians to make our corner their own. At Nolan’s, we are not just serving drinks; we are fostering community, one tune at a time.