A piece of cinematic history is about to fade away. The iconic Moby Dick pub in Youghal, Ireland, once a hub for the legendary director John Huston and his crew during the filming of the classic movie Moby Dick, is closing its doors after nearly 150 years. This isn't just the end of a pub; it's the end of an era.
Kevin Linehan, now 66, is preparing to pour the last pint. He fondly recalls stories passed down from his father, Paddy, who witnessed the filming firsthand. "Gregory Peck was terribly shy," Paddy would say, "whereas John Huston was more outgoing."
The pub, originally known as Linehans, was renamed Moby Dick in honor of the film. It served as Huston's office during the shoot in 1954. The film, based on Herman Melville's novel about Captain Ahab's obsession with a white whale, used Youghal to stand in for the Massachusetts port of New Bedford in its opening scenes.
"I remember my father saying that he was selling two kegs of Guinness a week before Moby Dick, but during the film, there were so many people coming to Youghal to see it being shot, he was selling 10 kegs a week," Kevin remembers.
But here's where it gets controversial... The journalist Claud Cockburn suggested Youghal to Huston because the quayside hadn't changed in a century. Huston paid Paddy Linehan £5 a week to use the sitting room as an office. What was meant to be a two-week stay turned into three months. "It was like sitting on top of an oil well with all the business it brought," Paddy would say.
Linehan's, established in 1880 by Kevin's grandfather, David Linehan, was a popular spot for salmon fishermen and bakery workers. The town of Youghal boomed in the '60s and '70s, and the pub thrived.
And this is the part most people miss... In the mid-1970s, a pint of Guinness cost 25p. The only lagers were Harp and Carling. Women favored sherry and port. Kevin recalls his father saying he could "float the Pequod with the amount of Palomino sherry he was selling." How times have changed!
Now, with their children grown and living elsewhere, Kevin and his wife, Bríd, are retiring. They'll close on New Year's Day. Kevin hopes a buyer will keep the pub, complete with its film memorabilia, open.
"I've worked here 50 years," he says, "I always enjoyed the craic with our staff and customers – we’ve had an incredible journey here.”
What do you think? Are you a fan of classic films and the history they create? Do you think it's important to preserve these historical locations? Share your thoughts in the comments!
