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Irish Examiner
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Master Fran Well brewer who died in Cork house fire remembered as a gentleman
The master brewer who died in a house fire in Cork last week found the right mix of ingredients in life, and like his award-winning beers, he took the time to blend them into something special that will last long beyond him, his funeral Mass was told on Monday. Peter Lyall, the long-serving master brewer at the city's Franciscan Well pub and a respected coach with Fr Matthew's basketball club, died in a fire in his home in the Ardcullen area of Hollyhill on the city's northside early last Monday morning. His partner, Anna, survived. His funeral Mass was celebrated at St Mary's on the Hill on Monday, where his good friend, Shane Long, who co-founded the Franciscan Well, paid tribute to a man he said 'didn't follow the norm'. 'He would be giving out about what all the fuss is about [this morning],' Mr Long said. 'He never claimed credit for anything. There are several people in here that he [did] favours for. The only people who ever knew that was the person he did the favour for and himself. 'One of the beers he was instrumental in producing was Sunbeam. And he never took credit for that. But it will be in the [Franciscan] Well today. And when everybody else is gone from here, his beer will still be there. A lasting memory for the amazing man he was.' Among the gifts brought to the altar to symbolise his passions in life were a basketball, his favourite mug for drinking litres of tea, his glasses, and a packet of Taytos and Coca-Cola. His grandchildren also paid moving tributes from the altar. Chanice said Mr Lyall would always "go above and beyond" to ensure they were ok. 'One of the last things Peter said to me was 'Chanice I am so proud of you' and I will carry that in my heart forever,' she said. Kia said Mr Lyall always made her feel safe and loved. 'Peter always knew the answer to every question I asked. And there were a lot. To me you were a magical giant and I will love you forever," she said. And Paul said Mr Lyall was more than a grandfather. 'You made me feel so safe. Love radiated from you. Your laugh could be heard across a room and maybe even through the walls. "As a child, I remember thinking you were a giant and I would hold your hand and feel so huge. Now we are faced with such a huge loss, but I know you will be watching over us. We will always think of you." Celebrant Fr Sean O'Sullivan described how a terrible sense of sadness and dread filled the community last week as word of a fatal house fire spread through the community. The sense of sadness only deepened when it emerged it was the man known affectionately to many as 'Big Pete', who had died, together with his beloved dog, Charlie. He described the real warmth and affection in so many of the messages left on as people remembered Mr Lyall's kindness, helpfulness, his generosity in sharing his knowledge, his good humour, his capacity for fun, his positivity as a coach, his big heart, and his even bigger smile. 'Many of the tributes described Pete as a gentle giant, others as a gentleman, and it reminded me once more of George Bernard Shaw's definition of a gentleman — someone who puts more into life than they take out,' he said. 'And wouldn't we all like to be remembered as such. Someone who left the world richer for having lived." He spoke of how the process of brewing had something to say to us today. "Because it involves choosing the finest ingredients and raw materials, blending them together in the right proportion, achieving the right mix, the right balance, and then allowing them the time to ferment, giving them time. It can't be rushed," Fr O'Sullivan said. 'And Peter knew that, not just in his work as a brewer, but in his life. 'Family, friendship, his passion for work, his love of basketball and coaching, his love of fun and a bit of craic — they were the ingredients of his life. And he blended them into something that, like his beer, will last long beyond them. "Crucially, he understood the importance of time. He gave time to each of those elements, allowing them to ferment and to develop, to grow richer. And one of his great gifts seems to have been his ability to make time for people to chat, to coach, to enjoy a pint, or to help a colleague. Fr O'Sullivan said one message of condolence from a colleague highlighted how before showing them how to do a job, Mr Lyall would "sit them down first and have a cuppa and a chat, and then he'd show them". 'Another said that he didn't know how Pete found the time, but he'd always text him to see how he got on in his matches. Maybe that's one of the legacies he leaves. To remind us how important it is to give time to what is truly important to us. 'We live in a world where we always seem rushed doing things for people, and we forget sometimes that the most important thing we can give them is our time. And we hope that we can follow Pete's example.' The funeral took place afterwards in St Mary's Cemetery, Curraghkippane. Read More First woman to lead RTÉ's news and current affairs division named Cork Person of the Month
Irish Examiner
22-07-2025
- Climate
- Irish Examiner
Julie Jay: My stomach sinks at the prospect of fun in the sun
When I see temperatures are about to soar, my entrails take a correlative nosedive, as my stomach sinks at the thought of having fun in the sun. I can't be the only perennial pessimist who finds parenting in the sun tricky, surely? Rainy parenting, I can do: I am a big fan of getting cosy and watching telly, punctuating telly time with arts, crafts, and some pancake making to mark the daylight hours. Other than that, much like a Las Vegas casino, it is impossible to ever tell the time of day in our home for much of the year, as I lean into hibernation mode and can rest assured only the Steiner school extremists are traipsing out into the wild. Then there is the clothes side of things: I have one pair of shorts which I purchased immediately after Bush and Blair decided to invade Iraq. I pair this singular pair of shorts with various t-shirts, but other than that, my capsule wardrobe is about the size of a Kinder egg, such is the need for summer fashions. So rare is the sun in this country that I have spent a huge amount of this summer season explaining to my four-year-old that that orb in the sky is not, in fact, the moon, but its rarely seen but equally important equinox cousin. The problem with sunny weather is that I am not, by nature, an outdoorsy person, so I really don't know what to do with myself when temperatures are anywhere above freezing. Having always self-flagellated as a single lady about wasting my days indoors on sunny afternoons, my guilt is now only compounded by the feeling I have to be doing stuff with my kids outside now, excessive pollen count and all. When it's sunny, you just can't win as a parent. If you take the kids to the beach, you are chastised by passersby who say really helpful things like 'I wouldn't let my dog out in this heat' and remind you that on the continent, you can't buy crisps anywhere between 1pm and 5pm. It seems cruel to resort to a paddling pool in the garden when we are beside so many beautiful beaches, but the only thing that sends a shiver down my spine more than eating out with my children is bringing my children to a beach. Usually, I will get about an hour-and-a-half with the kids at the seaside before the Taytos are gone and everyone wants to go home. THESE TIDES, LEAVING ME BEHIND Because I still don't know how tides work, I never know on any day what the sea is going to be like when we arrive. On the day my auntie joined us on one of our beach excursions and insisted we try a new beach, we arrived to find the tide completely in and no beach in sight. Ever since, my four-year-old has viewed his aunt with great suspicion, expressing caution when I suggest inviting her to future beach outings, saying that she might bring us to the beach with 'no sand' again. 'A beach without sand isn't a beach,' he will remind me, though I'm sure natives of the notoriously stony Croatian coastline might beg to differ. I like my beaches like I like my men: uncomplicated and highly accessible at all times. As a result, Ventry is our west Kerry beach of choice, so if you do want to cop an eyeful of me in my sensible swimwear, you know where to go. When heavily pregnant with Number Two, this beach was also the subject of Number One's biggest tantrum to date when I failed to read the cues and he got overtired of an afternoon. For this reason, I am hit with a serious case of PTSD every time we grace the sands with our very pale, very brief presence. If you don't bring the kids to the beach, your options are even bleaker. What other parts of the country have in forests, west Kerry has in mountainous terrain — a beautiful backdrop, but significantly less effective at cooling you down and not half as much fun to climb as trees. Because we don't have any forest walks, we must resort to the playground, where the children will receive third-degree burns from the monkey bars and happily watch as the tarmac melts before our very eyes. Fun in the sun, indeed. On a rainy day, give me a cereal box and a permanent marker, and I will keep my children entertained for hours, or at least until I've finished three-quarters of my tea, which is pretty good going. Faced with the prospect of filling a sunny afternoon, I get stumped pretty quickly. Honestly, I don't know how those Californian mothers do it, and they usually do so minus any carbohydrates or refined sugar, so their ability to parent in the sun is doubly impressive. While I don't want to jinx myself, looking out at the sky, I think I can just about see a grey cloud on the horizon, and if that is the case, I for one, am thrilled. When it comes to parenting, it really is a case of more rain, less pain, especially when you own a telly. Read More What is myopia and can it be caused by children spending too much time on screens?
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Edinburgh set to welcome 'old man pub for all ages' by The Meadows
Edinburgh's pub scene has welcomed a new spot by The Meadows. Seamus's is opening up on Brougham Place, taking over from The International bar. The new venue has promised an 'old man pub for all ages'. Owners are currently running a competition to win a one per cent share in the pub, which can be done by sending a beer emoji through their Instagram account. READ MORE: Scottish dad tragically took his own life after abuser moved back into area READ MORE: Edinburgh road closed and buses diverted as emergency services on scene of crash READ MORE - Edinburgh man's sweet act for girlfriend as she opens up on devastating Crohn's diagnosis READ MORE - Edinburgh 'class clown' lands Netflix series role after mum urged him to pursue acting Locals were quick to comment with excitement at the news. One commented: "Good luck, I will pop in when you open." A second added: "I will be there when you open I'm old and regular!" If, like us, you're wondering who Seamus is - look no further. Owners have told his tale on their site. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox It reads: "Seamus was born in 1862 on the bustling streets of Longford Ireland. At the age of two, Seamus's father lost him in a poker game, six months later, Seamus won himself back. "Determined to make his mark on the world, Seamus stowed away on a Ryanair flight to Edinburgh, nestled among bags of Taytos and dreams of dartboard domination. Upon landing, he quickly showcased his unmatched skills at cards, pool, and darts in all of the city's best old man pubs. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "He then set up his own games leagues and eventually opened his own pub—Seamus's – an old man's pub for all ages and sexes. With his quick wit and banter, he quickly became Longford's best export since… eh… Pat the Baker… and your one Maura from Love Island." So, at least that's cleared up.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pub chain to slash prices in week-long St Patrick's Day celebrations
A pub chain with a bar in the middle of Southampton is gearing up for a week of celebration ahead of St Patrick's Day. O'Neill's, which has a pub on Above Bar Street, will be hosting a week of festivities, deals, and Guinness from Tuesday, March 12, to Monday, March 18. Punters can enjoy an 'Irish Tapas' deal, where where a bag of Taytos can be purchased for 30p with a pint of Guinness. READ MORE: Inside new 'digital darts experience' at city centre bar now open The Cheltenham Festival will also be live on big screens from Tuesday to Friday. At the weekend, the venue will show Six Nations rugby matches live. For St Patrick's Day weekend, beginning on March 16, O'Neill's will be offering £2 pints of Guinness, two-for-one Baby Guinness shots, and a complimentary Dublin Mule with qualifying orders. A new "digital darts experience" opened at the Above Bar Street pub in August, where groups of up to 12 people over the age of 18 can book a 90-minute session.
