Bailie Hotel still on the market

The Bailie Hotel is “still in the process of being sold”, the current owner has told the Anglo-Celt.

Patrick McEnaney confirmed that, while they have an interested buyer, a sale has not yet been agreed. He is hopeful the process, which is being handled by Tobin Estate Agents, will be finalised in the coming weeks.

“It hasn’t been sold just yet, it’s still in the process. We should know better in a few weeks,” he told the Celt last week, amid speculation in the east Cavan town.

The property, which was listed on myhome.ie with a price tag of €1.2M, is marked 'sale agreed' on the website.

Mr McEnaney would not be drawn any further as to the identity of the would-be purchaser or their plans for the property, which includes 18 bedrooms (16 of them en suite), a niteclub and beer garden. In the interim, it's business as usual at the Bailie.

The Bailie has been a leading business in the town since the McEnaneys purchased it 20 years ago. Some residents and business owners in the east Cavan town have expressed concerned about the sale of the property, hoping it will continue to operate as a hotel.

“If we lose the Bailie, if we lose the hotel, that would be a disaster on the street,” said the owner of Finnegan's Drapery, John Finnegan. “There would be a list of small points there that would make a bigger point. There would be no accommodation for tourism. After a wedding or a funeral especially, other than Eugene’s up there, there would be no place for tea and coffee or sandwiches.”

Francis Clarke of Clarke’s Hardware Store was also concerned about the potential loss of the hotel facility to the community, and put forward some proactive solutions to the issue.

“Another hotel, even if Shaffrey’s opened or the place across the street or Brenda’s, let them out to someone. I’d say there would be ones who would take them,” he surmised.

Pedestrians in the street also stopped to protest any potential closure of the Bailie. “Get the Bailie back, I could do with the Bailie,” said a saddened Frances Prichard.

Fianna Fáil Deputy Niamh Smyth voiced her concerns over the possible closure of the hotel.

“We have two anchor businesses on the main street - one being the Bailie, the other being SuperValu. They’re the glue which holds all the little businesses together and provides the footfall for them to survive,” she explained.

“There was shock and sadness as well to see them go and, when you put that aside and think of the business and the economic impact that has, I would have a big concern that I would like to see the hotel maintained and continue to be run as a hotel because they’re important features of main streets and towns like Bailieborough.”

The Bailie Hotel was first put up for sale in August 2022. At the time the McEnaney family were keen to find a buyer who would buy it as a going concern and keep it on as a hotel.

“We’ve pushed out the sale by three weeks. There are a few customers on it. We just want to see what we get at that stage and see what happens,” said Patrick back in August.

“That’s what we’re really hoping, that it would be kept as a hotel. Maybe we’d have pulled the lever on it if we were going another way but that’s what we really want.”