A generous and popular former city centre pub landlord with a “heart of gold” has passed away after a short illness.
Michael Prendergast, from West Derby, died on Wednesday 15 March, 2023, and will be best remembered for his years running The Lion, The Railway and Shenanigans on Tithebarn Street. A big Liverpool FC fan, he spent much of his time travelling all over Europe in the 1990s and 2000s watching the Reds.
Shenanigans was the last pub that Michael ran and moved on in 2010 before becoming a taxi driver. He passed away at the age of 55 and leaves behind his wife Linda, her two daughters and his mum Helen.
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BBC Radio Merseyside journalist Paul Salt was a close friend of Michael’s and paid tribute to the former landlord, describing him as somebody who took “more joy from making other people happy.” Paul met Michael in the early 2000s after drinking in his pubs and the pair soon went on to start attending home and away Liverpool matches together.
Speaking about his close friend, Paul told the ECHO: “He was the nicest man. He was always so generous and would be saying ‘you didn’t have to pay for that drink’.
“He was also so generous with his time. Michael always always had an enthusiasm for life and that always shone through.”
Paul said being a regular in Michael’s pubs, of which there was a large community down the years, was like being in ‘Cheers’, such was the welcoming aura he had as landlord. But it was on away days watching Liverpool where some of the best memories were made.
As the son of Irish publicans that ran the Shakespeare and Newington in Liverpool City Centre, Paul said Michael always had a great eye for a pub when travelling to new places. In Cologne, a few days before Liverpool took on Bayer Leverkusen in 2005’s Champions League, Michael managed to find an Irish pub that just happened to be the one where then Reds manager Rafa Benitez had come in to watch a televised Manchester United game - leading to wild scenes of adoring fans.
His love of Liverpool FC also took him to Istanbul among other standout occasions for his beloved team. He was also a regular face at Premier League games.
Paul added: “Always had an eye for a good pub on away days. He knew everybody - you didn’t have to go long before someone would know Michael.
“He was like a big kid and always excited and always made [me and his friends] do things. He would always be like ‘let’s do it’, even if the practicalities didn’t stack up. He always had an enthusiasm for life and that always shone through.”
Paul said that Michael would happily arrange days out for the regulars in his pubs, such as visiting Galway races in Ireland, even arranging coaches and flights. But those that knew him would all say he had his own concept of time.
Paul adds: “He was always late for everything. He had no concept of time, although he could still get you to Tottenham away when leaving it late.
“He got more joy from making other people happy. He had a heart of gold.”
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