The new manager of Co Fermanagh pub The Three Way Inn says it is going to be a family affair when he takes over on March 1.
Jude O’Donnell from Aghyaran, Co Tyrone, will take over the lease of the Sligo Road premises on March 1, having learned the ropes from his father Sean over the years in their own family run bar.
Jude also recently ran The Corner Bar in Ederney, and says his move to The Three Way Inn will be a big step up for him and his family.
“It’s all systems go at the minute just trying to put everything in place," Jude told MyFermanagh.
“It’s going to be completely different, we had a family bar in Aghyaran, outside Castlederg back from 2005 to 2017.
“It was just a wee small bar and it was a family run bar for us. When we went to Ederney then it was a big jump in terms of the size of people and turnover of money coming in and going out.
“The whole business side of things was a complete change.
“Going from the Corner Bar to the Three Way Inn is a step up again. We’re not going one step on the ladder, we seem to be skipping about ten steps!”
Jude will be helped out by his wife Emma and his father Sean, who he learned the tricks of the trade from since he was a teenager.
He added: “Dad has 40 odd years business in the bar trade so I just followed after him and I’m learning every day from him.
“It’s just our personalities would be something similar, he’s going to be involved with the bar and will be a big help.
“It’s going to be a full family affair.”
With increased tourism numbers coming to Co Fermanagh in recent years, Jude says he hopes to tap into that with accommodation on site as well.
“Fermanagh is massive for tourism, everyone loves Fermanagh.
“I’m a Tyrone man myself but Fermanagh in the sunshine is absolutely fantastic.
“The Sligo Road is a main road and it’s crazy busy every day, so we are hoping to pull in some passer by trade as well.
“Obviously we’ll be depending a lot on our local customers and people from our area as well.
Live music is going to be a big focus for Jude and family, as he believes there is a gap in the market for country music fans.
Jude said: “I spent the whole weekend sorting out music and usually it would take a lot longer but thankfully everything has just fallen into place.
“Previously you had to book musicians 12 months in advance but now people are willing to give me three or four dates each.
“Music is going to be massive for us, it worked very well in our previous bar in Ederney.
“There’s an age bracket now in Enniskillen that if you want to go out there’s not a while lot there for you.
“There is live music but a lot of it would be suitable for those in their late teens and early twenties.
“I just thought there was a big opening for that in terms of the country music so that’s why we put a lot of effort into getting good bands I had previously.”
