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A creche with a difference

A look back at the pub in Baldoyle that used to have it's very own créche

Graingers of Baldoyle installed the créche in 1996 despite an intitial rejection.

THE YEAR WAS 1996 and Ireland was a slightly different place. Mick McCarthy was the manager of Ireland, divorce was officially legalised via referendum and we had won the Eurovision for a record 7th time with Eimear Quinn singing ‘The Voice’.

TheSvet91 / YouTube

Ireland was rapidly changing so what better time to open Ireland’s first pub créche? Yes you read that correctly, Graingers of Baldoyle had  it’s very own créche.

John Murray went to investigate the new créche for RTÉ in 1996 and the result is very 90s indeed.

RTÉ RTÉ

The pub originally applied for planning permission in 1993 but it was rejected by Fingal County Council who said that a pub wasn’t the place for kids. However, An Bord Pleanála had other ideas and intervened to grant permission for the facility.

RTÉ RTÉ

For £1 an hour parents could rest assured that their child would be happy and safe while they had a few quiet ones on a Sunday afternoon.

But how did the kids feel about it all? Well one little guy was particularly enthused by the whole thing.

RTÉ RTÉ

I think it’s handy for the big people like my mum and dad because they can drink their pints in peace.

You have to love his commitment to the sesh at such a tender age don’t you?

RTÉ RTÉ

This tiny little girl loved the ‘big slide’ and ‘that little slide’ and overall reviewed the créche as being ‘very good craic’. 10/10

The best bit of the entire report though is the enthusiastic parents reaching for their drinks to highlight how much they love the idea.

RTÉ RTÉ

Look at that bottle grabbing action. Our bottle grabber herself explained that while some people might abuse the service ‘the ordinary person’ will be able to go to the pub on a Sunday and not have kids running around the pub which is pure bliss really.

And what if some parents were to abuse it? Publican Mark Grainger wasn’t having any of it.

RTÉ RTÉ

We’ll be making sure that people who come into the pub will be responsible. If they’re here more than 2-3 hours, we’ll be looking for them going  ‘It’s a bit Irish at this stage having children here so late’.

Good man Mark.

Unfortunately the pub was shut down in 2010 after a receiver was appointed. It was renamed the White House Bar and Restaurant in 2015 and seems to be doing well now.

They have a virtual tour you can do of the restaurant on their website but there’s no sign of the créche, That appears to have been left in 1996.

RTÉ RTÉ

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