1911 Kilnaleck

Barbara:

A publican sold beer and alcohol. Looks like Patrick had a grocery and also provide "spirits". He may have rented out rooms but on March 31 1911 no one was listed as living in the household other than the family members and the servants/shop assistants.

Hard to determine how wealthy he was.

If you Google Kilnaleck town pictures you will get some older pictures of the town.

Roger McDonnell

Barbara,

The type of business that Patrick operated used to be very common in Ireland. Tens of thousands of them at one time, especially in rural communities. Part of the premises was a grocers shop and part a pub. If you had come into the village to do your food shopping you could have a drink as well. Perhaps buy some tobacco too. Very convenient. 

The attached link shows you photos of various old Irish pubs. Greehy’s in Lismore is amongst them and it was a typical grocers and pub. Likewise Delaneys which advertised it sold “Spirits” and “provisions.”

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2018/feb/08/ireland-quirky-v…

A publican is someone who runs a pub.

The word inn means something grander. In olden days it would have been a place to change horses if you were travelling a distance, and would offer food and accommodation whereas most Irish pubs in the early 1900s did not offer food or accommodation at all.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…

This is the marriage certificate for Patrick McGennis and Louisa Sheridan 7/11/1895, in which Patrick 's occupation is a builder but interestingly his wife's father Patrick Sheridan deceased was a hotel keeper , so perhaps they took over running the family business . If you look at the house and building returns which form part of the census 1911, it states there are 16 members in the family and they occupy 10 rooms , so it must have been a substantial dwelling for the time.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001717809/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cavan/Kilnaleck/Kilnal…

I also noticed a number of returns for Sheridan families , owners of public houses/grocery shops, perhaps they are extended family members of Louisa Sheridan.