We were playing sessions at the Brendan Behan in Jamaica Plain. Louise and I first met in Boston in 1986. How did you and Louise come to start-up the Burren Pub, which you opened in 1996? And she used to go around to the local sessions with her father, an accordion player, and played a lot with DeDannan and other bands around Galway. A nun at her school was putting a Ceili Band together and went out and bought a banjo for Louise. Louise comes from Tulloughmore, County Galway. We played mostly at the Victoria Pub on Holloway Road in North London. Bobby Casey started teaching me a bit, and at about fifteen I started playing at the Irish Centre in Camden Town with banjo player Mick O’Connor and Sean Casey, Bobby’s son. I started playing the fiddle at about thirteen, and I knew my dad was very happy that I was taking up the family tradition. I didn’t show any signs of playing until I was about twelve, when my father bought me a mandolin. After my three older sisters, there was a gap of five years, so by the time I was eight or nine they were already playing around London in the Irish Centers and pubs, so it seemed inevitable I would be part of the music scene. My family comes from West Clare, and I grew up in London in a very musical environment. Tell us about your own background as musicians. We spoke to Tommy recently from Ireland, where he was home with his family. “We have a little bit for everybody and we want to have an atmosphere that’s fun and a little different than everywhere else,” Garcia said.Tommy McCarthy and his wife Louise Costello are musicians and owners of the Burren Pub in Davis Square, Somerville, considered one of the best places to hear traditional Irish music in the United States, if not the world. Garcia doesn’t think the new establishment will take anything away from Margaritas Mexican Restaurant located directly across the street because they’re offering a different style of Mexican food along with other options. Last, but not least, there will be karaoke on Sundays. Mondays will be general trivia, Tuesday brings on Jeopardy-like trivia – buzzers included, Wednesday is sports trivia, Thursday is music trivia and Friday and Saturday feature live music. The plan is also to provide entertainment every day of the week, Garcia says. “We know there’s a lot of competition in Waltham so we will try to be a little different.” “We try to separate ourselves,” Garcia said. Garcia says they want to emulate the theme they have at their current place in Lowell, which serves more than 100 tequilas, over 70 whiskeys and bourbons along with a selection of beers and craft beers.
The new owners plan to gut the front end of the restaurant, put in a new bar and import furniture from both Mexico and Ireland. “We combined that history and tie the theme together,” Garcia said. The two decided that although it’s not all that common to mix the nations’ cuisines and styles, there’s a history between the two countries. Garcia, who’s Mexican, paired up with business partner Brogan – who’s Irish. It’s quality entertainment and we offer something for everybody.” “We try to have something going on all the time. “It’s something different,” Garcia said Wednesday. Pending approval from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, Garcia Brogan’s owners – Ervy Garcia and Ronnie Brogan – will start renovations to create a business with a Mexican-Irish theme.
Garcia Brogan’s Cantina, Pub and Restaurant, however, successfully purchased its entertainment, liquor and food licenses at the Licensing Commission meeting on June 25. The Skellig, at 240 Moody St., opened its doors in 2002 and has long been a local destination for Irish music, drink and food. A Lowell-based Mexican and Irish restaurant is taking over the Skellig and owners plan to offer a cross-cultural drink and food establishment paired with daily entertainment.
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