Kellys Cellars
Encyclopedia
Kellys Cellars is a public house
in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, situated at 30 Bank Street in the city centre. Built in 1720, it is one of the oldest pubs of Belfast. It sits in what used to be an alley way off Royal Avenue, but a few buildings were knocked down and now Kellys sits in a square beside Castlecourt
, a major Belfast shopping centre. It provides pub food and traditional music sessions. It remains resolutely old-fashioned, with vaulted ceiling and elbow-worn bar and is crammed with bric-a-brac.
in which rum, gin and whiskey were his mainstays. It was a meeting place for Henry Joy McCracken
and the United Irishmen when they were planning the 1798 Rising
. The story goes that McCracken hid behind the bar when British soldiers came for him. In September 2004 the pub had a grand re-opening under new management. In 2007 a blue plaque
was erected on the site by the Ulster History Circle
stating that the Society of United Irishmen met there during the period 1791 to 1798.
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, situated at 30 Bank Street in the city centre. Built in 1720, it is one of the oldest pubs of Belfast. It sits in what used to be an alley way off Royal Avenue, but a few buildings were knocked down and now Kellys sits in a square beside Castlecourt
Westfield CastleCourt
Westfield CastleCourt is a shopping centre on Royal Avenue in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's second largest shopping centre after Foyleside in Derry City. and has approximately 16 million visits a year...
, a major Belfast shopping centre. It provides pub food and traditional music sessions. It remains resolutely old-fashioned, with vaulted ceiling and elbow-worn bar and is crammed with bric-a-brac.
History
Kelly's Cellars is the oldest licensed premises in Belfast. The original two-storey pub was built in 1720 by Belfast merchant Hugh Kelly who kept it as a bonded warehouseBonded warehouse
A Bonded warehouse is a building or other secured area in which dutiable goods may be stored, manipulated, or undergo manufacturing operations without payment of duty. It may be managed by the state or by private enterprise. In the latter case a customs bond must be posted with the government...
in which rum, gin and whiskey were his mainstays. It was a meeting place for Henry Joy McCracken
Henry Joy McCracken
Henry Joy McCracken was an Irish industrialist and a founding member of the Society of the United Irishmen.-History:...
and the United Irishmen when they were planning the 1798 Rising
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
. The story goes that McCracken hid behind the bar when British soldiers came for him. In September 2004 the pub had a grand re-opening under new management. In 2007 a blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
was erected on the site by the Ulster History Circle
Ulster History Circle
The Ulster History Circle is one of a number of heritage organisations that administers Blue Plaques in Northern Ireland. It is a voluntary, not for profit organisation, placing commemorative plaques in public places in honour of people and locations that have contributed to all genres of history...
stating that the Society of United Irishmen met there during the period 1791 to 1798.