Joe’s Chipper Rides Again

Sweeney’s OCT20

t’s the news every Tómas, Dee agus Paddy has been waiting to hear for the last six months…

After a long and winding – and heartbreaking – road, Joe’s Chipper is finally coming back out of hibernation.

For pretty much everyone in Greystones, Sir Joseph of Sweeney is The Patron Saint of Fish & Chips.

He’s the man with cod on his side, batterin’ the bejiggers out of his harbour-dwelling neighbours since he was just a boy.

And that, my friend, is quite some time ago, given that the bould Mr Sweeney turned a miraculous 88 on August 9th.

Which is as good as age as any to put your feet up, of course. It’s been the town’s worst kept secret for these past few months that his award-winning takeaway and café was on the market. And given just how loved – and lucrative – this much-loved harbour eaterie is, buyers from all over the globe came a-knockin’ on Joe’s door.

In the end, it was someone very close to home that was handed the keys.

That the chipper should actually go to another famous Greystones clan makes Joe’s retirement somewhat easier to live with. Just as Conor Duggan and his Martello family took over the Harbour Bar in Bray from the O’Tooles, Paul Hayden (whose family brought the town Club Life and Lautrex) will be reopening Sweeney’s Chipper next Friday.

The name will remain the same, as will those trademark fish & chips. On the café front, the menu will be moving on up, thanks to the addition of some rather groovy chefs. More of which, later…

For now, having bumped into Haydo on the way home this evening, we thought we’d grab five minutes to find what it’s like taking on such an iconic Greystones landmark…

You can check out the new Sweeney’s menu here and order on 012870923. Also, follow Sweeneys Of Greystones on Instagram here and Facebook here.