Dream of things that never were and ask: Why not?

It is not to be seen anywhere in 'Jack's' - or 'Jack's Railway Bar' as it was once known - but there is a celebrated saying that would not be out of place if was hung up somewhere in the famous old Kells public house.

Carved in wood perhaps, the saying could be placed over the bar or outside where customers can eat and drink al fresco. It's a saying once uttered back in the day by no less a personage than John F Kennedy himself: "Some men see things as they are and ask 'Why not?' I dream things that never were and ask 'Why not?'"

The sentiment is relevant because the optimism contained in those famous words is fuelling a business enterprise Damien and Leona Farrelly embarked on in September 2020, when they became proprietors of Jack's Railway Bar.

Yes, you read it right - September 2020 - when the world had seemingly come to a halt. When normal life was, well not very normal anymore. It was then the husband and wife team did something many might of have thought was somewhat left of centre if not downright off the wall.

They took over a pub slap bang in the middle of a world pandemic, becoming the proprietors of the hostelry once run by the legendary Jack Olohan.

The couple - parents of three children aged 14 to eight - decided to go for it and invest their time and money in the project. It was a big risk. Still is a big risk. "We have put a lot of money into it, all our savings," says Leona before quickly adding that considerable savings been made by carrying out a lot of the refurbishment work themselves.

"To be honest we have done this without racking up too much debt because we have done the work ourselves with the help of some great friends," she says as we sit in one of the comfortable seats liberally festooned with cushions that are part of the soothing, chill out decor.

"We literally came in here and did the manual work ourselves and everything you see - such as the decor - we did. There were no interior designers, it all came from my head, everything was in my head, the backdrop of the bar, the re-lighting. I had a serious vision on what I wanted to do and friends were wonderful in helping out."

To prove it Leona shows you a video taken on the phone of her friend Ro Sheridan and herself dismantling an interior partition wall, the two ladies undaunted by the dust or the heavy going.

"Did I always want to run a bar? No but I always wanted to work for myself and having worked in the hospitality sector I had experience in that sector. I love it, I love mixing with people I thrive on it, love chatting, I just wanted to be my own boss."

They have some experience and know-how to draw on. Damien's brother Sean owns a bar in Kells - Farrellys - and his brother Fergal was a barman and manager for years while Damien did his stint pulling pints or working as a DJ in bars and clubs.

When the Meath Chronicle called to 'Jack's' to talk to Damien and Leona it was approaching lunchtime on a Wednesday afternoon and there was one or two tradespeople around the place. Preparations were continuing for the time when bars will be fully re-opened; something that is expected to happen in the coming weeks.

It was only 48 hours or so since the couple had opened up to the public for outside eating and drinking. That too was a significant chapter in Damien's and Leona's adventure into the unknown.

KELLS

Damien Farrelly is one of 12 in his family. Since he was a youngster he has had a fascination with radio and he started working in the business as a presenter with a number of stations including East Coast Radio, 2fm (he was in RTE for 14 years), FM104 and now Ireland's Classic Hits FM. He has worked hard at his trade - as he knew he would have to do if he was to make a name for himself.

It was while with FM104 he met Leona Gray, from Stepaside in south county Dublin. She worked in the station's marketing sector going out and about in the FM104 jeeps as one of the "promotion girls" - among other roles. After a decade with the station Leona went on to work in hospitality, including a spell as general manager at Oldcastle House Hotel.

As we sit in Jack's the couple laugh heartily when they think back to that time when they first met. "I was the country lad and I wasn't long in Dublin at the time and I had this big orange woolly jumper on me," recalls Damien.

"We were in Club 92 in Leopardstown. I saw Leona and I said isn't that one of the girls from work over there? We started talking and she slagged me about wearing the big baggy, orange jumper. 'You big culchie,' she called me. That was in 1998 and in 2005 we got married. We have three kids now and we're happy out." Their marriage took place in the Headfort and was attended by many well-known names and voices in Irish radio including the late, great Larry Gogan.

They lived in Dublin for a time before decamping lock, stock and baggage back to Damien's home county. Damien did what he does and continued his broadcasting, often during lockdown from "a wardrope" in his own house. "Sometimes it could be challenging," he adds. "I remember one of the youngsters coming back into the room looking for the second missing shoe when I was on air but it was fun too."

Leona also became a full-time mum for a time. She's grateful for that experience and the chance to spend time with her children during the vital, formative years - but the time came for her to reignite her career, working in marketing with local entrepreneur Michael McKeown. Then the chance presented itself to take over the running of one of the most famous pubs around Kells - Jack's Railway Bar.

Damien freely admits Leona is the "super optimist" in the relationship - one of those people who dream things as they never were and ask why not? She had liked the Railway Bar for some time, fully convinced of the potential that was there. When they chance came to take over the running of the place she went for it - pandemic or no pandemic.

"Leona is always a very positive person. The depths of the two lockdowns were hard times for us and trying to make something positive from a negative was certainly a challenge for everyone but that's Leona, she is always looking on the bright side."

She takes up the story outlining her own philosophy on life in the process. "Positivity, it's so important, you have to keep going, you have to get up and get on with it. In five or 10 years time I don't want to say we had all these ideas, we had this and that, but didn't do anything about," she adds.

"I don't want to be saying why didn't I do because if it's not me somebody else will do it. We have three kids, including a daughter. I look at them and I hope I can say to them that no matter what I have taken on I have seen it through. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work but I can always say I have tried."

Crucial to their project was the hiring of staff, people like their general manager Conor McGovern and chef Ash Candhye.

Damien admits that when the idea of taking over Jack's Railway Bar was first mooted he was more than little sceptical. After all the project would require considerable funds - and time - to make it work. He was in a regular job, the family was happy. Why tempt fate.

"I was saying I'm still on the radio, we've a wage coming in. I said you can't beat knowing your wages and know what you have at the end of the month. Are we going back into the madness I wondered but Leona convinced me and I thought, you know what, you've only got one life. Let's give it a go."

And that's exactly what Damien and Leona Farrelly are doing. Giving it a go; dreaming of things that never were and asking: Why not?