06/06/2026
For some reason I couldn't share this post that my good friend Gerry Óg put out last night so I've just copied the Text to Share , what a Guy & an Absolute Gentleman & Legend of West Belfast
Right folks! WARNING. LONG READ AHEAD
I'm going to put my tuppence in here on the craic with The Rock Bar Belfast.
It's hard not to be negative or even angry about what has come about. I know a lot of us are and it's understandable.
The Rock Bar has been part of the community for around 125 years and through all that time and trouble, no-one I know can remember a time when the shutters have been down. Through bombs, Brits, bullets and rockets, it seems money beat it in the end.
I don't know who or what entity owns the property, nor do I care. I don't know how much money big business charges a small business to stay open. All I know is that this is what it looks like!
Is it called landlordism? Greed? Ego? All three? I don't know.
Anyway, this is what I do know!
I was asked by Sean Duffy and Gerry Carlisle while they were on holiday, (I was playing in The Dubliner in Santa Ponsa,) if I would be interested in being part of a new venture they were planning in The Rock Bar called Rebel Sunday. Rebel songs were already being sung along with folk songs in The Rock by others, especially Jash, but this was a new full scale Rebel venture by the new aforementioned lessees. Of course I said yes but just assumed it was all holiday talk.
When I finished my stint over there and got back to Belfast the lads contacted me again with the info that Bik McFarland (Legend), and Damien Quinn (Legend), were on board for it too. So on we went and with a guitar and a bottle of Magners served up by Waldo (Legend), well!
It all came together and what an absolute success it was. You couldn't move in The Rock. Probably the first place in Ireland to need aircon during the winter lol. People coming from everywhere. All over the world. People in Germany, Holland, Finland etc would get cheap flights to Belfast on their Bank Holiday weekends, stay local, go to Rebel Sunday, and be back home eating their dinner on Monday evening for work the next day. Class!
And the locals... Outstanding! There every week without fail, some with packed lunches and all lol. Laughter and tears, slegging and seriousness. A hell of a lot of slegging lol.
I wasn't going to mention individual singers/bands etc but, Bik McFarlane was a legend in his own right, a gentleman, a scholar, a poet, a storyteller, a friend and comrade to so many, a man with the patience of a Saint lol. He said you were the best crowd he ever play against lol. R.I.P. Bik!
Singers and bands were brought in from everywhere around to play in The Rock. It would be impossible to name everyone! Some had their debut here. Some had their last gig here. You know who you all are! Thank you!
Then something happened. New management. Some new staff. But nothing really changed, especially Waldo lol, except the confidence to "put your money where your mouth is" in terms of bringing acts in. Rebel Sunday went on! We did our bit! The punters did theirs.
This happened a couple of times! New lease, new management etc... but still we went on. I can only applaud anyone who took The Rock on, legends all, fair play to all of you!
Then comes along a new lessee! Gerard McIlhone. Here we go again. Rebel Sunday continues. Myself and Bik and various singers and groups doing our thing.
Although right away there's a visable investment. Gerard seems to have a great team and support network behind him. I wont get to know the team for a while yet, but... New "Rock Bar Belfast" stage background, new props and decor, new lighting, new amenities, new nights of entertainment and new entertainers!
In all honesty, I have been a fixture, for want of a better word, for around 14 years in The Rock Bar, through a few different management teams, and I have never seen any of the previous lessees work as hard or put so much actual work into making The Rock Bar what it was. Brian and Michael just never stopped, honestly, morning, noon and night, grafting away without complaint. Paul even did some work too lol. It has been an absolute privilege lads, honestly!
Rebel Sunday continued to bring people from everywhere. Maybe not on the original scale it did but they still came from everywhere.
One of the major attractions of Rebel Sunday was Bik McFarlane. It was a heartbreaking day when Bik told me of his illness, in the keg room. A fit and strong man, hard to believe. We knew things would never be the same again! His family are always in our thoughts!
Now it seems, The Rock Bar has closed. Money won in the end I think, just my uneducated opinion. It could be open tomorrow or next month, who knows.
What I do know is that with the closure of The Rock Bar, no matter if it's for 2 days, 2 weeks or 2 years. The sense of belonging and community that has been enjoyed by people from here and around the world has been lost and will take a long time to rebuild.
I know business is business, but hopefully someone with a real sense of community as apposed to profit will buy the building and work to restore that sense of community! Wishful thinking I know.
I will finish, (hopefully lol) with thanking the people I have met over all these years, people I would never have met without The Rock Bar. From different countries and cultures. Musicians I have met that I probably never would have, singers, entertainers, bands. It's been a pleasure to let you all plug into my gear lol. I love each and every most of yis lol!
I want to especially thank my family for listeneing to the sh*te I've had to listen to off all yous fs lol, sorry Roisin lol. Love you x
I want to thank the Rebel Sunday punters who made it what it was.
The people from everywhere I've met along the way.
Mostly, the people who made and continued to make Rebel Sunday and The Rock Bar what it was. Sean, Gerry, Gerard, Michael, Brian, Paul, Waldo and everyone else over the years. Also not forgetting my roadie Caoimhin Mallon!
Personally I feel sick and sorry for the community and the staff that have lost their livelihoods without a thought given it seems.
I will continue to do what I do elsewhere and hopefully see you along the way somewhere. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to have hopefully, lol, entertained you all in The Rock Bar over the years!
Go raibh míle maith agaibh!
Gerry Óg.
