Mary O'Shea was born in 1904. She was one of ten children and learned early the value of hard work. She and her siblings worked ten-hour days, six days a week to keep the family farm running. At the age of 19 she moved alone to Chicago and quickly fell in love with the fast-paced, high-energy tempo of the big city where she found her calling working in restaurants and diners. She enjoyed people and found working in the restaurant industry afforded her the opportunity to meet all types of people.
Mary moved to Louisville, KY in 1958 and opened Mary's Chateau. It soon became the place to be for Cabaret-style entertainment and great libations. People came from all over the city to hear the area's greatest live music and enjoy the shows. With this new venture came the beginning of a family tradition as sons Kevin and Tom O'Shea began to work for the business as barmen.
Mary's Chateau became O'Shea's Irish Pub in the 1980's and, while we still concentrated on entertainment, the pub added a new focus. Not only did we want to be known as the place to go for great shows and libations, but also for great pub fare. Grandchildren also joined the operation and together we worked to make O'Shea's Irish Pub the premier hot spot for great food, drinks, and entertainment.
In 1994 O'Shea's Irish Pub was opened on Baxter Avenue in the Highlands. We continued our guest concentrated focus and brought great beer, great music, and great food to our historic neighborhood.In 2010, we took on our most ambitious endeavor yet, the opening Patrick O'Shea's - a 15,000 square foot, four story building located on historic Main Street in the Iron Quarter District of downtown Louisville. The integrity of the building was beautifully maintained with the renovations of 150-year-old hardwood floors and carefully exposed and preserved brick walls. Tables made from reclaimed beams can be found throughout. Portraits of famous Irish authors, painted by Irish artist Barry McGuire, adorn the walls. This location is jointly owned by a group of approximately twenty long-term staff members. Patrick O'Shea's success has been carefully and lovingly crafted by this group of dedicated individuals.
