100% Irish and 100% down to earth.
Pat McDonagh, the man behind the tasty and tempting food at Supermac’s.
The story goes that McDonagh was a school teacher and Gaelic footballer who wanted to set up a nightclub in his local town of Ballinasloe.
He didn’t have enough money at the time to make such a big opening happen so instead he opened a small burger joint.
That small burger joint has since expanded into a €120 million a year business with 107 outlets in total and one of those places is situated in the heart of Galway, Eyre Square.
For those of you who don’t know, McDonagh opened his shop in Eyre Square just before race week many years ago and said in his interview with Nick Webb that: “It’s important to open at a busy time,” because it gives you an idea about handling pressure from the start.
Race week is huge in Galway and has been compared to Rag Week but for adults in suits. The Monday-Sunday event attracts visitors from throughout the country and there is only one place they’re heading after a day of racing and a night on the tiles.
You would think that after making his millions through years of grinding out shift after shift that McDonagh would be sleeping nice and content in his house while his workers were flat out on Friday night serving the hungry crowd.
Not a hope.
McDonagh was out and about clearing off tables and making sure that everything was running smoothly.
He did have time to stop though for one or two selfies…
Ursula Hanly told JOE:
“This was taken in Eyre square last night. The place was packed due to races. He [McDonagh] was working as hard as the staff, clearing off tables and having a chat with folk and it was just great to see.”
Pat McDonagh, you’re the reason we love Supermac’s.
Cheers to Ursula Hanly for sending this our way. Got a story for JOE? Hit us up on Facebook or Twitter, send it to our WhatsApp number 087-4001102 or mail [email protected].
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
