While the old Anvil will remain a work in progress through this St. Patrick’s Day, it won’t be long before the air is filled with the sounds of Celtic music, the occasional brogue, and the smells of Irish breakfast. John Somers of Walpole, the new owner of the property, hopes to open Mr. Dooley’s Old Country Pub - Hospitality for the Weary Traveler, in the coming weeks. The conversion of the Anvil to Mr. Dooley’s is scheduled to be completed by the end of April.
The Wrentham Mr. Dooley’s is Somers' tenth restaurant, with the other nine all based in Boston. While the opening in Wrentham will be his first foray in the suburbs, he’s confident the place will be well received. “I believe my product travels,” he explained.
He intends to be active with the town. “I’ll be heavily involved with the community. I’m a good neighbor and I’ll sponsor the town’s youth sports.”
Somers speaks with an authentic Irish accent, originally from the village of Finuge, in Listowel, Country Kerry. "Otherwise known as the Kingdom," Somers says. "They say at home that you have the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Kerry." His first career was as a musician playing bass guitar in show bands before he started his restaurant career back in the 1990s. But, he says, with a father who owned pubs in England and Ireland, the business was in his blood.
Mr. Dooley’s Old Country Pub will feature live music and entertainment at least four nights a week, a full Sunday brunch with entertainment, trivia nights, and once a month there will be a series of one act plays. The menu will feature traditional pub fare, as well as Irish breakfast complete with black and white pudding, Irish bacon, sausage and eggs, and Ann's Famous Irish Curran Bread. There will also be Pizza Patrick topped with Irish Bacon, Irish Cocktail sausages, cheese and sauce on a thin crust.
Change is good! Looking forward to seeing a fresh look for the old place. Should open this week! Good luck Mr. Somers's!
Posted by: Heidi Sturgis Cerullo | Thursday, July 01, 2010 at 08:56 AM