There are so many fantastic restaurants in Paris, but when it comes to pubs, expats, tourists, and even Parisians generally opt for an Irish one.
However, although the craic is mighty, food is not always at brasserie level. At the end of April this year, Thomas Saint John and the O’Sullivans Group cracked the code when they launched O’Sullivans Bar and Grill Bastille.
Situated on the Place de la Bastille, the establishment offers the welcome and buzz of an Irish pub combined with a gastro-pub menu.
At the end of September, when people were jiving to beat the band at the Ritz Hotel, Lisdoonvarna, in parallel, the Bastille was stormed with music, dancing, craic, and a wee sprig of Lisdoon at the inaugural O’Sullivans Bastille roast in Paris!
Along with a beautifully refurbished interior, the best bar persons in Paris, and great food and drinks, O’Sullivans believes in live entertainment. In their many establishments in Paris and around France, they make every effort to keep clients happy. Their fun list is long, with sports nights, pub quiz nights, dancing nights, singles nights, Octoberfest, Halloween night, Valentine's night, etc.
At their inaugural roast event, musicians Niall Regan and Sue McCarthy's vast repertoire got enthusiastic thumbs-ups from Bastille hipsters and expats alike. When they performed "Fairytale of New York," all conversation stopped for a magical moment. The sun shone in through the partial glass roof of the vast lounge, reflecting in the large circular central bar with its gleaming bottles stacked two floors high - it felt as if the late, great Shane MacGowan was granting musical benediction.
Niall is from Castlebar, Co Mayo. He has been living in Paris since 2018 and plays regularly in Irish bars around the city. He has played many festivals worldwide, including the St. Patrick’s Day festivals in the US in Savannah, Georgia and others in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Finland. He has also performed with his local Castlebar band, the Four and Nines, at the Irish Cultural Center, Paris.
Susan McCarthy studied the flute at the Royal Academy of Music in London. She works as a freelance flautist and was the principal flute player of the Athens Chamber Orchestra before moving to Paris. She also teaches the flute to underprivileged children in Paris's 19th district. She freelances with various groups, playing a mix of styles, such as classical, Irish, pop-rock, jazz, world, and contemporary music. Her curiosity in mixing styles, her Irish musical background, and classical training have made her the terrific flute player she is today.
Photographer and musician Dave Brolan joined the duo, adding his mandolin to the great vibes.
The musicians also invited guest artists from the audience to share the limelight. Michele Dickinson sang a rousing version of The Cranberries "Zombie," a song that has left a mark on Paris’s musical psyche since the Rugby World Cup, France 2023.
Syrine Othman’s vocality in "Back to Black" was so reminiscent of Amy Winehouse that it gave goosebumps.
I’ve visited the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival thrice, and I enjoy organising thematic events in Paris. One of the best Parisian event organisers advised me, “Always have a little surprise up your sleeve.”
The surprise at O’Sullivans was a mini, farcical café-théâtre I penned in a "Marie’s Wedding" theme. Maria D’Arcy, novelist, dancer, and burlesque performer, played ‘Marie’ brilliantly.
Maria scintillated in the “2024 Lisdoonvarna-Paris Dress,” a white cotton and fine linen full-length frock with a delicate embroidery feature on the collar. A vintage shop from the fabulous Saint Ouen flea market provided Maria’s attire, and this fourth Lisdoonvarna dress was a definite nod to slow fashion.
However, despite appropriate dress attire, there was a quirky quandary: two behatted grooms were present in front of the district's Mayor, who officiates civil weddings in France. Páraic Maguire, President of the Irish in France Association, played a Lisdoonvarna farmer who followed ‘Marie’ back to Paris. Pierre Collette played a French high-roller financier who was perfecting his English through hot discussions with ‘Marie’ his English teacher. Both contenders put their best foot forward, and actress Patricia Costello played a comic bridesmaid, with Paris-based fundraiser Róisín Dockery declaring a convincing marital objection.
To know who won the blushing bride’s hand, see how photographer David Henry captured the unusual yet romantic moment:
Luke Leheup, the manager of O’Sullivans Bastille, loves good food, prepared like your Mammy cooks at home. He also appreciates great music and will welcome Niall and Sue back to play regularly. I’m predicting this talented musical duo will also perform at one of the future Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking festivals, as one of the things Lisdoon, the Little Town of Love, has in common with Paris, the City of Romance, is staging tremendous musicians and Christy Moore can vouch for that.
I will visit Lisdoon for the fourth time next September, and in Paris, we’re hoping musician extraordinaire and world-famous Matchmaker Willie Daly might be wooed to the City of Light for Valentine’s Day 2025!
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