An underground space that fell into disuse has reopened on Mathew Street. Irish pub and restaurant Flanagan’s Apple has relaunched its basement space in a bid to restore the venue’s musical heritage and give local artists a new space to perform.

Flanagan’s Apple has been a long-standing venue on Mathew Street since the 1980s. Welcoming generations of locals and tourists, it’s seen thousands pass through its doors, especially around St Patrick’s Day.

In 1991, the pub attracted long lines of songwriters and musicians stretching out the door and down Mathew Street hoping to perform for talent scouts. The long-standing basement space, which once hosted live music several times a week, closed two years ago after experiencing a decline in footfall.

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In a bid to revive the pub’s musical legacy and refocus on its Irish roots, Flanagan’s has relaunched the basement as a multifaceted entertainment space.

General manager Carl Burns told the ECHO: “We’ve wakened a bit of a sleeping giant. People know Flanagan’s for its lively atmosphere on the ground floor but we want to be known for more than a party. We have a great space upstairs for dining and we wanted to reopen the basement space with a fresh feel.”

The basement has reopened on Friday and Saturdays from 6pm until 2am with live musicians. Carl hopes its revival will pave the way for more grassroots artists to perform in the city with the potential to open it as a comedy stage in the future.

Carl said: “It’s been closed for the best part of two years but it was a staple for the older generation. There’s so much Irish heritage and history in the building and the basement was always a part of that.

In the days before its closure, the basement lost its way in terms of identity, but Carl promises the stage is “all about keeping its Irish roots”.

He added: “We’re back to brick with live music, a lot of Irish talent, and musicians from all genres and walks of life. We really want to bring the space back to its glory days. If you don’t use them, you lose them, and we’re very much focused on keeping the basement open for a long time.

“When you’re down there, it doesn’t feel like you’re on Mathew Street. It stands on its own two feet as a real hub for live music. We want to bring it back to its roots. A lot of places are always looking for the next thing but we don’t want to move away from what makes us great. We’re focusing on the heritage and hopefully people will enjoy what we have to offer.”

Flanagan’s Apple’s operator, Mitchells & Butler’s, intend to invest around £1m into sprucing up the venue with new additions and a fresh image while retaining the atmosphere and aesthetic experience guests have come to enjoy.

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