I only found out about this from reading yesterday's Irish Examiner. Incase you're wondering what I'm on about, Mattie Kiely's is a delightfully grotty little chipper on Maylor Street, across the road from Smyth's Toy Shop. Given the dubiously dirty surroundings and menu consisting of only beef burgers, fish and chips, you'd have expected the place to have gone to the wall years ago. Not so. Not only that, but in an age of political correctness, Mattie Kiely was all too happy to taunt and jibe his customers. I'll always remember the first time going into Kiely's and asking for a chicken burger only to be told that if I wanted that sort of luxury, perhaps I'd be better off at the Victoria Hotel! Despite his waspish sense of humour, you never felt like a stranger whenever you stopped by. After being away from Cork for a year and returning for a lunch time feed, Kiely made mention of my absence, suggesting that a coronary from his chips was responsible as he prepared my usual order without needing to ask.
Enjoy the retirement Mattie, Cork will miss you sorely.
3 comments:
Reminds me of the time I went into the Golden Fry in Ballinlough and asked for a Hawaiian Burger. "You're not in KCs now love" was the response....
I was at home in Cork over the weekend and my dad happened to mention that Mattie Kiely's was closing. Now my favourite bastion of haute cusine is KCs in Douglas but I could barely locate Mattie Kiely's greasy spoon in Maylor street for you.
Anyway, my dad began reminiscing about the past and recalled how when he was about 20 he and a friend were jumped ouside Mattie Kiely's by a gang of five lads because they asked a guy who was obstructing the door to move aside to let them in. I was shocked and aghast - somehow I thought mindless street yobs were only in existence from 1990 onwards. Anyway, they escaped relatively unscathed minus their chips and curry.
On a much nicer note my dad said that Mattie used to feed the homeless winos who used to come in to the chipper and money never ever changed hands.
So if the Cork Simon Community ever wonder why the ageing winos look disdainfully at their soup they'll now know it's because they are used to superior sustenance.
sure ye don;t know yerselves in carrigaline with yer lennoxs and gourmet takeaways.anymore news on the house prices,i;d say working in the city must be a balls,traffic wise.
Post a Comment