Local man’s pub tipped for global glory
A Thailand publican from Tullamore, Darren Troy, whose pub The Irish Embassy in Koh Lanta, has been nominated for no less than seven prestigious Irish Pubs Global Awards.
The Irish Pubs Global Awards take place in the Mansion House Dublin in October and Darren's Irish Embassy bar has been listed among other leading global establishments for Irish Pub of the Year, Best Entertainment Experience, Best Gastro Pub, Best Cocktail Experience, Best Chef, Best Bar Person, and Best Marketing Campaignâ€
Originally from Arden Heights, Darren first passed through Koh Lanta in 2003 and fell in love with the island, so much so that he returned and opened his first bar in 2004.
“That was six weeks before the Tsunami. That wasn't a great season!†Darren tells the Offaly Independent. “I had that place for two years and then moved to the next beach in 2006 and opened The Embassy. Its quite seasonal work so we used to close for four months so I would head to Europe to work in bars.
“Money was tight back then so I couldn't sit around and wait for the season to start again. I worked in Prague, Sweden, England, Jersey and did a summer at home a few years back and worked in the Bond Store in the celler of the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre.
Darren grew up around pubs, his aunt and uncle owned a pub and night club in Tullamore, The Unicorn, which is now McDonalds.
“We were around that a lot with my cousins, they then had pubs in England and I used to go work with them when I could. Last year my two business partners, Jamie Hannah and Ross McMillan and I opened a second Embassy bar in the mainland resort town of Klong Muang, Krabi and we are activaly looking for a third spot now.
“To see us even get nominated for these awards, we are up in seven catagories in the rest of the world group, is fantastic and if we could win one it would be great after ten years of hard work.
“Koh Lanta is a great spot and we get a good lot of Irish coming through, mainly on the way or way back from Australia, but every nationality uses Irish pubs so we get a nice mix.
“Tullamore is still home for me but I cant see myself ever living there again but I suppose should never say never. I enjoy going back every couple of years and catching up with family and having the lads in Eugene's serve me pints rather than being the other side of the jump,†he ends.
The winners of the Irish Pubs Global Awards will be announced at a gala dinner and cermeony in the Round Room of the Mansion House, Dublin on October 10.