Sonny and Mary Maybury's vision gave us 50 years of the Parkway Hotel, writes Emma Connolly.

AS part of Dunmanway’s Parkway Hotel’s 50th anniversary celebrations, a refurbishment of its lounge gets underway this month (July).  

The landmark hotel was bought by Sonny and Mary Maybury half a century ago and has since grown into a family-favourite destination. 

‘It was then the Bostonian Hotel run by the O’Brien family, and it was sold at auction on 25th May, which was my father’s birthday,’ said his son Martin, who is now at the helm. 

‘I was 12 years old when my parents bought the hotel and all of us were quickly put to work, I wasn’t long learning how to pull a pint!

Sheila and I took over in 1991 and ironically we came in here on my birthday, 28th April,’ he added. 

The anniversary year is tinged with emotion as Sonny passed away in January. 

‘Celebrating the 50th anniversary without the man who started it all was difficult. He would have loved to have been part of the celebrations.  We hosted a family fun day and an evening of music and dancing over the June Bank Holiday weekend. It would have been my father’s 91st birthday that week. We had a super day and night and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, friends old and new and families spanning generations coming together to celebrate this special anniversary,’ said Martin. 

Music has always been at the heart of The Parkway and some of the country’s best known artists have performed there over the years. 

‘My father had a great passion for music and soon after they bought the hotel, they added a ballroom that became a hub for dances, weddings, dinner dances and special occasions.  Over the years, we’ve welcomed Ireland’s biggest country music acts, including Daniel O'Donnell, Brendan Shine, Nathan Carter, Christy Moore, The Saw Doctors, the list goes on. Music remains a huge part of what we do today and we continue to host regular dances and live entertainment, with a summer line-up featuring artists such as Mike Denver, Michael English and Jack Keogh,’ said Martin. 

He's a trained chef and also is very involved in the food side of their operations. 

‘We have built an exceptional team of seven chefs and seven kitchen support staff. Between full and part time staff across all areas of the hotel, there are over 50 on the team in total,’ he said.

Like any businesses, there has been challenges along the way, 

‘The cost of doing business has spiralled in recent years, everything has gone up, wages, goods in, so it is difficult to maintain a decent margin to keep the ship afloat.  The re-introduction of 9% VAT rate in July will be a good help,’ he said. 

Martin also feels there’s scope to develop the Employment Permits Scheme. 

 ‘Through the Scheme we have been able to build a strong team with employees from Sri Lanka and Pakistan and they are a fantastic addition to the team. However, the system can be quite restrictive. Workers must meet specific qualification requirements and salary thresholds, particularly if they wish to bring their families to Ireland. While I understand the need for regulations, I believe there is scope for greater flexibility, especially in sectors like hospitality where staffing shortages remain a significant challenge. I would like to employ more workers in roles such as kitchen porters, housekeeping staff and cleaners. These are essential positions that can be very difficult to fill locally, yet they are critical to maintaining the high standards that guests expect,’ he pointed out. 

Martin and Sheila are always looking at ways to improve and reinvest in the hotel, 

‘It’s important to keep upgrading our facilities and enhancing the guest experience. Two years ago, we completed a major refurbishment of our ballroom. We have also invested in a number of sustainability initiatives, including the installation of solar panels, a new remote chilling system and a complete resurfacing of our car park.’

Ultimately, The Parkway is family-run hotel for families. 

‘I’m showing my age now but I’m really seeing the generational impact the hotel has on the local community. Celebrating 50 years at the hotel has really brought the message home to me of the role the hotel has played in the lives of generations within our local community. 

‘Today, I see young parents bringing their own children to the hotel for christenings, communions and confirmations, knowing that their family celebrations took place here too. In many cases, their parents held their wedding receptions with us.’

He concluded: ‘Irish hospitality and tourism has taken a huge hit in recent years with many fine establishments closing down. We are still trading, still providing great food and great service to the community and providing employment, and we are truly grateful for everyone who has supported the hotel over the past five decades.’