Our Story

In search of “the local”

MJ Byrne's Irish Pub

The one thing that makes Irish people miss the Emerald Isle a little less is having a local pub. The “local” is more than a place you go to on a regular basis, it’s where the Irish like to unwind, chat with other locals, befriend the staff and have a creamy pint (or ten).

So when MJ was invited to be part of the Irish pub being built in the heart of the Blue Mountain Village, the first thought was….”at last, we have a local!”

Almost 20 years on, MJ Byrne’s Irish Pub is indubitably as close to a genuine Irish pub experience that you are going to get without making the trek across the Atlantic.

Our goal is to share the uniquely Irish experience of having a local with all our patrons providing the best of both worlds: Ireland and everywhere else!

MJ Byrne

Chief Bottle Washer

Hailing from the metropolis of Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow which is also known as the ‘Garden of Ireland’ and having worked in the bar industry in Ireland as a young fella, MJ travelled the globe for roughly 10 years before deciding to settle in Canada in 2000.

Having been invited to invest in the Blue Mountain Village Irish Pub in 2002, MJ took over the business in 2004, immediately dispensing with the notion that this was just another ‘Plastic Paddy’ pseudo Irish pub.

Having cut his teeth in the bar industry in the historic Shamrock Bar in his home town of Castledermot, Co. Kildare, Colm garnered experience throughout Ireland’s bars, nightclubs and restaurants from Waterford to Galway before moving to the infamous Temple Bar in Dublin.

As well as being a barman in one of the busiest bars on the planet, Colm was assigned the lofty task of keg/store manager. After a stint in Virginia, USA, he now calls Blue Mountain home. With an extensive knowledge of beer maintenance from how it reacts to different gas mixing and varied temperatures, Colm now applies his talents to ensuring the perfect pint of Guinness.

Colm Kirwan

Director of Operations

Dwayne O'Connor

General Manager

Dwayne started his career in the service industry at the grand old age of 13! where he bussed tables and cleaned ashtrays in the Co. Offaly midlands in Ireland.

At aged eighteen he moved to the ‘Big Smoke’ (Dublin city) and worked in many of the historic city centre bars and restaurants. Being one of the youngest managers in the Quay’s Bar in the Temple Bar district of Dublin, Dwayne set his sights further afield to Canada where he took up the position, managing a busy fine dining restaurant before taking the reins at MJ’s as GM. He has ‘a particular set of skills’ when it comes to crafting Irish Whiskey cocktails, be sure to try his Offaly Nice creation!

Andrea’s passion for all things culinary is in his blood. Growing up in a restauranteur family he was working in kitchens as young as 10 years old. Graduating from the esteemed De Filippi hospitality school in Varese, Italy, he worked in several family style and traditional Italian restaurants before opening his own successful establishment.

Still a young entrepreneur Andrea had the travel bug. He perfected setting up new restaurants, selling them on and moving to the next project around Europe before moving to Canada where he held senior executive Chef/business development roles in the Hilton Hotels and other hospitality groups.

We consider ourselves lucky that Andrea has settled with his family in the Blue Mountain region! His Italian passion mixed with our Irish…well Irishness…. brings a special flair to our traditional pub fare menu though we did compromise and let him loose on designing both the ‘Evening’ and ‘Parlour’ menus!

Andrea Di Matteis

Executive Chef