After over seven decades of serving families on Leeside, legendary city chipper Jackie Lennox's is set to close its doors for good next week.
Co-owners and siblings Frances and Brian Lennox announced the news on social media this afternoon, thanking their suppliers and customers but adding that they are now "unable to cope with the burden of their success". Opened back in 1951, the Bandon Road takeaway had since become one of Cork city's favourite chippers and hundreds of Leesiders have already expressed their sadness at the closure.
It's a shock for their loyal customers, many of whom would have been eating Lennox's chips as soon as they could walk, and a blow for the Barrack Street area, to be losing such a famous business. There are only days left for Cork's chipper connoisseurs to call for their last Jackie Deluxe, onion rings or fish supper with peas on the side.
If you are calling in though, keep in mind Jackie Lennox's has new, revised opening hours - as seen below.
Lennox's has been famous on Leeside and beyond for decades and had its celebrity customers down the years, including U2 (who famously got turned away one night after trying to get the owners to open up after a gig) and more recently, Hollywood power couple Joe Manganiello and Sofia Vergara, who dropped in for a Jackie Deluxe on their way to Blarney castle.
The couple stopped in Fitzgerald's Park to eat their chips and posted pics to millions of followers on social media.
But even legends must end - and tonight, a shocked Leeside has learnt that the Jackie Lennox team will serve their last takeaways on Sunday October 6th, In a heartfelt message, the team say they hope that they are 'remembered fondly' for their contributions to the "culture of Cork".
In tonight's announcement, Frances and Brian said: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Jackie Lennox Takeaway after 73 years will close its doors for the final time on the 6th of October. This may seem strange to make this decision when we are at our busiest, but time has creeped up on us and we are unable to cope with the burden of our success.
"From humble beginnings above a cobbler’s shop on the northside of the city. Eileen and John opened their present shop on Bandon Road. With the help of soccer legend and John’s teammate David Noonan and Eileens father Con O’ Callaghan and her brother Sean (both GAA servants) the business became a huge success.
"John, who was christened Jackie by the Cork public, and Eileen raised nine children seven of whom were born above the shop. All which worked at some point in the shop over the years.
"We would like to thank our local suppliers who have always given the best and freshest of there products. To our loyal co workers many of whom have been part of our family for many generations. It has been a privilege.
"To our loyal customers thank you so much you have been a delight to serve and will be part of us forever. Please remember us fondly and we hope that we have made in a small way a contribution to the culture of Cork."
The Decision to Close
The siblings say the decision to close wasn't made lightly, and they were "at our busiest" when they decided to shut the doors. They say the pressure of running a small business was a significant factor in their decision.
He added that "paperwork has become a burden" in recent years. He said the government needs to "embrace small family businesses" with less red tape.
The decision also had a big impact on staff. The loss of 30 jobs is a major blow to those who worked at Jackie Lennox's, many of whom had been there for generations.
Tributes Flow In For the Lennox Family
Lennox's has been a staple of Cork life for decades and the announcement of its closure has been met with sadness by many in the city.
Politicians, business leaders, and sports officials alike have taken to social media to pay tribute to the family and the business.
The Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, paid tribute to the family for their contribution to Cork life and its folklore, calling Lennox’s “an iconic institution” and a “great family”.
Cork South Central Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said Lennox’s was the “greatest chipper of all, an absolute institution for generations of Corkonians.” He also expressed his sadness for the Lennox family, staff, and their families.
A Legacy of Chips, Fish and Family
Jackie Lennox's started as a confectionery business above a bookie shop in Blackpool in the late 1940s. With encouragement from his mother, Jackie Lennox converted it to a fish and chip shop and it became an overnight success. He planned to expand and bought a cottage on the Bandon Road where he built the chipper, with fish, chips, peas, and fish cakes on the menu. The family proudly claimed that it was the country’s first purpose-built fish and chip shop.
Jackie Lennox’s developed the menu over the years to include chicken, burgers, and sausages and he built a reputation for using only the finest of fresh ingredients. As its reputation grew, the Jackie Lennox chipper became a must-see for tourists and a byword for a takeaway. Mr Lennox died in 1994 shortly after his retirement. Eileen, died two years later.
The chipper will be sorely missed by those who have been loyal customers for generations, and its closure marks the end of an era for Cork. But the legacy of Jackie Lennox's will live on in the memories of those who have enjoyed its food and its warm hospitality over the years.
