Le Choucas in Youghal

phater phagan

Hello everyone. I'm tripping down memory lane here, and wondering if anyone remembers a restaurant in Youghal called Le Choucas?
My late wife and I visited the town in 1985 and had a nice meal there. I believe the lady who owned it was married to a French chef and the food was typically french cuisine - very good. It was the first time I ever ate escargots, and was surprised how much I enjoyed them. When we arrived the hostess brought us into a comfortable living room where we had aperitifs and she sat and talked with us until our table was ready.
When we sat in the dining room there was just one other table occupied - with four or five men in business suits.
I first read about the restaurant in the New Yorker magazine in an article by Alexander Cockburn.

zenith

I do; though never ate there.

The property is at present being renovated, though I believe it will be a private residence. Couple of white horses in the gardens when I passed today.

Cockburn’s ma and da retired to Ardmore which is how he ended up reviewing it, I guess.

phater phagan

Zenith, Alexander and brother Andrew moved to the USA. They both became well-known journalists there. Andrew's daughter is the actor Olivia Wilde. Their sister is also a fine writer. I remember their father Claud who was also a very respected journalist.

Stugots

zenith wrote: »

Cockburn’s ma and da retired to Ardmore which is how he ended up reviewing it, I guess.

I think that Claude and Patricia Cockburn live din that property with their family for a period. Very interesting pair. Patricia Cockburn's memoir, 'Figure of Eight' is a great read. She was a woman well ahead of her time.

Claude a was a famous journalist and writer. That talent appears to run in the family.

phater phagan

Stugots wrote: »

I think that Claude and Patricia Cockburn live din that property with their family for a period. Very interesting pair. Patricia Cockburn's memoir, 'Figure of Eight' is a great read. She was a woman well ahead of her time.

Claude a was a famous journalist and writer. That talent appears to run in the family.

Yes, I was an avid reader of Claude's work when I was a teenager. He just made so much sense on the subjects that he wrote about. In light of your post I'm wondering if the gracious hostess who greeted us in 1985 was related to the Cockburns. My memory is vague on this, but I think her name was Patricia also ( her husband, the chef, was from France).
I certainly will look for Patricia's memoir and hope it is still available.
Incidentally where exactly is the house located? I remember driving to it from our B and B in Youghal, but cannot remember which road it was on.

Stugots

phater phagan wrote: »

Yes, I was an avid reader of Claude's work when I was a teenager. He just made so much sense on the subjects that he wrote about. In light of your post I'm wondering if the gracious hostess who greeted us in 1985 was related to the Cockburns. My memory is vague on this, but I think her name was Patricia also ( her husband, the chef, was from France).
I certainly will look for Patricia's memoir and hope it is still available.
Incidentally where exactly is the house located? I remember driving to it from our B and B in Youghal, but cannot remember which road it was on.

It's here:
https://goo.gl/maps/Jp35NrueQUXMeTKo6

I think Patricia Cockburns book is out of print, but you can still find it on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Figure-Eight-Patricia-Cockburn/dp/0863220932

There were lots of great stories about Claud. As a celebrity in the small town of Youghal, visitors would often see him with his half pint glass and ask to buy him a drink. He would graciously accept and the barman would give him the same again - a double-double brandy

I also liked the story about the competition they used have among the writers in The Times for the least exciting headline to make the front page. Claud only won it once with "Small earthquake in Chile, not many dead".

phater phagan

Thanks Stugots for that information. I will certainly get the book from Amazon. I also love that she was anti-fascist.