Tralee’s Green Rooster not done crowing yet – ‘We plan to be here for a few more years at least’

Rumours of The Green Rooster’s demise is the stuff of fiction according to its owner Jimmy Casey.

The popular Tralee takeaway, which first opened its doors in 1949, remains one of town’s longest running family-owned businesses and, its safe to say, has become an institution among Tralee folk.

However, claims it is to close have been in circulation for over a month now and have spread faster than the speed of light.

But Jimmy has rushed to allay any fears saying they are looking forward to celebrating their 75th anniversary in business next year.

“We’ve no plans to close. I don’t know where these rumours start but we’re looking forward to being 75 years in business next year,” Jimmy told The Kerryman.

One theory Jimmy has for why the rumour mill started stems from the closure of other businesses in the area.

He mentions many of the ‘old stock’ who have run businesses on the Rock/Pembroke street vicinity, and who have since passed on. Jimmy is adamant that he is going nowhere.

“I would say the rumour is going on with the last month. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is saying it. I suppose there’s no such thing as bad publicity,” he says.

“It doesn’t annoy me at all. You’d hear the odd rumour, but this thing is continuous. Even though we’ve told people we weren’t closing, that word doesn’t seem to spread at all for some reason,” Jimmy adds. 

"There’s a lot of the old stock gone in the Rock Street area in terms of business. Everything has changed. But I plan to be here for another couple of years at least,” Jimmy said.

Jimmy’s parents, John and Mary, opened the shop in 1949. John had worked as a butcher in England for time before the couple returned home and bought the shop on Pembroke Street a year earlier in 1948.

At the time, Casey’s Chip Shop was one of only two chip shops in Tralee, the second shop was owned by Danny Boylan in Moyderwell. Jimmy renovated the Green Rooster in 1996.