The Lakeside Tavern

In the Autumn of The present Proprietors of the Lakeside Tavern Drumcong, Co Leitrim, James & Eilis Cardiff left a farming background at Ballygarrett, near Gorey Co Wexford, and bought what was then known as the ”The Swan Inn” Public House and Shop in Drumcong, Co Leitrim. When they started the business, James took to the Bar managers job like a duck to water, and very soon was a dab hand at pulling a pint. Eilis operated the hospitality end of the business, having completed her education at Castlecomer Community School in Co Kilkenny with a preliminary course in Hotel Catering and Tourism, she moved to the Great Southern Hotel Rosslare for her Cert year 1 programme in professional cookery, followed by a further 6 months placement in The Ardboyne Hotel in Navan Co. Meath. Year 2 was again at the Great Southern Hotel Rosslare. Followed by a move to the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, working under Michelan Star Chef Kevin Thornton for one and a half years, after which she spent another 6 months at the Talbot Hotel Wexford. This was followed by working and managing some local Hostelries in Wexford before moving to Co Leitrim. In the year James & Eilis developed a Commercial Catering Kitchen at their premises and at the same time they progressed their business into catering for Local Parties, Holy Communion, Confirmation parties, and also Funeral afters and small weddings.