Old News: Rumson Briody & Fair Haven Teahan Irish Connections

Top o’ the Irish afternoon to ya! On this St. Patrick’s Day, we are delving back into a couple of Irish connections in the area.

For one, if it were back in the day, like, say, 1985, most Rumson-Fair Haven area folks would find themselves migrating over to Briody’s, that place that is now Surf Barbecue and had a shorter incarnation as another Irish pub, Murray MacGregor’s. Briody’s was an iconic gathering place. People celebrated casually there. They danced on weekends. They had RFH and Barn after-rehearsal noshing and chatting and cast parties there. And they picked up what many think was the best pizza around from the little take-out window on the side of the building. Yes, and Irish pub that had great pizza.

Of course, there was great Irish food, too. But most seem to remember that pizza. Yum. And back in 1985, Joe Briodys, both junior and senior, were photographed by Register photographer Carl Forino having the pub’s 15th annual pre-St. Pat’s party at Shore Casino. There are some other Rumsonite socialites in the pic to the left in the very top. There’s another gem of the same party that benefitted a different charity each year from 1980.

But, what was special about the 1985 blast back was that, in addition to being flooded with memories of that great magical Irish-concocted pizza, the Briody clan offered up a great Gaelic coffee recipe along with one for potato soup. Do try this at home, kids. Check out the clip above.

The pizza at Briody’s was reviewed in 1982. It got rave reviews from the Register’s Bernice Famulary. Yes, that’s a relation to former Fair Haven schools superintendent Tom Famulary. His father, John, of Fair Haven, had a career at the Register and Courier in Middletown.

Pizza at Briody’s in 1982 was $2 for a bar pie and $4 for a large. Mama Mia! She lauded the Italian fare at the Irish pub. And there was a filet mignon special on Thursdays for $6.95. Just sayin’ … Here’s a look back at that review and Register photo of the Rumson Briody and Brennan families feasting on Italian treats at Briody’s.

The Fair Haven connection? Well, who knew that there was a bed and breakfast named after our Fair Haven, NJ in, of all places, County Kerry, near Killarney. It is (or was in 1985) owned by Jim and Anne Teahan. Their family, from Fair Haven, posed in front of the sign. We wonder if the place is still there. Anyone?

Either way, it’s the luck o’ the Irish, or something, that we had both. Lucky charms!