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The transformation of the old Mary Dowling’s in Islip to The Harp & Hound is nearly complete.
The new owners, who took over the historic space earlier this year, told GreaterBayShore they are days away from opening at 528 Main Street. (Check back for an exact opening date.)
The Harp & Hound is being launched by a group that is very familiar with the space — they all used to work at the location when it was Lily Flanagan’s.
In fact, Kyra Meehan-Comiskey — one of Harp & Hound’s owners — is the granddaughter of the namesake Lily Flanagan herself.
She worked there with Matt Venturini, Nicholas Jimenez and Heather Hemberger, who together later opened Flanagan’s in Lake Ronkonkoma in 2013.
The ownership team, who are all in their 20s and 30s, are excited to show their old neighborhood their new venture.
“We are really excited and blessed to be back here in our stomping grounds,” Meehan-Comiskey said. “We hope that we have all our friends and our families we used to see back here again — provide a home away from home for those people.”
They’ve spent the last year reinventing the space. The dining room is decked out in Irish décor and there’s a full bar with Jameson bottles lining the very top shelf at the ceiling.
The exterior of the building has a brand new sign and royal blue paint finish.
There is also an outdoor area for people to eat and drink.
The Harp & Hound will feature traditional Irish delicacies, such as Shepard’s pie and fish and chips, but will also offer other pub classics like wings, burgers, and more.
As far as the name goes, it pays homage to the bar’s Celtic heritage. Harp & Hound is named after the Guinness’ harp — a harp is also used in the restaurant’s logo — and the hound is after the wolfhound, known as a fierce animal in Ireland.
Check out the photos below for a sneak peek at the new neighborhood pub.
For more information and updates on the Harp & Hound, visit their Instagram and Facebook pages.
