Fidel Murphy’s Public House at Queen’s Court Plaza, Seven Mile Beach, has been a part of Cayman’s food landscape for 27 years, and it continues to be the perfect spot where both residents and visitors can enjoy a hearty meal in a warm, friendly atmosphere. Fidel Murphy’s is this month’s Passenger Pick of the 
Month, so we’ve touched base with owner John Dunne to find out about an exciting all-inclusive event on March 16th. Irish John and his Canadian wife Caitlin run the business together. Their Cayman-born children Mac (8) and Tadhg (4) round out this wonderful family! Join us as we chat about fabulous food specials and delicious drinks both at Fidel Murphy’s and at sister restaurant The Kitchen.
PPOM: Before we dig into our interview, John, I’d like to point out information that I recently saw on your social media. On Tuesday, March 7, there will be a special fundraiser sponsored by Fidel Murphy’s Public House and The Kitchen. I appreciate the commitment that you and Caitlin have to reaching out and helping in a variety of ways. Please let us know about this upcoming Charity Fundraiser.
JD: In early February, severe tropical cyclone Gabrielle devastated the North Island of New Zealand. Caitlin and I are glad to help out with a Charity Fundraiser the evening of Tuesday, March 7th. We’ll have live music, prizes, a raffle, and trivia. All profits will be donated to New Zealand Red Cross to assist with relief efforts on New Zealand’s North Island.
PPOM: That’s so wonderful. You guys are truly a caring couple! John, let’s continue with the next big event on the calendar—St. Patrick’s Day weekend at Fidel Murphy’s Public House. Sounds like there’s quite a festive weekend planned!
JD: Yes! Paddy’s Weekend begins here on Thursday, March 16th, at 6 PM with an extra special all-inclusive ticketed event. This will be the first show of “Sin a Deir Si”, the fantastic traditional Irish band that we bring over from Ireland. Only 100 tickets are available, so guests will enjoy a really nice atmosphere at Fidel Murphy’s. The ticket really is all-inclusive—Teeling Irish whiskey cocktails, Guinness, wine, bubbles, and pass-around Irish canapes PLUS the concert by “Sin a Deir Si”! The tickets can be purchased for $150 CI on EventPro. Sales for this special event will end on March 15th, so folks will need to buy the tickets soon!
PPOM: That all-inclusive event sounds like a lot of Irish fun on March 16th, but what fun do you have planned at Fidel Murphy’s the rest of that weekend?
JD: On the actual Paddy’s Day, March 17th, it’ll be free-entry all day and live music from 11 AM until 11 PM. We’ll feature 4 different bands including “Sin a Deir Si”, our main event band playing both lunch and night gigs. It’ll be a great day to come out and enjoy some traditional Irish fare.
And the fun continues on Saturday the 18th with 6 Nations coverage—the final day of the competition! Also, there will be a women’s rugby fundraiser that day. We’re fine-tuning the details at the moment, but folks can check our social media soon to see what else we have planned!
PPOM: Well, I expect that you’ll have a full house all weekend for the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! Now, let’s chat about the pleasant ambiance that is consistently found at Fidel Murphy’s Public House. In your opinion, what makes Fidel Murphy’s so special with both locals and visitors?
JD: Like Irish Pubs world-wide, Fidel Murphy’s has a sort of “Come as you are” feel. If you think about being new to a country, you seek out a welcoming atmosphere. We work really hard to create that atmosphere, and guests often comment positively about our friendly staff and the fun environment. I think the description on our Instagram account sums up what makes Fidel 
Murphy’s so special: “We’re the perfect Cayman’s spot for a hearty meal and a laugh with friends. We are a simple little pub, and a great locale for the homesick.” Locals and visitors can enjoy our simple little pub!
PPOM: I totally agree with that description! We’ve always enjoyed the warm, comfortable vibe while eating a delicious meal! And talk about great food! We like to say that Fidel’s is a great place for a brew and some stew! I’ve always been fascinated by 
your Monday burger specials. Each Monday, folks can order a unique burger designed just for that day. How many of these epic burgers have you created?
JD: We’ve been doing the Monday burger specials for about 8 years, so that’s around 400 special burgers! It’s always a fun challenge to come up with these creations and then to give them a name. Two of our recent burgers were “Nobody Puts Baby in the Macaroni” and “Georgia on My Mind” (that was on January 9th, the day of the American football game between University of Georgia Bulldogs and TCU Horned Frogs). We often post the burger and a description on our social 
media pages. Sometimes you might read a description like “cream cheese with garlic and herbs, egg, bacon, lettuce and tomato”. And remember that the Monday burger special comes with a free pint of beer or a glass of wine. It’s a great deal!
PPOM: I’m ready for a burger right now! And I’ve seen those photos. They are amazing! Fidel Murphy’s has a variety of specials. Can you tell us about some?
JD: Sure! Wednesday’s special is Fish and Chips plus a beer or a glass of wine. There’s a choice between cod and our catch of the day, and it can be blackened, grilled, or beer-battered. Then on Thursdays, we have our Curry and a Pint special, but you can have a glass of wine instead of a pint, if you want. Friday nights are really busy with Karaoke with the famous Vicki Wheaton. Singers of all talent ranges get up and make this a really fun night at Fidel Murphy’s! We have great food and a fun atmosphere every day!
PPOM: You’re right! And the day can even begin with a bountiful breakfast! So Fidel Murphy’s provides great options all day, every day!
JD: On social media, we often post breakfast specials that are not on the regular breakfast menu (which, by the way, is also delicious). Not long ago, Chef Shane’s breakfast special was a plate of lovely egg salad crostini on garlic and sriracha toast, topped with red onion, pepper, and basil. We offer eggs Benedict, a lot of bacon, and also vegetarian options. Folks can enjoy a great meal anytime of the day!
PPOM: Let’s remind folks now about your sister restaurant, The Kitchen, which is just across the beer garden from Fidel’s. Refresh our memory about the menu and the atmosphere.
JD: The Kitchen is a 40-seater, open-concept restaurant. Your meal unfolds right in front of you! The Kitchen is a Steakhouse, and we offer the island’s largest steak menu with a full selection of Certified Angus Beef. So if you love steaks, The Kitchen is perfect for you! But we offer more than steaks here. Our menu has some delicious Bar Snacks and tasty salads, too. We have decorated the walls with pictures of our family from home, staff, and good friends, so it’s a comfortable, friendly atmosphere with a happy energy.
PPOM: I think it’s great the way you provide both locals and visitors with two opportunities for amazing food experiences. Sports fans in particular enjoy being able to watch a match on one of your big screen TVs at Fidel Murphy’s. You’ve said before that not even a six-hour time difference can keep the fun from happening!
JD: Yes! We definitely keep the Irish Pub tradition going strong by ensuring that we are prepared to find and show a variety of matches. In our bar, we show football, rugby, and Gaelic football games. We’re open early for all Premier League matches. And we also have dart boards that are open to all! With the best pint of Guinness on the island and a friendly, welcoming staff, we think that Fidel Murphy’s has everything that a sports fan could want!
PPOM: While we’re talking about the bar, I think that our readers would like to know a little about Jarlath Sheridan, your head Bartender. He has a reputation for making people feel welcome.
JD: He sure does! Jarlath and I grew up and went to school together. He is part owner of our restaurant business and takes great care in doing exactly what you mentioned—making everyone feel welcome. Our customers recognize and appreciate the way that Jarlath brings a lot of heart here. It’s great that he’s on this team!
PPOM: Well, we’ve covered a lot of information, but is there anything that you’d like to add? Maybe there’s a question that you 
wish that I had asked–
JD: Let’s pretend that you asked about our whiskey selection at Fidel Murphy’s because I’d like to shine a light on our whiskey selection! It’s the largest on the island with over 200 whiskeys, and we bring in many of our own Irish whiskeys. For interested folks, we have a whiskey club, and I’d love to answer any questions about it!
I’ve enjoyed catching up with John Dunne of Fidel Murphy’s Public House. Whether you want to enjoy some traditional Irish pub fare and a Guinness or you want to visit during one of their special events, I have no doubt that you’ll have a memorable experience. And don’t forget to visit The Kitchen, too!
You’ll want to buy tickets now for the Pre-St Paddy’s all-inclusive event on March 16th! Other up-to-date information can be found on their Facebook page and on their Instagram account. Until you can be there in person, you’ll enjoy photographs of those amazing Monday burgers and other specials. And you can plan your visit by checking out schedules of televised sports matches and information about upcoming special events.