Gerry McHugh

From a Galway Farm to Kentucky Avenue

Gerard "Gerry" McHugh grew up on a dairy farm in Milltown, County Galway, Ireland — one of fourteen children. At twenty years old, he left his homeland on his own and crossed the Atlantic to build a life in America, arriving in Boston on March 15, 1987. He worked three jobs to make ends meet, fueled by ambition and a willingness to do whatever it took to give himself and his future family a better life.

It was in Boston that he met Molly Hartnett, a Boston University student. The two married in 1989 and moved to Orlando, Florida — where Gerry again worked three jobs, one of which was as a barback at an Irish pub. He found he was quite good at this sort of work, and in a short time worked his way up to General Manager. It was then that the dream of owning his own pub took root.

When he began scouting locations across Central Florida, he drove into Lakeland and knew immediately he'd found the right place. At the time, opening a business in downtown Lakeland was thought of as career suicide — but Gerry saw potential where others didn't. Against everyone's advice, he and Molly cashed in their life savings and went all in. On March 15, 1996 — exactly nine years to the day after he first set foot in America — he opened the doors of Molly McHugh's Irish Pub on South Kentucky Avenue, named for the woman who'd been by his side since Boston. He was twenty-nine years old.

A Force for Downtown Lakeland

In the same way Gerry fell in love with Lakeland, the people of Lakeland fell in love with him, his family, and their pub. Molly McHugh's became the spark that ignited downtown's nightlife community. The pub drew a loyal following that cut across every walk of life — college students, young professionals, business people, and Irish transplants who found a piece of home at the bar.

Never one to stand still, Gerry and Molly went on to open Hurricane Alley and The Gym Sports Bar & Grill across the street, with a vision of creating an entertainment district on Kentucky Avenue.

Family, Faith & Community

Beyond the pub, Gerry was a devoted father of four — Grace, Kate, Seamus, and Jack. He coached youth soccer, basketball, and flag football, played on the Lakeland Cosmos adult soccer league, and was an active member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He served as Chairman of the St. Joseph's School Foundation and cherished the annual family trips back to Ireland to visit his parents, thirteen siblings, and their families.

Fiercely proud of both his Irish roots and his American citizenship, Gerry could often be found with the Irish flag flying close to the American flag. Those who knew him remembered his warmth, his humility, and the way a room came alive when he walked in.

Gerry passed away unexpectedly on January 13, 2012 at the age of 45. But his family and staff still run the pub with as much pride as ever — and with the same values of hard work and love for the community that it was built on. His son Jack carries the tradition forward — same warmth, same welcome, same Kentucky Avenue.