Dover's Quiet Man Irish Pub closing after 47 years

There are restaurants you like. There are bars you stop into once in a while.

And then there are places that become part of people’s lives.

For nearly half a century, The Quiet Man Irish Pub in Dover has been one of those places.

Now, after 47 years, the family-owned landmark has announced it will close for good on Aug. 29. The decision comes after nearly six years of trying to find a buyer who would keep the tradition alive, but that never happened.

The history

Frank and Anne Burke came from Ireland and opened The Quiet Man in 1979. It wasn’t just another neighborhood pub. It quickly became the place where birthdays were celebrated, engagements were toasted, first dates happened, and friendships that lasted decades were formed.

The name The Quiet Man may be familiar even if you never jousted a Guinness there. It comes from the classic John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara movie. Frank Burke actually worked at Ashford Castle in Ireland while that film was being made and met both stars. Maureen O’Hara even visited the pub years later, and one of its dining rooms was named in her honor.

The impact

When the Burke family announced the closing on social media, the response was exactly what you’d expect would happen. People shared stories about marriage proposals, first dates, annual family dinners, so many memories and traditions stretching back decades. That’s when you know a restaurant has become something bigger than a restaurant.

If you’ve ever wanted one more plate of shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, or simply one last pint in one of New Jersey’s best-known Irish pubs, time is running short.

Last call

The Quiet Man will serve its last customers on Aug. 29, according to NJ.com,
closing out the tab for good on one of New Jersey’s true neighborhood institutions after nearly half a century. Goodbye, Quiet Man, and may the road rise up to meet you.