Downes was originally a tea, wine and spirits store, established way back in 1797. It quickly became the largest bonders in the southeast of Ireland, bottling 10 different whiskey blends, put together in its own cellars. No.9, it is said, was the favourite of a parish priest somewhere along the way and the others became obsolete. Now a pub, it is keeping the tradition of pub blending alive, albeit on a very small scale.