Fair City’s Jon gets a new job in McCoy’s - but indoor scenes at the famous pub are still barred

The last time viewers saw interior scenes in the famous pub was when Ger Lynch was publican in early 2020 just as the pandemic broke out.

After Covid spread through Ireland, the hit series went off air for several months and filming ceased.

But when restrictions eased, McCoy’s still remained closed even when real life pubs reopened with the infamous €9 meal with a drink’ rule.

The hostelry first burst onto our screens when the Dublin soap first aired in 1989 and was then run by Kay McCoy.

Fans equate it to the Queen Vic in EastEnders, the Rovers Return in Coronation Street and the Woolpack in Emmerdale.

A TV insider reveals that, while the bar on the set remains closed, it is being used to store production equipment.

“McCoy’s has often been referred to as being open in Carrigstown, and as such, we have seen McCoy's beer garden in use regularly,” a Fair City spokesperson tells the Sunday World.

“RTÉ continues to maintain health and safety guidelines to ensure programmes such as Fair City can film in a safe environment.

“There is limited space on set in McCoy’s which makes it challenging to fit cast and crew safely. It is our intention to bring back the interior of McCoy’s as soon as we can.”

Pub-goers on Fair City are regularly seen indoors in the Station bar, which appears to have a larger interior and more space.

It is run by Carol Foley and has been the scene of several major storylines in the past two years.

Even at the height of the pandemic and when bars and restaurants were closed, places such as the Station and the Hungry Pig had customers allowed into their premises, on many occasions without masks, which producers said they were allowed to get away with as the soap is in a virtual world.

This Sunday, viewers will see how Alex is delighted with Jon’s new job at McCoy’s.

However, Mondo warns Jon that his trial period at McCoy’s is not just a formality as his job at McCoy’s gets off to a shaky start.

Elsewhere, a throwaway remark from Joan gets Cian rethinking his gameplan with Dearbhla. Dearbhla is shocked when Cian states he and Jane have decided that she should be the one to move out.