King O’Malley’s Irish Pub
THE LEGEND LIVES ON
King O’Malley’s Irish Pub was named after a colourful politician and former insurance salesman, with a fascinating and infamous legacy. And the irony: this same man advocated for an alcohol ban across Canberra. Think he would have seen the funny side?
Said to be mischievous and to invite controversary, King O’Malley was a flamboyant politician who played a vital role in the formation of the Australian Capital Territory. He was the one to sign off on Walter Burley Griffin as the winner of Canberra’s planning and design competition.
As Minister for Home Affairs, King O’Malley was involved in many aspects of Canberra’s somewhat slow formation as the national capital. One of his radical and unpopular decisions was to push for prohibition in Canberra. This ban lasted for 17 years between late-1910 and 1928 – forcing locals to purchase their liquor across the border in Queanbeyan.
Thankfully we’re no longer a dry state!
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