Sitting in the heart of the Midlands' peat bogs, there has been a "Four Provinces" since records began. Or, to be more specific, since '45s replaced '78s as the "de facto" standard for reproducing Irish music on little circles of vinyl.

Some say the Magna Carta was drafted on the pool table of the Four Provinces, yet these people are largely ignored unless it happens to be their round. Others say that, to this day, underneath the cool cellars, exists the only known burial ground of the hideous, terrible Ballisaurus, the shamrock-eating reptile of the Dinosaur period responsible, in part, for the creation of the world's largest xylophone (more popularly known as Giant's Causeway).

What is more likely is that if you asked any of our customers where they were the night Kennedy was shot, none of them would tell you they were at the 4Ps, as we opened for business on Good Friday 1965.

Prior to this, the building was used as part of Coventry's watchmaking industry. Currently, we are researching this and we'll add to this story over time.

Originally, the Four Provinces was run by a committee consisting of Mick Geraghty, Noel Staunton, Tom Noone, Chris Kelly, Andy Murray, Roger Gill, Gerry Grant and Les Grant. Manager for 23 years, Jack Connolly, ran the four Ps until his death in 1988. Ted and Maureen Flannelly purchased the club in 1989, after a very successful career running pubs throughout Coventry for many years; they started at the Clarence in Earlsdon in the 1960s and were the youngest couple ever to run a public house.

Lizzie Flannelly took over from her late father and Kieran Connolly started as manager in 1996. Kieran was born in the City of Coventry to parents Pat and Margaret Connolly of Ballygar, Co. Galway and Skibbereen, Co. Cork respectively.

See also - Chapelfields Local History