Netherworld in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley was formerly the Shamrock Hotel and later the Step Inn, having undergone several name changes before becoming the arcade, bar, and diner venue that opened in its current form in January 2017.

The quirky venue has had a long and varied history since opening as the Shamrock Hotel at Brunswick and Leichhardt Street by 64-year-old Irishman James Donovan in 1862.

The pub’s early history

The Shamrock was first licensed on May 15 and opened for business on July 1 1862. The single-storey inn contained four sitting rooms and eight bedrooms, and was hosted by Donovan, his wife, Mary, and their nine children.

Donovan and his family arrived from Ireland to Australia aboard the Monsoona in 1834, and almost immediately settled in Fortitude Valley¹.

Previously Donovan was publican at the Lamb Inn (Harvey’s) at Fortitude Valley before going onto hosting the Shamrock for over a decade, until his death after a short illness in 1874 at the age of 76.

Donovan’s widow, Mary took-over as host for a short period of time, before her daughter, Mary inherited the pub freehold and took the license during the late 1870s and 1880s. She would host the pub for well-over a decade, except for a period in the early 1880s when she leased it to Timothy O’Sullivan.

According to Brisbane City Council, the Shamrock Hotel was destroyed by fire and replaced by a second pub of the same name about 1888. However, I’m unable to find any references to the fire. My research has found the two-storey Shamrock was built in 1892.

Donovan’s daughter, Mary (who had never married) had the old Shamrock entirely rebuilt in 1892², before retiring as host in 1894³. She died in 1925 at the age of 83⁴.

The building underwent some alterations in the 1920s, designed by Claude Addison and Son and Stan Macdonald, and in 1955 was remodelled to fit the modern, streamlined style favoured for hotels in this period (pictured below).

Prior to its “modernisation” the Shamrock featured post-supported awnings and a first storey verandah with cast iron balustrading.

During the 1990s the Shamrock Hotel became the Slip Inn when it was again extensively renovated. The pub later became the Step Inn, and later again The Underdog with a focus on live music.

The Shamrock Hotel has had many reincarnations over recent decades, and currently trades as “Netherworld” – Brisbane’s first arcade game and craft beer bar.

The large Fortitude Valley venue, formerly the Step Inn, is split into three sections. The heritage-listed public bar at the front features retro green tiling and a long, curved bar bench. Out the back, arcade machines are lined up against an exposed brick wall. Through another doorway is Hellmouth Diner, fitted out with street art, barbeque benches and fairy lights. In total, there are 25 arcade machines, 15 pinball machines, five classic consoles and more than 100 board games.

_{– broadsheet.com.au, January 31, 2017}

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_FOOTNOTES

_{1. Brisbane Courier, May 19, 1925}

_{2. Brisbane Courier, May 5, 1892}

_{3. Brisbane Courier, February 8, 1894}

_{4. Brisbane Courier, May 19, 1925}

Categories: Brisbane hotels, Queensland hotels

Tags: Netherworld Fortitude Valley, Shamrock Hotel Brisbane, Shamrock Hotel Fortitude Valley, Stepp Inn Fortitude Valley