In this episode of Memphis Type History: The Podcast, I tell Caitlin why there are goats on Beale Street and how they’ve been known to drink beer. Silky O’Sullivan’s features dueling pianos and an outdoor patio with two wonderful female goats.
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Joellyn Sullivan joins on this episode to tell us the story of this famous Beale Street Irish pub. Her late husband Thomas Daniel Sullivan, got the nickname “Silky’s” from a racehorse. He used the name when he first opened a bar on Overton Square… and then added an “O” to the Beale Street location in Irish naming tradition because it was the “son of” his first bar! It was one of the first places opened when Beale Street was getting revitalized.
A photo of King Puck hangs on the walls of Silky O’ Sullivans
Joellyn tells me where the goats actually came from… which involves a famous Irish festival with a goat king and everything. But the journey to have these fun drinking partners on Beale was full of the best kind of Memphis drama like goat switcheroos and a Peabody ducks appearance…
Photo of Jersey for Maynard, the lucky goat. The jersey was a gratitude gift from the Memphis Tigers.
We learn about Maynard the one-horned goat that brought the Grizzlies good luck. Jolleyn shares the secret of how Memphis barbecue got to Ireland, Estonia, Sweden, Bangkok, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Cuba (we’re sure they’re all extremely thankful).
Photo of general manager, Dennis Flannigan and business owner, Joellyn Sullivan
Our very heartfelt thanks goes out to Joellyn Sullivan for making this episode possible.
And if you think you know what’s inside a Diver, let us know!
Links Mentioned:
Magical Maynard: Silky O’Sullivan’s lucky goat travels to Illinois
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