Much waiting and frequent visits to pubs outside Dublin would eventually pay off. Both Tom and Catherine were won over by Jack White’s Inn, which had been recommended to them by a republican confidante of Catherine’s.
The pub is located on the main Dublin–Wexford road, six to seven miles north of Arklow town and forty-three miles south of Dublin. Business was mainly the pub trade and, to a lesser extent, a restaurant service. The building was impressive, though in need of refurbishment. Locals would form the nucleus of customers, and the ever-increasing population of Arklow town was also a positive for the business. In the hands of such a dynamic duo as Catherine and Tom, the possibilities were limitless.
Both were in unison: this was their dream, and a new start beckoned. The sale went through smoothly, and the price tag of £270,000 was no obstacle. The Barry House and its problems would soon be a thing of the past – but would Catherine’s many sexual affairs? Though Tom was kept mainly in the dark about his wife’s extra-marital affairs in Dublin, a key witness in the murder trial would state with conviction that Tom was well aware of her exploits.
One of the willing helpers during the move was none other than William (Willie) McClean, Catherine’s lover. He claimed that Tom definitely knew of this liaison. McClean, whose evidence was later to be a key part of the State’s case against Catherine, first met her in a pub in Dublin. He admitted that he was somewhat smitten by Catherine, and her obvious interest in him.
She presented herself to him as a woman of considerable means; this was clearly the case, as shown by her attire, and her expensive jewellery. Quite out of the blue, she suggested a sexual encounter, and they began a torrid, passionate, and potentially dangerous affair that would last eighteen months. At the outset, Willie was somewhat puzzled by her attention. He saw what he regarded as an attractive, well-heeled woman seeking comforts of the flesh with an out-of-work, married man who had little to offer materially. He would not seek answers, but would play her for what he could. This was an art he had perfected over the years.
This was not Catherine’s first affair and most definitely would not be her last. Willie left her under no illusions about himself and his past – which he readily admits he is not proud of. (Among other things, he fathered children outside his marriage.) Friends who knew him in his twenties and thirties described him as not bad-looking, slim with blonde hair. However, by the time he and Catherine met, he had degenerated into a grossly overweight, red-faced, bulbous-nosed man. He retained his rough charm, wit, and ability to seduce women such as Catherine.
Tom and Catherine moved into Jack White’s Inn on 2 May 1986. Locals, sensing a new and hopefully exciting new era for the pub, were eagerly awaiting developments. Little if anything was known of Tom and Catherine except perhaps by the local Gardaí, who, as a matter of course, would have obtained background information on all new owners taking over licensed premises in their area.
It was not long before Catherine wanted the pub to have a ‘better’ clientele. Yes, she was at last joint owner of a pub with her husband, but it was, and would remain, an ordinary country pub, unless immediate remedial action was taken. A hairdressing salon was quickly put in place, the building was redecorated, and the food menu was improved. Word quickly spread, and Jack White’s Inn soon became known for its excellent restaurant. Catherine was gaining a reputation as a fine chef. Trade picked up: they were off to a good start. But Catherine still wanted to see celebrities and dignitaries in the pub.