Conroy's Public House

Conroy’s Public House is an Irish pub and restaurant founded in 2011 by Ray Dunlea — a native of Cork, Ireland — whose name honors his late mother’s maiden name.¹ From a single Overland Park location, Conroy’s has grown into a four-location Johnson County institution that remains owner-operated and rooted in the traditions of the Irish pub.²

Description

Conroy’s Public House is a full-service Irish pub at the corner of 95th and Nall in Overland Park, serving traditional Irish comfort food alongside American fare in a setting built to evoke the warmth of a neighborhood pub in Ireland.¹ The menu anchors on signature dishes — Cottage Pie, Fish & Chips, Steak & Guinness Pie, Scotch Egg — alongside an extensive selection of Irish and American beers, whiskeys, and craft cocktails.¹ The atmosphere draws comparisons to the communal spirit of “Cheers”: a place where regulars know the staff and the room carries the specific ease of a well-loved local.

The 95th Street original is the flagship of what has grown into a four-location Johnson County footprint, with additional pubs in Leawood, Westwood (Fairway area), and a fourth location that opened in southern Overland Park at 151st and Quivira in late 2024.²³ The multi-location expansion reflects genuine demand rather than corporate replication — each location is owner-operated and staffed with people who share Irish roots or deep familiarity with the culture the pub is built around.

General manager Ryan Rafferty, who hails from outside Belfast in Northern Ireland, runs day-to-day operations alongside Dunlea.² Together they describe each space as one that “feels like an Irish pub” and “reminds” them of bars back home — a standard that drives hiring, training, and the physical design of each room.²

Ownership and history

Ownership

Period	Owner / Operator	Notes
2011 → present	Ray Dunlea (Cork, Ireland)	Founder; also operates the Gaf Bar & Grill in Waldo, KC MO1
2011 → present	Ryan Rafferty (GM)	From outside Belfast, Northern Ireland; co-manages operations2

Founding narrative

Ray Dunlea is from Cork, Ireland’s second-largest city on the country’s southern coast.¹ He opened Conroy’s Public House in 2011 at 95th and Nall in Overland Park — the name drawn from his late mother’s maiden name, Conroy.² The pub was built around an authentic Irish concept: fresh food cooked in-house, a deep whiskey program, and an atmosphere designed to feel like a real neighborhood local rather than a themed restaurant.¹

Dunlea has operated multiple Irish-concept venues in the Kansas City area, including the Gaf Bar & Grill in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri.¹ Conroy’s expanded through the 2010s with locations in Leawood and Westwood/Fairway. In October 2024, a fourth location was announced for 6995 W. 151st St. in southern Overland Park near McLain’s Market, described as “an iconic location” by Rafferty — it opened in December 2024.²³

Links

• Official website: conroyspublichouse.com
• Facebook: Conroy’s Public House
• Instagram: @conroyskansas

Sources

Disputes

None at this time.

Footnotes

1. https://conroys-public-house.restaurants-world.net/ — Conroy’s Public House restaurant profile. Asserts: Ray Dunlea is from Cork Ireland; name honors mother’s maiden name; Dunlea also operates Gaf Bar & Grill in Waldo; pub established on good-natured Irish pub virtues; signature menu items. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

2. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2024/10/15/conroys-aspens-overland-park-244389/ — Johnson County Post, Oct 2024. Asserts: Dunlea from Cork; Rafferty from outside Belfast (GM); three Johnson County locations (95th St OP, Leawood, Westwood); new 151st St location opening mid-November; four Johnson County total; “fourth in Johnson County.” ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

3. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2024/12/18/conroys-southern-overland-park-open-249295/ — Johnson County Post, Dec 2024. Asserts: fourth location (6995 W 151st St) now open. ↩ ↩²