Asdee, The Home Of Jesse James`s Father.

Asdee is a neat little village between Ballylongford and Ballybunion. Jesse James’s father emigrated to Missouri where young Jesse was born on September 5th 1847.

In revenge young Jesse joined a guerrilla force of renegade rebels where he soon made a name for himself.

One desperate deed led to another and soon he was leading his own gang and the cause for the South made way for the robbing of trains and banks.

The names of Jesse and his brother Frank James were soon on every wanted poster in Missouri. Eventually the attraction of the reward tempted traitors in Jesse’s own gang.

The Ford brothers, trusted friends of Jesse, shot him dead and claimed $10,000 reward.

The outside of Jesse James Tavern hasn’t changed much to this day. The tavern is situated midways in the village, next to the church. The inside doesn’t look as if it has changed much either, but now it has a Western and Mexican décor.

Was your great, great, grandfather a friend of Jesse James?



There is a pool table on a raised part of the bar room, in need of a little refurb the last time I played on it. Infact I think Jesse Jame`s father played on it the night before he set off for America. There is a definite knack to playing on the table, (aim to the right of the ball you want to hit).

There is a fine TV screen on the far wall from the entrance door, very handy for sporting events.

Talking about sporting events, it has been known that you can get excellent tips here during Listowels Harvest racing Festival in September, a few of the jockeys stop off here for a drink after the days racing and you never know what you might hear.

If you don’t get any tips you will have a good enjoyable night anyway, but make sure you don’t have any games of pool with the locals especially if money is mentioned.

As mentioned earlier, Asdee is a very small neat little village, apart from the church, Jesse James Tavern and a petrol station on the road to Ballybunion the only other place of interest is Kennedy’s Bar on the brow of the hill as you enter Asdee from Ballylongford.

Kennedy’s is a modern Bar, very clean and friendly. There is plenty car parking space in front and a good place to sit down, have a rest and a quiet chat.

No point in giving you Bed and Breakfast/Guesthouse locations here as Ballybunion is just down the road.