From Canon to Covid law

I CAN empathise with the proprietors of ‘wet pubs’ who are anxious to get the taps opened again after six months. It reminds me of my paternal grandfather who was a publican and staunch Catholic.

At a time when civil law was deferential to Canon law, pub business ground to a halt on Sundays. My grandfather provided a ‘holy hour’ from 5.30pm to 9pm in which regular customers were kept sweet and deterred from taking their custom elsewhere. They slipped discretely into the pub by the rear entrance.

The men enjoyed a few pints of Guinness and a whiskey chaser while the few women who joined them were served a few ‘meejums’ (medium glass of Guinness) in the snug. All the customers behaved and were well supervised.

When the clock struck 6pm, all present were led in a recitation of the Angelus, followed by all the trimmings, by my grandmother, who tolerated the improvised drinking arrangement as a necessary compromise. The evenings were spent discussing Kerry and Austin Stacks football, horse racing, greyhounds and the events of the day. The local law was aware of the arrangement, but considered it more of a minor spiritual lapse than a civil indiscretion.

Religious practice was very important but a few venial sins were committed to protect the business. Years later things have changed but somehow remained the same. Nowadays civil law is deferential to Covid law! Surely, with a bit of goodwill, pubs could reopen on condition of strict compliance with pandemic protocols.

BILLY RYLE, Spa, Co. Kerry.