NEW ROSS PUBS OPEN ON GOOD FRIDAY FOR FIRST TIME IN 91 YEARS
THE PUBS opened for the first time on Good Friday last Friday with many punters taking advantage of the new laws.
Publican Marie Purcell in JD North’s pub said that they had a few customers in during the day but had a fundraiser on Good Friday night which would draw a big crowd. ‘A lot of people were confused during the week about opening and closing times on Good Friday. They weren’t sure if closing time was early on Friday on account of it being Good Friday but it was regular Friday hours.
‘ There’s a bit of a buzz about the place really. I think it’s a novelty for people this year.’
In the Kennedy Boutique Hotel in New Ross Declan Jones and Majella Colfer popped in for a bite to eat.
Declan said he saw no problem with pubs opening on Good Friday adding that most people seemed to be in favour of the change. However Majella was on the other side of the argument and felt that the laws shouldn’t have been changed.
‘I’m not in favour of opening pubs on Good Friday. There was only two days of the year when they were closed and I think it should have stayed that way.’
John Murphy, the new owner of the former Docks Bar, was also in the Kennedy Boutique Hotel with partner Susan George and son TJ Murphy.
John and Susan who also have a pub in England said that enjoying a drink on a Good Friday was no novelty for them as pubs in the UK always opened on Good Friday.
‘We have been serving drink in the UK all the time on Good Fridays so it’s nothing new to use to enjoy a drink on the day.’
However, they did remark on the price difference between Irish and English pubs.
Dermot and Nora McNamara from Dublin popped into the Kennedy Boutique Hotel as they are in the area on holidays.
Dermot said he was glad to be able to enjoy a drink with his meal. ‘It’s as if it was always meant to be that way. I don’t find it weird at all to be able to have a drink in a pub on Good Friday. I welcome the change.’
In Prendergast’s pub on the
Quay Tony Cottrell of Neville Street, New Ross said he was delighted to get the chance to have a drink in a pub on Good Friday.
‘I think it’s grand’, he said sipping his pint of GUinness. ‘ The old law should have been gone long ago. Sometimes I took a drink at home on Good Friday but I prefer being able to enjoy my pint in the pub.’
However he said he felt the crowd was small. ‘ There’s not as many here as there would be on a normal Friday’, he said but pointed out that it is a Bank Holiday weekend.
Patsy Connolly of Mount Carmel was in agreement.
‘It’s about time the law was changed to let people enjoy a drink on Good Friday.
‘I would have had a drink at home on Good Friday when the pubs were shut but I prefer the social aspect of the pub.
‘I think it should have happened years ago.’