PublicansacrossthecountyarehavingtocopewithanewwayoflifesincetheCOVID-19pandemicforced theclosureofpubs. ofbusinessandlearntocopewithfeelingsofisolationandanxietysinceshuttingtheirdoors.
THE beautiful sandstone facade that gives Ashes Bar in Glenbeigh its distinctive look is a familiar sight for locals and tourists. It’s a place where, in normal times, one might expect to find Peadar and Mary O’Sullivan keeping the show going behind the bar, but not in recent times.
“The hardest part is not knowing when this is all going to end,” Peadar says.
Having too much ‘spare time’ is seldom a problem when your sole occupation is running a public house. Peadar is finding it difficult to keep occupied and to adjust to a way of life that is a new norm for publicans.
“You can clean the bar once a week and do a few jobs but it doesn’t fill the time. It’s an unreal feeling. I never in my life had a Sunday off as I used to run a supermarket before this. To me, this is all very strange,” he says.
For many years the narrative around rural pubs is that they helped alleviate loneliness and isolation for customers. But Peadar explains it is now publicans who are having to endure long evenings without the company.
“I was used to meeting people and now I don’t meet anyone. Mental health is a very big thing. We did a lot of walking at the start but since the lockdown got stricter it’s become more difficult to get out. Financially this has been a disaster and it’s putting more pressure on people.”
Peadar concludes: “It’s coming home to roost now just how important a pub is to a rural community. There’s people I know who are living alone and enjoyed their few pints, it’s very hard on them, it’s hard on all of us.”