Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
The Last Supper21
Village pubs stay shut on Good Friday to maintain Irish tradition
It is a day publicans want to spend with their families JOHN SCANLON CO CORK YESTERDAY
PUBLICANS in an Irish village are closing on Good Friday despite the Republic’s booze ban being lifted after 91 years.
Newmarket in Co Cork will remain dry after bar owners came together and decided to shut up shop.
John Scanlon, of Scanlon’s Bar, said: “We have only two days off each year, Christmas Day and Good Friday, and we want to hold on to that.
“It is a day publicans want to spend with their families. Good Friday is a day publicans look forward to.
“It would be different for city publicans who would be giving up a lot of revenue by staying shut on a Friday night but I don’t think there would be a lot around here on Good Friday. It is going against the grain but who knows? Other pubs around the country may follow.”
The move has received an overwhelmingly positive response from residents in the village, which has a population of 976. One even congratulated the publicans saying, “Well done Newmarket, keep up our traditions”.
On New Street, mother-of-nine Joan Hourigan has been pulling pints behind the counter of Hourigan’s Bar for the past 50 years.
With five of her children also involved in the business she has always enjoyed a day out or the chance to decorate the shut pub on Good Friday, something she “does not want to give up”.
Admitting religion had played only “a small part” in her decision to remain closed, Ms Hourigan said the holiday “is something I cherish and a tradition I want to maintain”.
She added: “A lot of our customers would be older farmers and I wouldn’t think we would be particularly busy on Good Friday anyway.
“They have grown up with the tradition and I think they will see it out.”
Mick Hourigan, another publican in the village, announced the decision on his pub’s Facebook page. It has been universally welcomed by customers.
He said yesterday: “There are 363 days a year when the pub is open and I think that is plenty. Soon they will want us to open on Christmas Day.” Mr Hourigan runs a bar and nightclub employing more than 20 people. He added: “I wouldn’t ask my staff to work on Good Friday. What is around on a Friday is not a lot.”
On his pub’s Facebook page, one customer wrote: “It is great to see that old traditions matter to our country… well done to you and hopefully more will follow.”
Another posted: “Well done to ye guys. Fair play. Our country needs to stand up for its traditions.
“Very proud that it is Newmarket leading the way – we lead where others follow.”