A great ‘Rackard record’ is broken

February 1982

A great ‘Rackard record’ fell on Wednesday of last week. It was at Enniscorthy Court, when former inter-county star Bobbie was convicted and fined for allowing persons to be on licensed premises during prohibited hours on November 19th last.

It was the first conviction in respect of the premises since it was taken over by the Rackard family towards the end of the 19th century.

Represented by Mr. Peter Redmond, solicitor, defendant pleaded that he had stopped serving at 11 p.m. and had done everything possible to clear the premises. He was fined £20. Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

Ten persons who were found on the premises, and who pleaded guilty to being there during prohibited hours, were each fined £5.

Garda John O’Leary, Kiltealy, told on inspecting the Rackard premises at Killane at 12.02 a.m. on November 19th last. He said that he went to the front door, and Garda McDonald went to the back.

The barman opened the door, and he was accompanied by another man. He asked them to go with him back into the lounge.

He told of seeing a number of people there, and one man who was sitting with a woman appeared to be drinking ale. The lights behind the bar were off, but some wall lights were still turned on. He took the names of some of those on the premises, and Garda McDonald took other names.

Mr. Rackard was behind the bar and he said that despite his repeated calling of ‘time’, he could not clear the house.

Witness said he did not see any alcoholic drink being sold.

Similar evidence was given by Garda McDonald.

In evidence, Bobbie Rackard said he stopped serving at 11 o’clock. He tried to clear the premises by calling ‘time’ and flicking the lights. There were between forty and fifty people there and he succeeded in getting the vast majority out.

He said it was getting more difficult all the time to clear a house. People were waiting until later and later to come to the pub, because of the price of drink, and were then slow to move out again too.

He had been in the business 35 years and had never been convicted of an offence. In fact there had been no conviction whatsoever against the premises since the family took it over towards the end of the last century.

Three of the people were on the premises gave evidence that no drink was sold after 11 o’clock and that they and others had just remained there to chat.

They also said that Mr. Rackard had asked them several times to leave.

The Justice pointed out how the defendant faced two charges: allowing the sale of intoxicating liquor after hours, and allowing people to be on the premises. He dismissed the first but convicted on the second, handing down a fine of £20.