Pint of Plain Please
LISCARROLL PUBLICAN BRINGS JUST A FLAVOUR OF THE PUB TO LOCAL HOMES
WHILE the door of a Liscarroll pub opened for the first time in weeks last Sunday evening, it was not to welcome thirsty customers seeking a pint of their favourite tipple.
Instead, much to the undisguised delight of some of his regular customers cocooned in their homes, Donal
O’Brien of O’Brien’s Bar was on a mercy mission to ferry pints directly to their own doorsteps.
Donal said he had phoned around to ask people if they fancied a pint and, unsurprisingly, the general answer he received was ‘yes, I’d love one’.
“So we took their requests, sanitised our hands and put on gloves, poured the pints, covered them with plastic containers and headed out. I must say it was a very rewarding evening and it was great to be able to put smiles on a few familiar faces,” grinned Donal.
“To be honest, we probably got more out of the evening ourselves as the genuine show of appreciation and positive good feeling it generated was just priceless.”
FOR many people cocooning in rural villages across Cork one thing they miss is the simple pleasure of being able to slide onto a bar stool and savour a pint of their favourite tipple in the company of friends.
While the doors to pubs are likely to remain closed for many months to come yet, one publican in Liscarroll decided to ‘ take the mountain to Mohammed’ - making a rather unusual but nonetheless very welcome, delivery.
Donal O’Brien of O’Brien’s
Bar spent last Sunday evening ferrying 30 odd pints of stout and lager to grateful regulars living with 2km of the pub.
Donal said he decided to treat his loyal customers as gesture or their long standing support to the pub over many years.
“This bar has been in the O’Brien family name since the 1800s, and it is because of the long standing support from the locals down through the years that we are still here. So, this was just a small gesture to give a little back,” he said.
Donal said that when planning to take the road with his deliveries he was very conscious not to breach the 2km travel restriction when drawing up his list of cocooning regulars who like nothing more than sipping a good old fashioned draught pint.
“While every other kind of beverage can be bought in retail outlets, nothing can even come close to a freshly poured pint. With this in mind we rang people living out each road from the village to ask they if they would like a pint,” he said.
It was hardly surprising, given the fact that they had not been able to darken the door of O’Brien’s for weeks, the general answer from those he contacted was “yes, I’d love one.” and their wish was granted.
“So we took their requests, sanitised our hands and put on gloves, poured the pints, covered them with plastic containers and headed out. I must say it was a very rewarding evening and it was great to be able to put smiles on a few familiar faces,” grinned Donal.
“To be honest, we probably got more out of the evening ourselves, as the genuine show of appreciation and positive good feeling it generated was just priceless.”
On a more serious note, Donal said that the future for pubs remained uncertain, with the COVID-19 restrictions likely to remain in place well into the summer at least.
“Everything is so uncertain, we are all trying to stay positive, but the way things are looking it could be a long while before things are back to normal,” he said.
Donal said a big issue was that the way people interact has changed, with people now automatically distancing themselves from others.
“At the moment, I think a lot of people would not want to be crowded in an area for long periods of time, as the fear of contracting the Coronavirus yourself or worse still, passing it to a vulnerable person, is forefront in people’s minds,” said Donal.
“The main priority for now is the health of customers and the people working so it makes sense to minimise the risk. There are many people from Liscarroll and all around, working very hard in health care who have to work to look after the sick, so we should be sensible and not give them even more work.
“Hopefully by everyone playing their part, we will get through this safely and quickly,” he added.