A RURAL Irish village is choosing to ignore new laws and is keeping its pubs closed this coming Good Friday.
Three pub owners in the village of Drumconrath. Co Meath, have decided they will not be opening up for customers despite new legislation allowing publicans to legally serve alcohol on the religious holiday for the first time in 90 years.
The ban was in existence in Ireland for the last 90 years prior to the change in legislation last January.
It was first introduced in 1927 as part of a broader legislative act that also prohibited the sale of alcohol on Christmas Day and St Patrick’s Day.
The ban was largely influenced by the Catholic Church, which sought to institute an atmosphere of solemnity on the aforementioned holidays.
In 1960, the St Patrick’s Day prohibition was repealed due to growing commercial pressure.
Over the years, only those who happen to be on a train, on a boat, in the theatre or staying in a hotel in Ireland have been able to buy alcohol on Good Friday.
All of that became a thing of the past when the bill was passed on the 25th January.
However, Publicans Dermot Muldoon, Pauline Fay and Pat Dempsey have all declared that they will honour the time-old tradition this year.
Mr Muldoon told Independent.ie: “Publicans get two days off in the whole year – just two- so we decided to keep that holiday as well as keeping up the tradition and having a bit of respect for our religion.
“We’ve received a load of support from our customers, after all it’s only one day. We were known for closing on Good Friday throughout the world – it was something different about Ireland and now that’s gone. Slowly all the Irish traditions are being stripped.”
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