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AS YOU MAY have heard, the pubs will be open on Good Friday for the first time in nearly a century today. The ban on alcohol sales was overturned in the Dáil back in January and – with the exception of at least one town in Co Cork – publicans are preparing to throw the shutters open on a Good Friday for the first time since 1927.
“I imagine a lot of people will be in and about town celebrating the uplift of the ban,” Mark O’Donoghue, proprietor of Slattery’s on Dublin’s Capel Street told TheJournal.ie.
Slattery’s, one of a handful of pubs in the city still licensed to open its doors at 7am, will be one of the first hostelries open this morning.
O’Donoghue says that while he won’t necessarily be expecting a horde of thirsty patrons to be waiting outside first thing, some customers have already been in contact to tell him they’ll be in at some stage later in the day.
“I definitely feel that there’s going to be a vibe like in the run up to Christmas where everybody is celebrating,” the publican said.
The Boar’s Head will also be opening at 7 – while John Geraghty of Publin.ie filled us in on a few eye-catching events taking place elsewhere around the city to mark the occasion. ’For Your Sins’, a new craft beer, is being launched by 5 Lamps Brewery at The Church bar off Jervis Street later today. And if your name happens to Jesus, Mary or Joseph, you’ll apparently be entitled to a free cocktail at the Adelphi on Abbey Street.
Dublin's Long HallSource: Eamonn Farrell/Rollingnews.ieAt the official level, meanwhile, trade groups for pubs and restaurants are hailing the decision to allow alcohol sales as a major leap forward.
Padraig Cribben, the Vintners Federation of Ireland chief, said he was glad that the Good Friday ban had been "consigned to history".
The new approach was good news for business but even better news for visiting tourists, he said. That sentiment was echoed by the Restaurants Association of Ireland, which reported a "huge level of pre-bookings" for Good Friday amongst its members. Restaurants, the trade group added, "are happily catering for tourists that would like to have an alcoholic drink with their meal".
The day will be worth an estimated €50 million to the hospitality sector, the RIA said. The Vintners pointed out that it would also generate over €7m in VAT and excise duty contributions to the exchequer from their sector.
There'll be a few losers on the day too. Off-licences often did a booming trade in the run up to the traditional closing of the pubs - but any decline in sales this year will likely be counterbalanced by the fact that they're allowed stay open on Friday itself.
Spare a thought though for the proprietors of train station pubs. Due to a loophole, Good Friday drinkers were entitled to a beverage at ports, airports and train stations once they held a valid ticket for travel. Pubs along rail lines, at least, won't be expecting that annual bonus today.
As for whether there may be any changes to how companies in non-related sectors approach Good Friday in future, Neil McDonnell of business group ISME said he'd seen no indication of any change this year at least.
"It always causes a bit of grief, because it isn't a bank holiday. What you will find is it will tend to be written into contracts of employment whether it's covered as a closed day or not," McDonnell said.
Outside of the hospitality sector, he said, "businesses that normally shut on Good Friday will shut - I don't envisage that it would change the status quo from 2017".
If you're trying to figure out whether your own local will be crowded or not - it looks like just under a fifth of the population are actually planning a pub visit.
Responding to a poll carried out by Claire Byrne Live/Amárach Research for TheJournal.ie just 18% of respondents said they were planning to head to the pub today. A further 61% said they had no plans to do so, while 21% said they didn't know.
In an effort to pre-empt some contributions to the comments section, we'll just add here that other pastimes are also available (and that many of them are healthier).
- With reporting by Paul Hosford
About time we’ve thrown away those restrictive shackles of Catholicism. Also, let’s not forget that every pub that opens tomorrow is just there to maximise profit – they could easily stay closed to give staff a day off
@Michael Burke: The reason pubs stayed closed on Good Friday for donkey’s years was not Catholicism, it was the only day off for the barman apart from Christmas Day back when it was a trade. Those who wanted a drink found lock-ins, sheebens train stations and even dogshows in the RDS back in Behan days.
Although some people will celebrate on this Friday it now becomes a day like every other, there is no reason for having a drink in defiance, bit of craic/party.
Everyone now has to go to work on that day because of competitiveness, we have all lost something without realising both for believers and non-believers, with the exception of big business profiteers and the corporate sector.
They can stagger work hours you know.Like the way they do in EVERY other business.Hotels,airports etc. One person can work 5 days and the next person can work a different 5 days.So they can operate EVERY day without everyone having to work every day.This is a very simple concept
@Niamh Breslin: not a chance! It was catholicism through and through! If they wanted a day off, they would have picked their own non-religious day. It’s a silly thing because everyone drank themselves stupid, but I really hope the impact of this is felt in A&E and not in publicans profits.
@Niamh Breslin: Ever hear of shift work?
@Niamh Breslin: Why did you deliberately post that falsehood? The Intoxicating Liquor Act of 1927 banned the sale of alcohol on Good Friday, St. Patricks Day (until 1960) and Christmas Day, are these three Communist feast days?
@Michael Burke: Exactly, it’s shift work now, no trade protection for workers zero hour contracts, so progressive. You have no excuse to have a drink on Good Friday anymore you know, that means every worker in every business,.
Really, you think workers in the past could pick a day off? It’s the way it was, the religious had their holy day, barmen had a day with their families (or enjoyed a lock-in) and others had a great quest of a party/get-together.
Now you have everyone having to work so…..
@Michael Burke: The pub closing on Good Friday was not just Catholic supported but all Christian religions embraced it because of the significance of the day. Pubs are still closed on Good Friday in other countries like parts of Germany.
@Niamh Breslin: What do you mean it was the only day off for barmen? Do they have to work seven days?
@Sighle A. Ni Chuana: Another lie, you can even buy alcohol in The Vatican on Good Friday.
@Shea Carroll: Why dont you ask older barmen, most just got off holy hours on Sunday, in cities you could share times on Saturday in the country the family had to take turns but the only days guaranteed to have the whole day off was Good Friday and Christmas Day.
@Michael Burke: you do realise that staff get days off just like every other job? I always find this hilarious, people thinking that bar staff only have one other day off in the whole year.
@Niamh Breslin: well said
@Niamh Breslin: Niabh, are you telling us the Good Friday ban on drinking was brough in to the Republic of Ireland to give staff a day off.? They continued to open in Northern Ireland all these years.
@Gulliver Foyle: if you ban something people will only want more of it. Don’t expect pubs to be too crowded today. Am gladdened to see the Roman Catholic Church’s grip loosened even more on peoples lives in Ireland.
@Niamh Breslin: I thought that the laws of a country were based on the collective morality of the population, not if the barman wanted an extra day off.
@Niamh Breslin: nobody in this country is – or was – forced to work 363 days a year – ever.
@Niamh Breslin: “Everyone now has to go to work on that day because of competitiveness” . the only thing anybody “has to” do on this earth is die. Everything else is a choice. If bar staff don’t like their hours, like in any other profession, he/she can lobby their employer for change, or find a new employer/profession.
Time to get rid of regulations on pub opening times and closing times also…
@Jimmy Ryan: I work in a pub, and its now open 14 hours a day, 364 days a year. Is that not enough?
@Shy Tall Knight:
I don’t care if pubs open 0 hours, 0 days a year or if they open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
@Shy Tall Knight: People don’t drink 14 hours a day, 364 days a year. If you are working those hours every day for 364 days I think your employer may be in breach of the Working Time Act.
@Shy Tall Knight: If the anti church brigade didn’t have the ‘religious’ thing about good Friday pub closing, to have another go at the Catholic Church, it wouldn’t bother them one way or the other. When you hear non-drinkers complaining of the pubs closed on Good Friday you realise it is not about the drink.
@Shy Tall Knight: No .We want 366 days!!!!!
@Sean Monaghan: Nothing like a bit of Xenophobia to make a point, is there?
@Shy Tall Knight: Some pubs in dublin don’t open until five in the evening.
@Michael Knight: he didn’t say he works those hours he said the pub is open those hours, which to be fair is ridiculous.
@Shy Tall Knight: I doubt you are covering every shift though.
@Jimmy Ryanso so people can drink themselves to death day and night? Good idea… idiot
Pubs now closed one day a year for now… It’s the bar staff will be affected by this move. Worked most of my life behind a bar. Tough job at times. Now mostly part time staff, working conditions were never great, can only imagine what way staff are being treated now. What amazes me how the legislation went through so fast. If it was a matter of life or death , politicians would still be talking about it.
@Donal Desmond: In Portugal you can get a drink anytime. Cafes are open from early morning and you can drink alcohol without any problem if you like along with your coffee The result is very fee people do. So opening on Good Friday wont clog up the local A&E depts
@Donal Desmond: The reason it was rushed through without debate was because it was framed as some sort of anti-Catholic measure and in Ireland 2018, it is very important for a lot of people to be perceived by others as such. This is a country with a serious alcohol problem. The government and state agencies are heavily involved in trying to cut alcohol consumption on health and safety grounds and yet they jump at the prospect of extending pub opening hours nationwide for a further 12-14 hours all because they can frame it as anti-church. Grow up Ireland!
@Brian Deane: nonsense Brian from start to finish. It’s a silly law brought in at a dark time in this country’s history. It’s has nothing whatsoever to do with our drinking problem.
Your think the drinking problem was lessened by a religious day? With lock ins and people bulk buying on Thursday? It wasn’t.
@Brian Deane: Not getting into a debate about religion, To my mind the legislation was rushed through not because of anti Catholic reasons …just greed and profit. I enjoy a few pts myself . Small local pubs are struggling, Yet you go to a city centre pub you will be fleeced. It’s the staff that will pay the price . Many of them students , others trying to work for minimum wage to survive. Staff should be compensated for the work they have to do today. Of course politicians would never factor this in the legislation they passed, Many of them publicians themselves. Vested interests.
@Donal Desmond: staff are compensated for the work they do today – they’re paid.
Greed had nothing to do with this – overwhelming reasons for getting rid of it and not one valid reason to keep it along with widespread public demand were the driving force.
No one wants to live in Catholic mandated Ireland anymore. Same sex marriage, divorce, abortion, choice of when and where to drink. These are all the hallmarks of a maturing, thoughtful, society.
@Stephen Adam: A lot of people are using this law as an excuse for church bashing. Personally couldn’t care less about the church. My point is if the pubs were closed full time staff would certainly be paid. Part time staff would not. Staff who will be forced to work today should be paid extra .Publicians will gain today, so too should the staff.
@Brian Deane: I believe the decision was based on the separation of church and state.In a muti cultural modern society, having legislation in place based on the beliefs of a specific religion is nonsensical.
It’s officially now Great Friday….
@Delta Ball: amadán
I really think if you can’t stay away from a pub for 24 hours…. You’ve a problem. It was a chance also for bar staff to spend time with families… I think we’re floggin away with our history…
@Sean Leonard: If you don’t want to go, don’t go. Nobody’s forcing you.
@Sean Leonard: thats rubbish
@Keith McDonagh: you’re ignoring the point that one of the guaranteed days where bar staff could spend time with their families is now gone.
@Skimothy: fairly sure staff get more than 2 days a year off!!
@Skimothy: If bar staff want to shut down for a day or two, then that’s fine. The patrons can always go somewhere else for that day or two. But being forced to shut down by the state all on the same day because of religious reasons is wrong.
@Sean Dalton: your right they do. Well done. But they will be off the quiet days and work the busy days which is the point they are making.
@Keith McDonagh: but in most cases it won’t be the staffs choice. Unless they are the manager or owner then they have to work if told to do so.
@Skimothy: I’ve been ‘forced’ to work every Good Friday of my working life. Why do you assume that bar staff all have families sitting at home bemoaning the fact that they can’t all have a day off together?
@EvieXVI: so have I. But if I was always off then I wouldn’t be too impressed about the change. Where did I assume all staff were bemoaning this?
@Skimothy: Just pointing out the stupidity of saying that Good Friday was ‘one of the guaranteed days where bar staff could spend time with their families is now gone’ – because that assumes that no one else in ‘their families’ was working ….
@EvieXVI: again, I made no assumptions.
The Boars Head is not across the river from Slatterys! They are both on Capel St. Bleedin’ culchies……
@Shea Carroll: It will stop all the card schools set up all over ireland because of the ban. a far worse habit.
@Shea Carroll: well spotted. They probably meant the Brazen Head.
It would appear that some Irish have only swapped one deity for another.
@Andrew Eager: ooooh edgy
@Graham Wilson: Defensive much?
@Andrew Eager: You’re right, I can’t decide whether to honour Freya or Freyr today
@Larissa Caroline Nikolaus: You’ll have to forgive my ignorant agnosticism, but who now?
Slatterys Pub on Upper Grand Canal St are gifting ALL bar proceeds on Good Friday to Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services Harolds Cross and the local 4th Port Dodder Sea Scout Group based off Bath Avenue.
Two fingers to McQuaid and the Catholic Church, nice!
@Michael Knight: you hero, go you!
@TLH: Oh I will! Have fun at your 4 days of Mass, I’m so jelly!
@Michael Knight: __ You still won’t be allowed to drink alcohol in a pub, not until they lower the legal age to 10.
@Ted Murray: Can they serve alcohol to people with the mental age of a 4 year old who believes in talking snakes, women made from ribs and bread made from a zombie’s body?
@Michael Knight: like a child wouldn’t understand only on a literal level.
@Michael Knight: It’s only two days of mass. Saturday and Monday are not mass days.
@Michael Knight: __ I had you down for 10, and obviously gave you far too much credit. :P
To celebrate, I’m going to drink in the local from dawn to dusk.
You think my posts are a bit iffy now…just wait till this time tomorrow!
@Dessie Deratta:
Your so brave (sic)
We’re a sad, petty little country sometimes. A load of people are at work serving us pints today we begrudge them a guaranteed day off once a use, and main only reason we begrudge it is because it was originally about religion.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: You’re implying that bar staff only get Good Friday, and Christmas Day off, but nothing could be further from the truth, also, they’re not the only ones working today, because unless you work in a bank or use holiday hours, today is just a normal working day, so get off your moral high horse, you hypocrite
Now if we can only get the bookies to open on Good Friday to we’ll be sorted….
@windbag: dont you use an app?
@windbag: give it a couple of years and we will all be working on good Friday. This is what all this is aiming at.
@Brendan Moloney: that’s the danger, feck that
@Brendan Moloney: where do you work that you have today off (without using some holiday hours)?
@Brendan Moloney: we always worked good Friday and I can remember working Christmas eve Stephens day new years day all day sat which was then reduced to half day all the shops closed Sunday and a lot closed half day saturday times change but I sometimes wish for the old days
What about off-licenses , its all about pubs in the media. Are they open?
@Séamus McCallion: there is nothing online to say they are selling alcohol on Good Friday. My guess is yes but not surprised if they are not .
@Séamus McCallion: Read the fkin article.
@Ian Walsh: jaysus you made me wade through all that, slainte
God above..May God forgive me, Mark O’ Donaghue..are you fckuing serious..celebrating like Christmas.. Doesn’t bother me opened or closed ,but Mark don’t exaggerate about how people are reacting to it… Hate that crap from representavives….By the way I’m an ex publican..
Fools and their money are easily parted. Why not calculate how much one might have spent , and donate it to the homeless instead.
@Aine O Connor: Are you going to donate, or are you just having a hypocritical rant?
@Larissa Caroline Nikolaus:
I don’t actually drink alcohol as I am elderly and on medication but I did donate my water refund grant of €200 to the Focus /Fr Peter McVerry appeal which I believe was very well supported.
@Aine O Connor: could’ve just donated it in the first place instead of paying a bill to a company you’ve no contract with
@Graham Wilson:
That remark says more about you than it does about me.
@Rachel Giles: what we were supposed to be discussing was making a donation to the homeless. , a humane thing to do , better than getting drunk.
@Aine O Connor: I don’t intend to get drunk, but I definitely will have a glass of wine, or two, with my girlfriend tonight, and no amount of begrudgery or moralising on your part will change that
@Aine O Connor: No, what was being discussed was pubs opening Good Friday. Personally I’m not bothered when pubs open or close.
Everything is focused around pubs in Ireland….
Should’ve been done years ago but better late than never.
I’m still having my fish & chips
They have taken ‘National House Party Day’ away from us. May God forgive them…!!
Just factually it is a bank holiday but not a public holiday. Believe me I had to research this for work for an exemption to deliver post
As I’m not really a big drinker. I likely won’t have a drink today anyway. But what I like about this, is that’s it’s a big fck you to the Catholic Church, An organization that needs to get all the way fcked.
Wow wow and more wow!! Lots of comments about pub opening but many seem to be about beliefs from very frustrated anti christs making a mockery of christianity, I respect your comments Patrick. (No doubt there’l be a backlash of nasty comments left for for me – whatever)
If you wanna a drink have a drink, if you don’t who gives a sh¡t!! – people not have anything better to worry and moan about… #ibelievethelads
Boars head is on Capel street just down from slatterys
Extra Staff will be needed in the A and Es all over the country tonight.
@jim. r: People who have been out boozing should not be let near an A&E.
Does anyone know if we can eat meat today? Asking for a friend.
@Frank Martin: Depends, if you’re allergic to meat, I wouldn’t advise it, otherwise, go ahead
ahhhhhhhh the Long Hall.They don’t make em like they used to.Whatta pub.
Just losers
When are they going to do something about Christmas day?
I’ll be delivering in Temple Bar in about a half an hour, I’ll give some feed back on tge” hype “…
@Kenneth Hayden: It was a lot of fun seeing the looks on the odd stag party over from England on Good Friday in Temple bar.
It seems there is no Hell to worry about which raises the question what do we need the Church for?
Scalfari: Your Holiness, in our previous meeting you told me that our species will at some point disappear and God will always create other species from his creative seed. You have never spoken to me of souls who have died in sin and go to hell to suffer for it forever. Instead, you have spoken to me of good souls who are admitted to the contemplation of God. But the bad souls? Where are they punished?
Pope Francis: “They are not punished, those who repent obtain God’s forgiveness and join the ranks of souls who contemplate him, but those who do not repent and cannot therefore be forgiven disappear. Hell does not exist; the disappearance of sinful souls exists.”
@Patrick Gormley: Ya wha..gay???
About time they normalised Drinking on a Good Friday, it caused way to many domestic abuse situations due to people going out buying slabs of beer and spirits and then going home and beating the shit out each other. Great to see the state seperating from the church now they need to seperate from the publicans who are looking to allow people to drink and drive in rural areas … just goes to show what a f”cked up country we live in sometimes.
Now all we have to do is to stop arsing around with the clock. My system is still in shock from losing the hour #repealthehour
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