It’s fairly typical that a sporting event is the catalyst for debate about Ireland’s ridiculous licensing laws. Munster play some cunts on ‘good Friday’ and publicans are rather cheesed off that they’re going to miss out.
Who can blame them? When sporting events take place people drink. They drink before the game, during the game, after the game. Whether it’s football, rugby or curling (those fuckers can drink let me tell you), people enjoy their pints. That includes the people who are actually going to the game and those who merely enjoy the trip to the pub to watch in a social setting.
Yet in supposedly secular Ireland pubs are closed on ‘good Friday’ because of the catholic church. How is this still allowed? Surely it’s something that can be challenged from a legal perspective. As Ireland’s society becomes more multi-cultural and multi-denominational how can one religious entity be allowed to dictate when business open?
If anyone suggested pubs should be closed for Yom Kippur or Eid they’d be rightly laughed out of it.
This particular ‘good Friday’ agreement stems from a time when the church had almost total control over Irish life. This is no longer the case. Church attendances are falling, vocations are plummeting, and it’s heading towards end game for them as the agnostic/athiest population grows. Intelligent people are disenchanted with a malign, corrupt organisation having an influence on their lives. So why should businesses be forced to close because of a relgious dictat? Why, in times of recession, should publicans be forced to give up a day’s takings? Why should people who want to work be denied their hours?
And ultimately, why should those of us who want to go and spend money be prevented from doing so? I don’t believe in god. I don’t believe the catholic church should be able to decide what’s acceptable, no more than the jewish, muslim or hindu faiths. Or any faith.
Ireland’s licensing laws are so antiquated it’s untrue. There is no staggered closing, the opening hours are hopelessly restrictive, there is no nod to the fact that we live in a 24 hour society now and it’s about time things changed. Doing away with the stupid ‘good Friday’ closing should be the first step to modernising and improving things.
I hope the Limerick publicans get special permission because that is the first domino. If it’s ok for them to open then it’s ok for everyone else. Another part of old Ireland will be done away with, and about time.
If you lift that sherry on a Good Friday the babby jesus will come down and bite you on your arse.
Thats as true as Shakin’ Mary of Ballinspittle.
This surprises me – In many ways it is my lot who are uptight about religion and having fun – while our zealots go round chaining up the swings in playgrounds on a Sunday the Tims encouraged sports and enjoyment such as pints after the faithful had met their mass obligations. And there are still garages and shops that won’t open on the sabbath in the bible belt areas.
Is it because Good Friday is supposed to be a Fast day and pints count as food ?
Whatever happened to self-restraint?
If the catholics want to abstain in memoriam and all that, let them. The rest of us can decide for ourselves.
Saps.
It just means that private pitch and putt clubs/golf clubs and sports clubs generally will be packed to the rafters on Good Friday.
As long as they aren’t in a legally defined pub then babby Jesus won’t come down and bite them on the arse.
Stands to reason.
Oh I remember it well, you’d toddle up to the Dog Show in the RDS to get a pint of a Good Friday. Heaving it was, Crufts it wasn’t. I used to think it was where the phrase ‘gone to the dogs’ came from.
Spot on, hope it is the first domino.
I take it you dont stop eating your dinner when the angeles comes on then!!!
That’s another thing that should be done away with.
Dinner ?
Good Friday closing and the Angelus are both raving anachronisms that I suspect we’re stuck with for the foreseeable. There just isn’t the political will to change them. Not until there’s more than two or three openly non-religious members of the Oireachtas. Vote atheist!
The biggest anachronism in the licensing laws is the one that fixed the number of licences in 1902 and bans new ones from being created. 1902! But you won’t get that changed until there are more than two or three members of the Oireachtas without their snouts in the licensing trade trough.
1902? that is dense. All the pubs should just open on good friday. They surely don’t have enough cops to close them all down or process the court cases.
Just back from Berlin,lovely licencing laws over there,basically,bars and clubs can open whenever they want.you can buy beer in a train station at 5 in the morning if you want.I saw no trouble,no rowdy drunks,people still go to work and everything works.. Hopefully one day that could be Ireland..
Drink your way to a secular Republic! To the breweries!
If the publicans wanted this law changed you can be sure it would have been changed by now.
Yeah but publicans have traditiionally been wary of annoying KiddyFiddlersInc.
That could well go out the window this year and next as pubs are scrapping for every penny in trade.
Got to admire the nutters like Rolando del Campo who crucify themselves on Good Friday
Is he doing it for our sins? How modest of him.
Should I mention that cunt Pearse here ?
I think it’s ridiculous that pubs close on Good Friday and I was all in favour of them getting an exemption for this match but if you live in Limerick and have to listen to the publicans go on about it every fucking day it would drive you nuts. It’s on the front page of the local paper every day, on the news bulletins, it even made the Irish Times today where one publican said it’s not about the money…you must be having a laugh, all those cunts want is to take a few quid from us. They never kicked up about it when they were saying it was the one day of the year they had a day off besides Xmas, now that they’re losing out on a killing they are championing the rights of Joe Public to go for a pint and watch the match. So, hopefully it goes but not this year in Limerick
“Got to admire the nutters like Rolando del Campo who crucify themselves on Good Friday”
I actually quite admire old Ronnie for his skill, maggot. I still don’t know how he gets that last nail in.
Personally I think the sale of alcohol should be banned every Friday. Panic buying on Thursday which more than makes up for being closed on Friday, followed by a day off, followed by another busy day on Saturday as people recover from the shock. Why do you think its called “Good” Friday?
1st the regeneration , now this .
Berlin is nuts though – used to have highest suicide rate.
Religion is like Berlin
The question is, will people exchange what is treated as a bank holiday by many for the pubs to be open?
Have the day off, but no pub? Or work, and get to go to the pub afterwards? Let’s have a vote!
Berlin is nuts though – used to have highest suicide rate.
yeah,but Hasselhoff hasnt had a number 1 over there in years..
There’s a hitch though. ‘Good Friday’ has also become a day off work for people, like Christmas, Easter monday and other christian fantasy days. Change the law for one, then maybe the dominos fall against people, opening up all religious days to be changed to secular ways. Yaaaa, let it be legal to have employers demand you’re available 365 days a year (less whatever public holidays our benevolent overlords deem fit to leave us run wild)… should be careful what we wish for.
Rename the fucker ‘Hasselhof Day’ and get lashed up.
You know it makes sense.
A fair number of people already work ‘Good Friday’ as is.
I never did understand the whole ‘mobile’ Good Friday anyway. Did he get nailed in March, or April. Does beg the question though has Good Friday ever fallen on Paddys Day? I would have thought there would have been a veritable tumult (good word, eh Twenty?) if the two coincided?
David Icke day – turquoise shell suits compulsory.
Don’t think it’s possible, SoS, even with the ever changing easter calendar
Things will never change while the fucking Dail starts off each day with what must be the world’s most hypocritical prayer.
Also, bear in mind that Civil Servants (yes, those poor, misunderstood, put upon, much maligned cunts) get Good Friday off and won’t want to see a change in the status quo. Any erosion of the ‘sanctity’ of the day might lead people to question why they get a holiday and not the rest of us.
Doner und blitzen, as we say in United Europe. You’re on your own then fellas…
Its enough to turn a man Greek Orthodox.
Good Friday can’t be earlier than 20th March.
And up to 1962, Paddy’s Day was another day on which it was illegal to sell drink.
To Fanny Magee (Great name)
As far as I know Good Friday is only a Church Holiday, It may be a bank holiday but is not a Public holiday – I thinks it’s at the employer’s discretion to open for work – most don’t bother as the banks may be closed.
It’s a stupid law that should be done away with
Twenty – Surly Ron’s will be open – cant have that clientele wandering the streets sober
I’m trying to imagine a Paddy’s Day without drink…
No, sorry, I can’t.
Good Friday is a work day for me.
@SuperGrover “Out the door, line on the left, one cross each.”
“Surly Ron’s…”
he’s not going to like that…
I work on good fridays as well
Oh Jesus the people of Limerick are clogging up our airways with their latest plight!
Deliver us Oh Lord!
If its not their fucking shitty airport that nobody wants to use, its their God Damned fucking Rugby.
And if anybody touches Good Friday they will have me to deal with.
There are only two days out of the year that Barstaff dont have to listen to Cretins boring the bejaysus out of them with their latest views on Banking and the Government, LFC or whatever English team they follow or the Fucking Catholic Church!!!!!!
And make the cunting Rugby cunts change the fixture.
The competition is sponsored by Magners FFS!!
If a couple of pieces of timbered upright were good enough for babby jesus then they are good enough for Magners on a Friday evening.
Its more than likely a scam by Setanta sports to get all the people who cant go to the pub to subscribe to their wonderful sports channels…
It’s why he was born in a stable – the Inn was closed as it was Christmas Eve.
I thought Setanta went bust Sam ?
Think Catholicism and witchcraft are diametrical opposites? Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the Vernal equinox. That’s why, as Beer Nut pointed out, Easter and Paddys day can never coincide.
Are there any head shops near Thomond Park? Opportunity knocks!
Only in UK Magser. You will have to move south if you want to subscribe…
It’s tempting el cuno. Imagine his delight if Twenty woke up to find maggot as his new neighbour!
The final push I’d need to move abroad. Or the northside.
Dont you cunts ruin my Good Friday Lads Poker Extravaganzical Drinkerama. Its got more history than some hippy getting nailed to a tree
If we won the right to drink on Good Friday would we not lose the day off work too!? It’s a religious holiday. I’m an atheist myself but if I had to lose the day off to be allowed drink I’d choose the day off instead.
The final push I’d need to move abroad. Or the northside.
You don’t mean that – I’m your wriggly chum!
For the record, the reason for the Good Friday gig is because Leinster want more recovery time in advance of their European cup fixture the following week. If Thursday is the next question I’m fucked if I know but, this would definitely suit the drinks industry as they would have the double whammy of best off licence sales ( after Christmas Eve) as well as the drunken match. And to be parochial , apparently this would never have happened if the roles were reversed and the match was scheduled for the smoke.
See the way religion fucks everything up .
Twenty – Man up and move Northside…….We’ll throw a big welcome party for you.
Throatripper may need a few self defense classes though…….
Taxi drivers are some bunch of eejits. It’s only the pot bellied Dublin lads who love a strike. The black fellas are flying around picking up fares laughing their asses off.
We Don’t Care!
Just had an email invitation to something called hi5 – what’s that all about then ?
Please don’t forget that cunting law that closes off-licences at 10:00PM. Ten P fucking M! I’m sure that Jackie Healy-Rae had something to do with this, to keep his bogger publican friends happy…
Speaking of JHR… What. A. Cunt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO33i4XchuA
Fuck me – in what language is the old cunt yabbering on in ?
Cool !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PYbIGmQFLY&NR=1
Another JHR video. What a cretin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX8Bh6TqkL4
dont you cunts ruin my once-yearly lads beer soaked pokerathon. There nearly wasnt a fight last year.
It has more history and glory to it than some nomark getting nailed to a tree for saying he was son of Morgan Freeman
Sam Crea, you ignoramous. lots of people want to use Shannon airport. It does need government investment that it has not received all right. Dublin airport is just as shitty don’t you think.
Sam Crea, you ignoramous.
That’s not very nice!
If it pisses off people who watch rugby it’s very cool with me.
filler – did you go to the Topography of Terror?
did you go in here? (ferris wheel in the background is on the exact spot of the bunker where hitler did his thing; weird thing to have on top of the bunker)
http://i39.tinypic.com/10i8ig8.jpg
Berlin is cool. Charlie Bird would love it because EVERYTHING IS SO BIG Hope you had a nice time.
If it pisses off people who watch rugby it’s very cool with me.
You a GAA fan ?
kitteh; jhr and jod top the poll between them in kerry. those jhr face masks with the big FF on them are deadly. they make him look like a rimmer from red dwarf except we’ve got him.
he has power.
jesus
I detest Gaelic Football. I particulary detest the Dublin Football team. They remind me of Sheryl Cole. Knacker scum. Their previous manager brought them to a new level in the sewer
I played and love hurling
The only problem with GAA clubs is that they’re full of GAA people
On Jackie Healy-Rae’s website is has a gallery of photos of jackie, in one of which he is presented as actually walking on water while holding his arms in supplication up to the heavens.
They say in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king. I’ve a horrible feeling JHR is that one-eyed man.
Hurling certainly can be exciting to watch. Obviously prefer Camogie. I have GAA issues but I try not to hold them against all the members!
If you don’t like the hours that the watering holes keep now, wait until Islam becomes the religion of Ireland: You’ll be the soberest collection of bellyachers in Europe. It’s only a matter of time before you’re all kneeling on a prayer rug, and for your information, in Islam it’s a sin to fart with your asses sticking up in the air. It takes away from the holyness of the moment. Ron’s mosque. No entry without a prayer rug.
it’s an anachronism that needs to go….like the farming weather and dana
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED LADS AND LASSIES – MORE DRUNKEN PIE IN THE SKY BULLSHIT AROUND THE BARS ABOUT ‘SOMEONE SHOULD DO SOMETHIN’ ABOUT THE HORRIBLE STATE OF THE COUNTRY’….
Will you marry me Gluey ?
No- we should listen to Gluaistean. What we need right now is a good replay of 1950′s Ireland. That would sort everything out , you betcha!
Itchy-Nope didn get to their. The Holocaust Memorial up from the Brandenburg Gate was very disturbing in its simplicity..
Fab place,will be going back again for definite
Since I’ve been unemployed I have spent more and more time awake at night and sleeping while others are working. I’ve been working on my website, on my studies and on increasing my overall knowledge and awareness. There were times, usually around 2am, where I was going “right, and after a day of good work I would enjoy a pint”. In Warsaw I could do that. In Paris I could do that. I’m pretty sure I could do that in Berlin, too. I suspect it wouldn’t be that hard in London, but in Dublin I can’t even get a friggin pizza.
mmm, not so sure about London, but I know some head shops will deliver to you till 4am, so that might be an option. I can’t understand why we can’t be like Spain or Germany where you can buy booze anywhere that wants to sell it, any time they choose to stay open. Sorry you lost your job…
Hmmmm, the Church serves wine every day of the year. I’d say it’s a monopoly.
@Paulo1: “Think Catholicism and witchcraft are diametrical opposites? Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the Vernal equinox. That’s why, as Beer Nut pointed out, Easter and Paddys day can never coincide.” It actually has to do with Judaism and Passover, hence the fuss when the calendar was changed.
el cuno – I see it as a blessing in disguise. I didn’t like my job at all, now I have the time to do what I really want to do.
I only wish I had something to fall back on, like large inheritance for example.