Law and order hits low note as piano is added to shebeen

THE Southill shebeen saga took another twist at the weekend when a piano was brought in by Francis Kelly and his brother Anthony.

Hundreds of locals have been patronising the unlicensed pub in recent weeks.

The piano is the latest recreational facility to be installed in the shebeen, which already has a pool table, darts board, card tables and poker machines.

Anthony said: “We know a fellow locally who’s fairly handy at the piano so we got one and it’s great craic.

“There’s a woman who can play a few tunes on it as well. It adds to the atmosphere, the bit of live music.”

The shebeen is in a big shed at the rear of the Kelly family home at the entrance to Southill. Although all stocks of drink have been confiscated during four garda raids, the Kellys have restocked on each occasion.

Gardaí have now sent a file to the DPP and expect to go to court next week to seek an order to have the premises closed.

The Kellys claim they don’t sell drink, but purchase it with money given to them by friends and then serve it up in the shed bar.

The shebeen is known locally as Mother Kellys.

However, gardaí at Roxboro Road say they have good grounds to suspect that drink is being sold and that people are being charged.

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland’s Limerick city branch has expressed its concern at the continuing use of the premises as a pub, with a number of existing pubs in the area being adversely affected.

The Kellys say they buy the drink at local Dunnes Stores and Tesco and kegs of draught lager and Guinness from an off-licence.

Meanwhile, an expert on pub licensing laws yesterday said the provisions of the Intoxicating Liquor Act are inadequate and outdated.

Jim Woods, whose books are widely used by the courts as an authoritative legal reference, said gardaí have only to satisfy a court that a transaction in the nature of a sale took place.

They don’t have to prove money was being handed over the counter, nor that drink has been consumed, but that the consumption of drink was about to take place. All that must be proved is intended consumption.

Mr Woods said penalties under the 1962 act dealing with unlicensed premises provide for fines as small as IR£5.