Pubs hours do nothing to cool big match fever

ARRIVING in Dublin at 11.30am on the Sunday morning of the All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Cork and Waterford, our plan was to have a few drinks, a quick bite to eat and head to Croke Park early to catch the end of the minor game.

But we soon realised this was not to be because pubs do not open until 12.30pm on Sundays.

While I knew this, I had hoped somehow that things would be different in Dublin on big match mornings.

In fact, the rule was so strictly applied that while the bar in a city centre hotel opened at 12.10pm, anyone requesting an alcoholic drink was asked to produce a room key, causing embarrassment with people feeling like they’d just asked for something illegal.

On big match days there is a build-up of thousands of people in the city centre waiting for bars to open at 12.30pm. Then, inevitably, the binge drinking starts because people feel they have lost so much time and need to drink as fast as possible before heading to the game.

This in a country where so many complain about the binge drinking culture and demand a change of attitude.

Surely, opening the pubs at 10.30am on a Sunday, like every other day, would be a help.

But people would miss last Mass, and where would we be then?

Richard Leahy

Daffodil Fields

Ballincollig

Co Cork