Bar closures - Pubs are a part of our social capital

TIME was that inheriting a pub was nearly as good as inheriting a farm — though neither was as enviable as inheriting a Dáil seat.

Farmers have endured a few very hard years though things have improved. Projections surrounding the world’s growing food needs suggest that farms of a certain scale might provide good incomes though the sector’s ongoing battle with major retailers is still a cause for concern across rural Ireland. However, the future of the small family farm is as uncertain as it ever was.

The February election saw a few political dynasties come to an abrupt end even though many political representatives can point to forefathers who once sat in the seats they fill today.