Pubs are often the heart of rural communities — why is the Government making it so hard to run them?

Any further above-inflation increase in the minimum wage, or increases in alcohol excise in Budget 2027, could trigger an avalanche of pub closures across rural Ireland, writes Cork publican Michael O'Donovan

Michael O'Donovan of the Castle Inn, 99 South Main Street, Cork City. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Before we talk about tax, wages or the price of a pint, we should start with the people behind the bar.

The staff who work in Ireland's pubs are the heart of our trade. They welcome regulars by name, create safe spaces for communities to gather, work unsociable hours, and are often the difference between an ordinary pub and one people keep coming back to.