So its been a while since I last posted – I’m finding myself more and more tired as the year goes on !  Must be all the rain and economic depression.

But I thought I’d share is this … a couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine was getting married and as a last hurrah (without any actual hurrah) we decided on a quiet boy’s night out at a local “ould man’s pub” type place … snooker hall in the back, plenty of drinks and good craic … it was one of those nights the rain was so bad that you got just as wet with the water coming up off the ground as you did with the stuff coming out of the sky !  Pissing down wasn’t the word !

And so we ended our tenure in pub number one and set out to find somewhere else that would allow 7 quite drunken lads in through the door – it was only half 9 – it just seemed a long time because we’d been out since about 4.  And so it was, that in dodging the worst rain showers we’d seen since the summer of the black spuds, we huddled in a doorway of one of the most famous pubs in Ireland – Tommy Maher’s.  And whats more we were let in and served !

Now you see Tommy Maher’s is legendary for more reasons that one – very  politically incorrect reasons !  For a start, no members of the fairer sex are allowed darken the door – that’s right !  No women !  Actually that’s not quite true because since the man himself passed away a few years ago, his good wife has been running the place.  She was working behind the bar this night too !  No stools to sit on either – stand up and drink !

So no women – and strange opening hours – when the clock struck ten past ten, the barman said quite politely “That’s it now lads, five minutes !” and everyone there (us and about 5 others) began to make shapes – not a place where you complain or bargain for more drink !

It would be cliche of me to state that two women did try to come in (but they did) – a young wan (showing leg wouldn’t you know !) and an older companion and were roundly turned on their heel and put out – or maybe they realised where they were and left of their own accord – we were just too delighted to have been served in such a legendary place.  Tis often you’d hear reports of 2 or 3 friends trying to come in and only 1 or 2 of them being allowed – the barman deciding when you’d had enough etc.  And to top it all off, the toilets are an out house in the back yard – surely not up to modern health & safety but brilliant all the same.

So its the type of place you might be lucky enough to find yourself in once or
twice in 20 odd years … I’m glad I experienced the warm pints from the barrels just under the counter … just once !