Drinking on good Friday

Nature Boy · 03-04-2007 1:53pm #1

Does anyone else think that it's stupid that we can't drink on good Friday? I mean if people think it's wrong to drink on that day and they'll go to hell if they do then that's fine. But why should everyone else have to give it up too??
I know it's only one day and I could easily not drink for that day, but it's the principle of the matter! Not everyone is a christian!
Also, you're not supposed to eat meat on good Friday, but you can still do it if you want! Whereas it's against the law to serve alcohol, where's the sence in that??

brianthebard · 03-04-2007 1:55pm

Its not a specifically Catholic law, it goes back to the evangelist movement in England in the 18th and 19th century, where evangelist christians persistantly campaigned for tighter licensing laws, keeping Sunday holy, etc. This is no different. [/history nerd]

Nature Boy · 03-04-2007 1:58pm

Yeah you're right, I meant to put christian, not catholic

admiralofthefleet · 03-04-2007 1:58pm

i think it ludicrous that the pubs are closed on good friday, partly because im not a catholic and partly because this is 2007, but its only one day and if there is a country that could do with a day off the pub its us, but then that wont stop drinking, have you ever walked into an off licence on the evening of the thursday before, you would think there was a permanent prohibition coming into effect.

MikeHoncho · 03-04-2007 1:59pm

i actually think its great. I had one of the best days of they year last good Friday. Stocked up the day before then drove down to Kerry with a group of mates and sat around having a great laugh all day. No pressure to do anything except just enjoy what we were doing. It was brilliant.

Nature Boy · 03-04-2007 2:01pm

Exactly! People are going to drink anyway! Only religious people are going to give it up. It's the same with xmas day. There's no pubs open but people still stack up beforehand!

xzanti · 03-04-2007 2:03pm

MikeHoncho wrote:

i actually think its great. I had one of the best days of they year last good Friday. Stocked up the day before then drove down to Kerry with a group of mates and sat around having a great laugh all day. No pressure to do anything except just enjoy what we were doing. It was brilliant.

Stocked up on alcohol?

Do the clubs open back up at midnight?

latenia · 03-04-2007 2:06pm

I voted yes, purely because the prohibition has the effect of making it one of the booziest days of the year. (Probably only coming behind St. Patrick's and New Year's.) I've started stocking up already in anticipation.

humanji · 03-04-2007 2:10pm

xzanti wrote:

Stocked up on alcohol?

Do the clubs open back up at midnight?

It depends on the place. Some do and come don't.

I kind of think that the main reason people drink on Good Friday is because they're told they can't. If they changed the law and said that everyone must drink on Good Friday, you'd probably get everyone not drinking out of spite.

Zebra3 · 03-04-2007 2:15pm

Option 2 is wrong as you don't have to give up drinking for the day just cos the pubs are closed.

Tbh, I'd say the pubowners really hate GF as it encourages people to drink at home and not go to their rip-off, understaffed pubs.

event · 03-04-2007 2:17pm

ah boo hoo

some people are hilarious, wont have gone out for the past few weeks but as soon as they cant drink on friday, will go mad for drink

people stocking up and buying loads of drink this week?
for what, do you normally do that on every other friday?

LFCFan · 03-04-2007 2:19pm

whatever about Alchohol, I always make sure to have a nice juicy steak on Good Friday

Jigsaw · 03-04-2007 2:22pm

Up here in Belfast the pubs start serving booze again at 5.00pm, which isn't so bad. I will finish work half day, go home, have a few tins maybe, then head out at 5.00pm. They close again at Midnight though. I too agree, if you are religious then simply don't drink but there is no reason for everyone to have to be inconvenienced. It is not that I am a raging alcoholic, but more out of principle.

Mrs_Doyle · 03-04-2007 2:27pm

WARNING: The following post displays large quantities of ignorance and stupidity.

Up until last year I had never realised that we weren't supposed to drink on Good Friday.

I knew that pubs, shops and supermarkets couldn't serve alcohol, but never made the connection between that, and the fact that it meant we weren't supposed to consume the product either.

Like the way pubs close on Christmas day, but we all drink anyhow, or the way gambling was banned on a Sunday, but people did it anyway.

I never twigged that it being banned from sale also meant it was banned (by the Church) from consumption.

(P.S I am educated to a degree level, am in my 20's and I operate in the 'real' world on a regular basis!)

LFCFan · 03-04-2007 2:30pm

Mrs_Doyle wrote:

it was banned (by the Church) from consumption.

Which for those who are not devout Christians means SFA.

NutJob · 03-04-2007 2:31pm

I hate to say this but less people would drink if the pubs were open.

You know us irish we will walk through fire to get last orders in never mind being told we cant drink for a day.

Stephen · 03-04-2007 2:31pm

I'm not religious at all, so I think pubs should be allowed to open if they want on Good Friday, as to me its the same as any other Friday.

I do think the bitching about it that goes on every year is hilarious though. FFS people, just stock up in an off licence the day before if its such a big deal. Twats that buy train tickets just to drink on Good Friday make me laugh. Fools.

Mrs Doyle - what do you mean by "weren't supposed"? Are you talking prohibited-by-religion or by law?

03-04-2007 2:34pm

I don't really mind the closing of the pubs since I'll be stocking up myself, but I am hoping the day is a good one for a barbeque.

Archeron · 03-04-2007 2:40pm

LFCFan wrote:

whatever about Alchohol, I always make sure to have a nice juicy steak on Good Friday

This year, have it beer battered.

LFCFan · 03-04-2007 2:43pm

mmm, beer battered steak on Good Friday!! I like it

Mrs_Doyle · 03-04-2007 2:47pm

Stephen wrote:

Mrs Doyle - what do you mean by "weren't supposed"? Are you talking prohibited-by-religion or by law?

Religion.

Last year, on Good Friday, I went to a house party in Portarlington, and had a great time.
When I came home the following day my Mam (who never, ever goes to mass bar a Wedding, Funeral or Christening) starts giving out to me.
I couldn't for the life of me figure out what her problem was, until she says, "The one day of the year the Lord asks you not to drink and you go out binging." I just said "Ah now, for feck sake, if the Lord had have come down and specifically asked me not to do it then I might have reconsidered my plans."

Anyhow, that was the first I knew of the fact that the Lord himself supposedly asked us not to drink alcohol on Good Friday.

Fratton Fred · 03-04-2007 2:51pm

The Church should have no influence on a countries laws. Pubs should be allowed to open on Friday but there are no TDs with the balls to challenge a law based on religion, so it won't change.

sioda · 03-04-2007 2:52pm

Publicans dont mind closing on Good Friday ask any floor varnisher or painter. A stack of pubs redo the pub floors & walls on good friday every year as its the only day of the year they are closed and can get the work done.

Plus it gives good hard working bar staff the day off.

The pub I used to work in had a interpub soccer tournament in the local park on good friday with the losing pub having to stand drinks for the winning side.

Riskymove · 03-04-2007 2:53pm

What gets me is the amount of people I know who are not regular drinkers who go beserk about it.

I mean they probably go out on the tear once a month but can't live with the pubs being closed for just 2 days out of 365.

Holy Thursday night in pubs is a sight to behold; you would think there was an impending apocalypse by the way people put the gargle away!!

Fratton Fred · 03-04-2007 2:54pm

Mrs_Doyle wrote:

Religion.

Last year, on Good Friday, I went to a house party in Portarlington, and had a great time.
When I came home the following day my Mam (who never, ever goes to mass bar a Wedding, Funeral or Christening) starts giving out to me.
I couldn't for the life of me figure out what her problem was, until she says, "The one day of the year the Lord asks you not to drink and you go out binging." I just said "Ah now, for feck sake, if the Lord had have come down and specifically asked me not to do it then I might have reconsidered my plans."

Anyhow, that was the first I knew of the fact that the Lord himself supposedly asked us not to drink alcohol on Good Friday.

don't suppose you know the chapter and verse of that particular request do you, or was it yet another edict from Rome, such as eating fish on fridays and "Limbo" designed to scare us into their way of thinking?

rainbow kirby · 03-04-2007 2:59pm

It's a bit silly tbh, everyone drinks at home anyway.

Zebra3 · 03-04-2007 3:07pm

It really is time to end the interference of a minority of religious zealots dictating to the rest of the populations what they can and can't do on a particular day of the year.

humanji · 03-04-2007 3:09pm

Zebra3 wrote:

Tbh, I'd say the pubowners really hate GF as it encourages people to drink at home and not go to their rip-off, understaffed pubs.

I've worked in a few bars and they love GF. Generally it means a staff party in the pub with any good regular customers (plus the occasional gard coming in to "buy cigarettes"

).

stipey · 03-04-2007 3:11pm

I don't drink and I don't believe in any god.

I may have been born and raised a Catholic but I despise how church ridden our country once was and, to a certain extent, still is.

If people have particularly strong religous beliefs and wish to adhere to them then I'm sure nobody would begrudge them that. However, I absolutely detest the amount of laws and practices that are part and parcel of this country only because of their links to Christianity - and Catholicism in particular.

No pubs opening on Good Friday is just the start of it in my opinion. So the Catholic church forbids the sale (and consumption) of alcohol on Good Friday and unfortunately for people of other religous beliefs they have to suffer too. (I know they can buy drink ahead of time - but why should be prevented going to their local just because the Catholic church don't think members of their flock should).

By the same logic, anywhere that serves food should be forced to close during the hours of daylight during Ramadan. We are a multi cultural society now after all.

All pork products should similarly be banned - permanantly! There are a great many Jewish people in our country - we have to cater for them too.

Turn on RTE at noon or 6pm and you get the Angelus. Does our national radio station broadcast muslim calls to prayer? In a PC move RTE tried to say it wasn't a religously motivated thing and was instead intended to offer people time to reflect. Bull**** - why is it still on at traditional Angelus times and why do their continuity announcers still refer to it as pausing for "the Angelus"

Aaarrrggghhh! I think i need to stop now before my head explodes. But in summary, my point is... why should the religous beliefs of a subset of our community be inflicted upon the entire nation through legislation?

The_Hustler · 03-04-2007 3:21pm

Riskymove wrote:

What gets me is the amount of people I know who are not regular drinkers who go beserk about it.

I mean they probably go out on the tear once a month but can't live with the pubs being closed for just 2 days out of 365.

Well if they only go out once a month and those two days are ones in which they would, then that's 2 out of 12, a bit more significant.

Mossy Monk · 03-04-2007 3:46pm

I think pubs should be allowed open if they want but wont be drinking on Friday anyway.

Botany Bay · 03-04-2007 3:49pm

stipey wrote:

I don't drink and I don't believe in any god.

I may have been born and raised a Catholic but I despise how church ridden our country once was and, to a certain extent, still is.

If people have particularly strong religous beliefs and wish to adhere to them then I'm sure nobody would begrudge them that. However, I absolutely detest the amount of laws and practices that are part and parcel of this country only because of their links to Christianity - and Catholicism in particular.

No pubs opening on Good Friday is just the start of it in my opinion. So the Catholic church forbids the sale (and consumption) of alcohol on Good Friday and unfortunately for people of other religous beliefs they have to suffer too. (I know they can buy drink ahead of time - but why should be prevented going to their local just because the Catholic church don't think members of their flock should).

By the same logic, anywhere that serves food should be forced to close during the hours of daylight during Ramadan. We are a multi cultural society now after all.

All pork products should similarly be banned - permanantly! There are a great many Jewish people in our country - we have to cater for them too.

Turn on RTE at noon or 6pm and you get the Angelus. Does our national radio station broadcast muslim calls to prayer? In a PC move RTE tried to say it wasn't a religously motivated thing and was instead intended to offer people time to reflect. Bull**** - why is it still on at traditional Angelus times and why do their continuity announcers still refer to it as pausing for "the Angelus"

Aaarrrggghhh! I think i need to stop now before my head explodes. But in summary, my point is... why should the religous beliefs of a subset of our community be inflicted upon the entire nation through legislation?

Exactly how i feel. Its riduculous, did you know an atheist for example can't become a member of the judiciary or hold the office of the president:mad: You have to swear some bible oath or somesuch!! We should at least be more secular in our outlook, but this collective nostalgia of some people harking back to the "good old days" of wee Ireland with its wonderful Magdalene laundries and Industrial schools, and Archbishop Mc Quaid telling everyone how to be good souls:mad: :mad: Hate isn't a good thing, but i keep a lot of it in reserve for the Catholic church!!

Zebra3 · 03-04-2007 4:51pm

People should organise pickets outside their local RC church when they're having the stations of the Cross on GF as protest against church interference in the state.

03-04-2007 4:55pm

Twats that buy train tickets just to drink on Good Friday make me laugh. Fools.

Or maybe its a good time for a daytrip with the lads? I'll be going to Newry this Friday for a great day out, get the Easter weekend off to a good start.

cornbb · 03-04-2007 5:08pm

Whatever the bullsh1t law about the pubs/offies being forced to close on GF, I'd have to say this habit many people seem to have of stocking up beforehand and getting hammered just to make a point is also a bit stupid and pointless. [/auld fella whining cause he has to work on saturday]

I will also be making my point with steak this year

5starpool · 03-04-2007 5:18pm

It's a tough life isn't it?

Personally I don't really care, as if I fancy a drink I will have a few cans, but at the same time it doesn't really bother me that pubs can't rip us off for 2 whole days of the year.

vorbis · 03-04-2007 5:31pm

the persecution you suffer must be terrible Stipey. Its 2 days out of 365 days. As other people have stated, those people who want to drink on the day probably drink more than they would on any normal friday! To use it as an example of the church ruling our country is laughable. The church's influence on irish politics is practically gone.

Shockin Stockin · 03-04-2007 5:34pm

Good Friday= Beer, burgers and Life of Brian on DVD

MikeHoncho · 03-04-2007 6:00pm

At least we are not a Quaker country:

Bournivile is a Quaker town set up by Mr Cadburys chocys himself and their is no alcohal in the whole town 365 days a year.

tolosenc · 03-04-2007 6:33pm

Such an un-PC law, its ridiculous. Are we prohibited from consumption(public or private), or just purchase? (I'm talking actual laws. Ones that count)

Flukey · 03-04-2007 8:07pm

Don't you think it's a bit ironic that all the people here complaining about the pubs not being open and saying what they are going to do themselves on Friday are not giving out about the fact that they themselves don't have to work on Friday? So a fair compromise would be that the pubs will be open on Friday, but all of you that are off on Friday have to go to work too! To be totally fair, we'll have you having to be at work every other day of the year too, including Christmas Day. So there we go, we can have the pubs open every day of the year and all of you can work every day of the year too. Well there we are, that's that sorted. Now everyone is happy.

Stephen · 03-04-2007 8:13pm

Eh, plenty of us DO have to work on Friday. It is not a public holiday. Banks are closed but many other businesses will be open.

constitutionus · 03-04-2007 8:27pm

Riskymove wrote:

What gets me is the amount of people I know who are not regular drinkers who go beserk about it.

I mean they probably go out on the tear once a month but can't live with the pubs being closed for just 2 days out of 365.

Holy Thursday night in pubs is a sight to behold; you would think there was an impending apocalypse by the way people put the gargle away!!

thats because one good friday the pubs will shut and NEVER open again !!! (mwah ha ha ha ha

)

TBH I think its a bit of a lark, honestly who hasnt tried to get a sneaky pint in a local on GF? It seems to appeal to the irish mentality of rebellion. personally im usually stuck working good friday so when im finished i just knock on the door of a pub i know and have a few illicit scoops afterwards ,the pints just taste better when their against the law

DarkJager · 03-04-2007 8:29pm

Thankfully my local doesn't believe in good friday. Doors open at 12pm and stay open till late.

Nature Boy · 03-04-2007 8:33pm

DarkJager wrote:

Thankfully my local doesn't believe in good friday. Doors open at 12pm and stay open till late.

Can they actually do that? Is it actually against the law to serve alcohol on good Friday or is it a choice the pub makes?

DarkJager · 03-04-2007 8:36pm

Not sure man, they've done it for the last 4 years straight without any Gardai interference.

Flukey · 03-04-2007 8:50pm

Stephen wrote:

Eh, plenty of us DO have to work on Friday. It is not a public holiday. Banks are closed but many other businesses will be open.

I know some do, but a lot of the people giving out about this have been telling us what they did on previous Good Fridays - on their day off!!!! It is those people that I was aiming that comment at. In the run up to every Good Friday and Christmas Day we get this debate, with the majority of people that are giving out about it, being themselves off work on those two days. It is ok that they are off, but they don't afford that privilege to the pubs on only two days of the year. When they have to keep their days off to just two days a year or less, then we'll be happy. You can imagine the outrage here if it was announced that from now on schools, colleges, offices, etc. had to be open all but two days in the year. Then imagine the outrage if people came in and said they should be open on those two days too.

Nature Boy · 03-04-2007 8:59pm

Flukey wrote:

but they don't afford that privilege to the pubs on only two days of the year

Pubs can close whenever they want. They don't need a special day to do it

Red Alert · 03-04-2007 9:08pm

A storm in a teacup. Can ye seriously not drink for 2 days of the year, or go to someone's house or on a road trip to do it?

And actually, the people who keep talking about diversity might consider this: a lot of people in ireland still are big followers of the catholic church, especially the elderly. The government know that upsetting them is a bad idea!

Crucifix · 03-04-2007 9:24pm

First they came for the people who wanted to drink on good friday, and I didn't speak up because I didn't want to drink on good friday....et cetera

robinph · 03-04-2007 9:37pm

Stephen wrote:

Eh, plenty of us DO have to work on Friday. It is not a public holiday. Banks are closed but many other businesses will be open.

Yep, I have to work on Friday because for some daft reason it's not a public holiday in Ireland but as I'm not in Ireland at the moment every other fecker around here is going to be off work and in the pub all day. :mad:

I think my internet connection might mysteriously go down at some point on Friday.

Drinking on good Friday

Do you agree with drink being forbidden on good Friday? 187 votes

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