hatrickpatrick wrote: » My admittedly unsympathetic view is that the Irish pubs have been persistently ripping people off for years, and it's only now that people - particularly young people thanks to things like Erasmus - are getting accustomed to the fact that a fiver a pint is utter eejitism in the context of how it goes in most European pubs, that they are finally making it clear that they're unwilling to keep putting up with that.
hatrickpatrick wrote: » themselves too much, but Irish pubs are clearly doing something most other European pubs are not, which drives their prices far higher than is considered reasonable throughout the rest of Europe.
pappyodaniel wrote: » Outside of the price of the pint, what else in your opinion has been the death-knell of so many Irish pubs? People becoming more health conscious is a big reason but in my own opinion social media is a bigger reason for the lack of popularity in sitting in a pub mugging pints. it used to be fellas (& the odd woman) heading to the pub to find out the local gossip, scandal or just plain news....that's all at the touch of a screen nowadays.
Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: » Yeah it's just modern life in general I think. Before the ONLY thing many people could do for the evening is head to the pub. Now you can stay in with Netflix, Facebook, Mobile Phones, Playstations, HDTV's, YouTube or go out somewhere that isn't a pub like the gym, 5 a side, book clubs, tai chi courses, restaurants, cinema, painting classes, more people have cars now, more people work during evenings, men play a bigger role inside the family home ect ect ect. The pub is still a great Irish institution but there's more to life than propping up the bar every night of the week now, whereas maybe there simply wasn't in the past.
FloatingVoter wrote: » Read your post out loud and pretend there is a 70 year old man from Kinnegad in the room with you. Actually anybody from anywhere rural in the land.
FloatingVoter wrote: » Of course, who would ?. The alternatives presented were world cinema, gyms, yoga, painting classes etc...all readily available in city centre Dublin or Cork. Where the hell is your average village dweller going to find any of these wondrous activities ? You live in the backend of nowhere in a town with a population of less than say 2000 - what do you do with your time. Regardless of age. I can get up tomorrow and drink myself senseless in any one of 1000 pubs or go to a Mongolian restaurant via the Irish Film Institute after booking my Tai Chi course. If I was in Killybegs, what would my options be ? The pub is the lifeblood of rural Ireland, always was. Dublin can afford to lose a lot of pubs (I hope that doesn't happen) but to small town Ireland it is the only thing to do. A lot of people in that documentary said they went to the pub for a chat - they weren't all lying. You can drink yourself to death all by yourself anywhere on Earth. Human company is what the show was about - not alcohol.
FloatingVoter wrote: » Rescind the smoking ban, late night lock-ins, let the toilets devolve to their natural state. Any remnants of hipsterdom can be erased by using the "Free Steak" special trick - the steak is free so long as nobody asks who it's made from.
madmaggie wrote: » Sad to say one of the pubs featured, Smyths of Newtown, Co. Carlow has now closed. The owner, who was shown playing the piano, passed away, and the place is looking very sad. It was THE music pub back in the 70's, and poignant to see the road signs still showing "Smyths of Newtown".
Tom Joad wrote: » Unfortunately the same is true of Gartlans in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. The thatched roof pretty much caved in on it and it fell into an awful state. Has been closed for a good few years now. Thankfully it has been bought again and is being brought back to its former glory but will be a while before it's open again.
wicklowwonder wrote: » Was Gatlans the pub with the big fella as bar man? Had the bull **** sign behind him? Told some hilarious stories like the yank moaning about the bathroom and him getting grumpy with her?
Tom Joad wrote: » That's the one alright.
JustTheOne wrote: » I thought the documentary was recent? Obviously not if its closed years.
Tom Joad wrote: » It's closed at least 3 years and was nearly lost for good. Can't link on phone but if you google it there are a few articles on just how bad of disrepair it fell into. Obviously having a thatch roof speeded the process up but it was in a bad state. The thatch has been restored lately but inside has to be gutted.
FloatingVoter wrote: » ^ ...don't keep us in suspense...who was de fella ? Are ye goin' steady ? Any wedding bells ?
castletownman wrote: » Must say this is a thoroughly enjoyable documentary. Something kind of sad seeing what is essentially old Ireland with it's characters and time capsule-esque pubs being lost to the wifi,craft beer, tv on every wall "bars" two for a penny today
razorhead wrote: » Is it being repeated?
Sheldons Brain wrote: » Is there a convenient list of the pubs featured (with their Eircodes)?
madmaggie wrote: » marvin80, when did you look at Smyth's? It's not far from me, and fairly run down. Michael died a few years back.
marvin80 wrote: » Looking at google maps and Gartlans Bar in Kingscourt, Cavan is open again - fair play to the new owners for getting it back up and running.
