Sunday, April 08, 2012

Intrepid drinkers sniff out elusive Good Friday pints

A SMALL brewery was one of the few places to enjoy a drink on Friday.

The sale of alcohol may be outlawed in every licensed premises in the State but the Dingle Brewing Company in Co Kerry was just one of the cases where this law didn't apply.

The brewery is not classified as a licensed premises because it doesn't sell its product on site. 

However, anyone who pays for a guided tour of the premises is invited to sample a pint of Tom Crean's, the lager that is brewed there.

Hence it was business as usual for the brewery on the traditional start to the tourist season and the west Kerry town was full of visitors.

"What we're doing is giving out a sample of the product we make at the end of the tour," said Jerry O'Sullivan of Dingle Brewing Company, which opened its doors in July last year and now brews 2,000 litres of Tom Crean's lager per day. It is named after the famous Antarctic explorer from nearby Annascaul.

"It's a complimentary sample, we're not selling it, so we don't need a licence," explained Mr O'Sullivan.

Other tourism outlets including the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and the Jameson Experience at the Old Distillery in Midleton, Co Cork, which also offer samples at the end of the tour, remained closed. 

However, the nearby distillery continued to distill its world-famous whiskey.

Exemptions

Since it has been in place since 1927, the Intoxicating Liquor Act has banned the sale of alcohol on Christmas Day and Good Friday, although the St Patrick's Day ban has long since been repealed in order to accommodate our foreign visitors.

On Good Friday, the native population and visitors alike adhered to the same rules and the same exemptions. 

The sale of alcohol to those travelling by sea, air, train or ferry was allowed and those attending a licensed theatre were also entitled to buy a pint at the interval.

Race meetings and greyhound trials also enjoy this exemption, as do hotels and restaurants -- but only where alcohol is served with food.

An arena by-law allowed for alcohol to be sold during the Leinster A versus Munster A clash at the RDS.

Rugby fans expressed their delight at being able to quench their thirst at the event.

Cousins Paul Teehan (40) from Knocklyon and Joe Teehan (40) from Crumlin were among the spectators enjoying the atmosphere with a pint.

"We really like it, just warming up for the Heineken Cup tomorrow," Joe said before the pair took a drink of Guinness.