A District Court judge said she was well aware of the importance of the pub in rural Ireland and she commended a publican for driving his customers home in a case where he was prosecuted for having patrons on the premises afterhours.
Publican and licensee of The Sportsman’s Arms in Aherla, Dermot Forde, could not be in two places at the one time and this was the nub of the problem on the night, his solicitor Donal Daly explained at Cork District Court.
Mr Forde pleaded guilty to having approximately 25 patrons on his premises shortly before 2am on a Saturday night/Sunday morning, an hour after closing time. Licensing laws required him to stop serving at 12.30 and have the premises clear by 1am.
Sergeant Brian Harte testified…