Galway city publicans are caught short on bar extensions

Publicans in Galway city had to call time on late bars on Tuesday night of the busiest week of the year for the local hospitality industry – because of a licensing ‘clerical error’.

But drinkers wanting a late tipple for the remainder of Galway Race Week have been assured that closing time is 2am from now on.

Thirsty race-goers and publicans were shocked to find city centre bars had no late-licence exemption on Tuesday of Galway Race week, as is customary nearly every year.

The clerical error meant that closing time was 11.30pm on Tuesday and not the usual 2am Race Week exemption, although Gardaí were lenient and didn’t shutdown pubs at 11.30pm on the button.

Punters have been assured that from now on, closing time is 2am from Thursday through to Sunday when late drinks can legally be served.

The city’s licensing sergeant, from Galway Garda Station, visited pubs on Tuesday evening to inform them that they had not in fact received exemptions for the Tuesday of Race Week.

Galway Vintners Association every year applies for exemptions that allow all pubs to serve past normal closing times at particular times of the year, including Race Week and a few days of the Galway Arts Festival.

But this year because of a clerical error, the organisation that represents publicans in the city, did not apply through the courts for Monday or Tuesday exemptions.

The pubs were under the impression that they had an exemption for the Tuesday because they had been sent a list of the exemptions, which included Monday and Tuesday.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.