Pádraig’s sobering sermon puts a lip on colleagues!

Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

As you just about begin to recover from the 12 pubs of Christmas, and the alcohol binge and horrors of drink associated with the festive season . . .

And as you tentatively contemplate hitting the bottle again this weekend, for one last blow-out to toast 2016 and say cheers to the New Year, before dry-January kicks in . . .

It’s worth noting the wise words about the demon drink from that famous philosopher on Galway City Council, Pádraig Conneely.

In fairness, he’s not exactly a neutral observer.

The bould Pádraig used to enjoy his few pints but has taken a set against it ever since he was admitted to the Emergency Department of University Hospital Galway during Galway Race Week of last year.

Every drunk in the city who arrived at the hospital was seen before him, even though he was stone-cold sober, stuck on a trolley for hours on end, he fumed at a recent Galway City Joint Policing Committee.

He regaled the anecdote during a discussion on the Galway City Strategy To Prevent And Reduce Alcohol-Related Harm 2013-2017.

Pádraig knows a hypocrite when he sees one and so he called out Galway City Council, accusing it of “paying lip service” with regards to alcohol consumption in the city.

He pointed out that despite there being 281 places in Galway City where you can purchase alcohol, the local authority gave the go-ahead for another one in Eyre Square – the beer tent at the Christmas Market.

Not a fan of the Christmas Market in the first place – but sín sceál eile – Pádraig, who objected to it, queried why it needed to have a beer tent included at all.

“I was told it wasn’t commercially viable without a tent selling alcohol. We talk about not promoting alcohol and then Galway City Council goes and gives planning permission for a Christmas Market, where the biggest tent and most profitable tent in there is selling beer,” he fumed.

Why could Cork and Waterford Christmas Markets operate without beer tents but Galway couldn’t, he wondered.

He highlighted more hypocrisies. The City Council financially supports Connacht Rugby but, according to Pádraig, most fair-weather supporters only head to the Sportsground because they can get a pint up there.

The Council held a civic reception for Connacht Rugby’s heroic feat of winning the PRO 12 final last season. Pádraig queried why the need for wine at the occasion, and was told, you can’t invite people to a civic celebration without giving them something stronger than tea and biscuits.

“Public events? There has to be a bar,” he snorted.

The Council preaches about alcohol, he said, and yet the latest development plan makes no mention of limiting the availability of alcohol. “Lip service,” he roared again.

Pádraig ranted so long about ‘lip service’ and drink, he nearly put a ‘lip’ on his colleagues.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.