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IN A LITTLE Spanish town by the Pyrenees mountains, a Moroccan imam has come under intense scrutiny, accused of creating the terror cell that allegedly launched the twin attacks in Spain.
Those who knew him described Abdelbaki Es Satty as a discreet and religious man, who had recently asked for a holiday from the mosque he was preaching in, apparently to return to Morocco for personal business.
But police believe he may have been among those blown up in an accidental explosion on Wednesday in the house where the suspected attackers were believed to be building bombs.
The blast likely changed the plans of the attackers, who instead used vehicles to smash into pedestrians on Barcelona’s busy Las Ramblas boulevard and in the seaside resort town of Cambrils.
“On Tuesday morning, he left saying he was going on vacation to Morocco,” said fruit-seller Nordeen El Haji, 45, who four months ago moved into the apartment that Satty occupied in Ripoll.
The decrepit two-room flat rented for 150 euros a month has a view of the tree-covered Pyrenees and the red roofs of the quaint Catalonian town, 90 kilometres north of Barcelona.
‘No internet, few books’
“He spoke little, spent time with his computer in his room, and had an old mobile phone with no internet, and few books,” said Satty’s flatmate.
On a piece of furniture lies the police search order dated Friday, just after the twin attacks that claimed 14 lives and wounded 120 people.
Three days after the assaults, a picture was emerging of an imam who may have radical leanings.
El Mundo newspaper, quoting anti-terrorist sources, said that in 2012 Satty left prison where “he had struck up a special friendship with another detainee, Rachid Aglif, nicknamed ‘the rabbit’.”
Aglif had been sentenced to 18 years over the March 2004 Madrid train bomb attacks that killed 191 people, the worst terror attack on European soil.
Drug trafficking
The imam had been placed in provisional detention for drug trafficking, the newspaper said, adding that “he was shifting hashish between Ceuta and Algesiras”.
Catalonia police chief Josep Lluis Trapero confirmed that the imam “had a judicial problem, but not linked to terrorism”.
As local media speculated on the influence of the imam on the young attackers, his flatmate said that in the last four months, he had not hosted any youths in the apartment.
“This imam was normal and ordinary in public,” said Mohamed Akhayad, a 26-year-old Moroccan electrician-mechanic, who sometimes went to the prayer hall that opened in 2016 where he preached.
“If he ate up the brains of these youths, he must have done it secretly, in a secret place,” he said at the main Moroccan cafe in town.
‘Very solitary’
Another Moroccan, who did not want to give his name, described the imam as “very solitary, and hung out more with these youths than with people of his age”.
The 43-year-old man said he knew the young suspects in the attacks, as he had organised football matches with them.
The imam “was always dressed in black”, he said, adding: “We saw very little of him at the Moroccan cafe”.
In Sant Pere street where the imam lived, a 64-year-old local, Francesc Gimeno, said the man “had a reputation of being very Islamist”.
“He wanted all the Moroccans to think like him, putting religion above all,” said Gimeno, saying he also “required Moroccan women in town to cover themselves”.
But Hammou Minhaj, 30, a Moroccan and secretary of Ripoll’s Muslim community, said: “He doesn’t say that here at the mosque. Outside, I don’t know.”
Satty arrived in Ripoll in 2015, said Minhaj.
‘Knows the Koran better than us’
But then “he went to Belgium as imam, at least that’s what he said, before returning to Ripoll,” added Minhaj.
“He started as an imam in our new mosque in April 2016. What’s important is that he knows the Koran better than we do.”
But at the end of June, the imam asked for three months’ leave to go to Morocco on holiday, Minhaj said.
In Belgium, the mayor of the Vilvorde region told AFP that Satty spent time in the Brussels suburb of Machelen between January and March 2016.
Brussel’s Molenbeek suburb has gained notoriety as a hotbed of international jihadists after the Paris and Brussels attacks.
In the Moroccan town of M’rirt, relatives of the 22-year-old suspect hunted by police, Younes Abouyaaqoub, also accused the imam of radicalising the young man as well as his brother Houssein.
“Over the last two years, Younes and Houssein began to radicalise under the influence of this imam,” their grandfather told AFP.
Spanish media believe Younes may have been the man who drove the van into crowds in Barcelona.
A neighbour close to the Abouyaaquob family, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the imam “had recruited Moroccans of Ripoll and planned the attacks”.
“He took leave from the mosque saying he had to return to Morocco to deal with inheritance problems.
“So another imam was found to replace him at the mosque, but a few days before the attacks, he was seen in Ripoll,” added the source, who also has family in the small town.
- © AFP 2017.
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I think you will find the majority of small or rural publicans want to keep it as a closed day, for many of these along with Christmas Day it’s their only day off.
Think you will find a large number of rural publicans operate a knock on the back door for these days.
We need a journal.ie poll i think to decide should the pubs open or close on good Friday
Where do you get that anecdote from, Michael. Most business owners want to make money when they can; if any publican wants to take time off on good Friday “for a break”, all they have to do is lock the door and leave a note on it.
The Good Friday agreement is applicable on both sides of the “border”
Too late to save two of North Dublin’s largest pubs/ restaurants. Both the Addison Lodge and the Swiss Cottage arre to be demolished if a report on another site is correct.
What reason was given by the “Justice” Minister?
Alien I’m a publican and want the day off as do all of my colleagues. Putting a note on the door wouldn’t be acceptable to my regulars they’d find a new local. The only hope we have is that the law remains and we can relax and turn our phones off for 1 (working) day a year!
I think you will find that it wouldn’t make it compulsory to open just permitted. They could stay closed if they want to.
So you are saying Kevin, the only reason you can take a day off is if the government shut every alternative pub that your regulars might use, as they are that fickle they don’t understand you want a day where you can turn your phone off? Again, even if you operate in a religious town, your colleagues (fellow bar owners, or are you staff?) can close enough masse, citing religious reasons. Hopefully, you get that it is better that this choice should be yours.
You will find Michael that the majority of tourist, the people who bring most money to the sector, would prefer if they could have glass of wine. Irish people can be overly insular, its a big world outside this beautiful island.
What’s this go to do with religion? Herein lies the problem, anti religious people are lumping my day off with religion. That’s old hat. Forget the religion part. Maybe 50 years ago this was a big part of it. Same as Christmas day. But I don’t know if there is anything too religious about good Friday in this day and age. Regardless I’d love you to be on call 363 days a year and try take 1 extra day from you.
Sean ryan residents in hospitality sector can get drink in their hotel or b n b. Get over it.
We own a pub
Ok Michael I will be around to you on good friday.
Kevin, just shut your doors on another day that wouldn’t impact your customers like a random Monday in January.
If the ban is lifted the publicans who want to stay closed can do so. Nobody is forcing them to open……
If you want a day off, sort your business model out and roster some staff to work like thousands of other businesses seem to be able to manage.
Only with a meal or in their bedroom.
Are you too miserable too employ some staff so you can take a day off. Everyone else works good Friday why shouldn’t you. Guarantee if a pub close to you opened and made good money you’d soon change your tune
Whilst the ban on the selling of alcohol is illegal on good Friday, under Union rules it is still an open day meaning the proprietor of any establishment can call in staff to work. Be it cleaning, meetings etc. St. Stephen’s Day, however is classed as a close day by the union. No uproar over that
We live in a multicultural country now,you can be a nominal hypocritical catholic if you like, but shouldn’t you be more worried about priests raping children with the approval of flickers like cardinal Brady?
Just get the drink from the fridge like any other day.
Honestly I don’t care.
It’s one day in the year, if you really want to drink, buy some before and have it at home.
It’s nonsense that people find it so hard to go 1 day without being able to walk in to a pub.
Its not like it’s Ireland’s solution to stop the mad drinking crazy Irish, I think it would take a lot more than 1 day with pub doors shut
Of all the problems we have, seems people get very emotional with this one and not very with other issues that are perhaps more worthwhile
Tell that to the tourists. I am sure they will understand.
Don’t force catholic dogma on me thank you very much
If they choose to come to this country on a day where our pubs are closed like good Friday then that’s tough luck, deal with it..
“Honestly I don’t care.”
This is the crux of the issue.
YOU don’t care for alcohol on Good Friday. Other people do. It’s the height of selfishness.
Let. People. Choose.
Honestly I don’t care about the drama of this topic.
Nothing is stopping people drinking on Good Friday.
Fill your boots in your local off license or tesco on Thursday, drink yourself silly at home on Friday.
There is no catholic dogma that requires pubs to close on Good Friday nor is there any prohibition on drinking alcohol on that day.
Really Michael? The law was introduced on a day that the catholic church says you cannot drink, and that’s just a coincidence? I personally don’t get the whole pi$$ up on good Friday thing myself but it’s the principal. Our government and laws and education should be not be based on religion. That time is passed thankfully.
All I know is that a lot of companies give staff a day off on good Friday despite the fact it is not a public holiday. If the pubs all opened i suspect this would soon end as what be the differentiator between it and any other day?
No booze is certainly worth a day off
Most companies, especially those not related to tourism, work this as a normal day. No reason to year it differently, as you have said it is not a public holiday, and will cost companies lost time if they are granted time off. Different in PS, off course.
It’s a normal working day in hospitals anyway; with elective surgery and out patients working as normal for the same pay we get for working any other Friday and no time of in lieu.
I actually only know one person who gets good Friday off and they work in the bank.
Actually alien I don’t think the public sector do get this day off. Hospitals don’t anyway. It’s a voluntary thing a lot of private companies do. But not all.
Very few.
We are “given” the day off but it comes out of our annual leave so doesn’t really count!!!
I was recently in a city in Switzerland on a Sunday and all shops were closed.
Pubs and restaurants were open, it was easy to park and it was so refreshing to have some down time in a Sunday, and not for religious reasons.
Isn’t it great to forfeit the pub for one of two days in the year?
If you were in any of Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Zürich and Basel then the custom probably had its roots in religion!
Try living there. In France everything closes on a Sunday. If you didn’t have time to buy groceries on Saturday your options are McDonalds or a petrol station. Literally. Need to do a bit of shopping on the weekend but busy on Saturday? Wait till next week.
If people really enjoyed avoiding shops on Sunday the shops wouldn’t be as packed as they are. Simple.
People are so comfortable imposing their lifestyle choices on others until it’s the other way around.
Ridiculous that this ban on Good Friday is still here. It is as stupid as that fecking Holy Hour on a Sunday from years ago.
Absolutely nothing to do with alcohol abuse, or “unique relationship with drink” (we are not special in this regard). Just a silly novelty. Fitzgerald could simply table a proposal to remove this one entry from the act on an evening, and have it finished tomorrow. The text is there already from when we removed Patrick’s day. It’s not like the publican-supporting dail members would object.
I think keep it going. It’s the one day a year bar staff know they’ll defo be off and at the end of the day .. It’s only one day! Arrange a house party if you really need a booze up that bad!
If people feel that strongly about it why don’t they campaign to have this “religious holiday” done away with completely and they can all go to work while the pubs open instead
Very few jobs left that count it as a day off I would have thought.
Some pubs still have the Holy hour although it’s more commonly known as the witching hour now.
Maybe in the private sector but most public sector workers get it of not to mention banks most insurance companies that still makes up a massive amount of people
That’s not really the point though. We are a non denominational nation. If catholic holy days get special privileges then, by right, Islamic/ Jewish etc days should also be given special treatment. Why should I be legally banned from purchasing alcohol because of the Church? Don’t say ‘we are a Roman Catholic nation’ because the only ever established religion of Ireland was the Church of Ireland….
Get out of it you whinger, we drink far too much in this country anyway. Get a new hobby for a day. Anything that keeps people out of pubs and doing something healthy for a change is a good thing. Call it detox day if you like no one actually has to go to church if you don’t want to.
Who are you to say what anyone should do with their day? How actually dare you call anyone else a whinger when you come on here complaining about responsible adults not obeying your ideal of a ludicrous Catholic tradition. Why don’t you get a new hobby other than trampling on other people’s civil liberties..
I’m not even religious you clown. I think it would be good for people’s health to have one non alcohol detox health day the same as it would be to have a non smoking health day and medical science agrees it doesn’t matter the name its given. So stop trampling on my civil liberty to call him a whinger and you a clown.
I think medical science would agree that a single day will do feck all for a person’s health. Anyway, they have detox days every Sunday to Thursday when you are not supposed to be drinking, but getting ready for work.
Tell that to the entire youth population attending college etc where binge drinking and alcohol abuse can be rampant, the day of week rarely matters. If it helps one person pick up something healthy for a day and find they like it that would be good news.
Kz, you are aware that having this artificial day has encouraged nearly every student in to country to go on the biggest bender of the year? Education, responsibility and health awareness are what is required and missing in dealing with alcohol, but with that responsibility is trust. Forcing someone never works, and should be left to places like Saudi Arabia (who do take the anti drink but too far)
Don’t hide a religious order behind “Health Reasons”
Also don’t forget the queues coming out the door of off licences on Holy Thursday. It is actually the busiest day in the off license trade every year.
So this further invalidates the point that it is meant to be a day without alcohol. The whole country is drinking at home anyway.
All this ban does is impact the tourist industry on a major holiday weekend. I’d love to see a government actually have the balls to stand up to the church and everyone north of 60 years old.
They granted a licence to Limerick pubs on a good Friday about 6 years ago for a Heineken cup match; they bused people in from all over the country you couldn’t get in the door of any pub.
Did the Muns nail the opposition?
It’s not even the busiest day of the year, the offos are like any normal Friday or Saturday night at closing time. Ridiculous statement that is always rolled out.
Did you read the article? Off-licenses report record sales.
There are only a few arguments which we keep hearing in favour of preserving the law. The religious argument is invalid because we’re not a country run by a religion. The next argument is the ‘it’s only 1 day’ argument and that is invalid because it assumes everyone drinks 365 days a year. Most people don’t but like a drink at weekends or if they’re off work or at the very least like the option. They also like to visit restaurants and have a glass of wine. Another argument is from people who work in pubs who like the guaranteed day off. A lot of other people have to work so while it’s nice to have a day off you shouldn’t be working in a place where this is the only days holiday you get. The only other argument we tend to hear has no basis and comes from people who just don’t like change. They look at it with a wrapped sense of nostalgia. There is no valid argument. Change the law. Also, the Vfi and the LVA have had years at this and can’t make it happen. They’re useless. Publicans need to ask them what they’re paying them for.
Jar I’m a publican and like many of my compatriots I want 1 day off! A day when I can actually turn my phone off and switch off. A day when I can sand my floors, a day when I can install a new cooling system without worrying about health and safety. Try telling your customers your closing for a day without this legislation behind you! The day this is revoked were all going to have to open else loose your punters to elsewhere so it’s a case of take each day as it comes!
Sign on door “we will be closed next Monday for maintenance”. World carries on, floors get varnished.
Kevin, is that really an argument? Plenty of pubs close for refurb all the time. What kind of customer is honestly going to complain. I imagine that a Friday, any Friday (not just good Friday), is busier than a Monday or Tuesday.
There are many pubs around the country that close for Monday and Tuesdays most weeks or even the whole working week and only open when it is busy.
Aside from that, if they changed the law then you still don’t have to open. The removal of this ban would allow those who are willing to open and also for restaurants to serve alcohol. There can’t just be a ban for antiquated reasons.
@Kevin: then close! The Government is not forcing you to stay open because that would be wrong. Unfortunately however, they’re happy to force you to close.
we are still a backward country.
Oh God nooo! How will we survive!? Let’s start stockpiling now! We’re a joke.
Just because ISIS are anti Christian shouldn’t mean we have to be too
That’s some stretch this early in the day.
People should have choice. Those that don’t want to drink don’t have to. Those that drink don’t have to. Sin e. High time we co-exist and end one cohort telling another what they can & can’t do (I extend that drugs, abortion etc). Regulate yes. Ban – pointless.
This doesn’t stop people drinking… Does it?
Alcohol is freely available day before, you can stock pile as much as you like and have a party on good Friday and drink yourself stupid …
For some, it only takes the smell of it to get there.
Yes, so you agree the ban doesn’t achieve anything in the way of helping our “toxic relationship with alcohol”?
People do have a choice. As they do every other day of the week. As they do coming to closing time in pubs every night of the week and then decide to order too much drink than they’re able to handle. Then go and vomit/piss etc where ever they please. But sure isn’t it all the fault of the church
A backward decision from a non drinker
One day! It’s one day and every year it’s the same stupid debate. A decision from a “non drinker”. You say that like its some kind of badge of honour to be a “drinker” whatever that means.
It’s not just one day. It’s a Friday on a bank holiday. As it’s non religious, and the facetious arbitrement is that it’s just one day, then why not have it on the third Tuesday of the year, or some other time when it won’t impact our tourism industry and people who work around a mon/fri week?
Pubs should stay closed..good Friday and Christmas day. 2 days out of a year what and where is the problem in that
Because people should be free to make their own choices?
Because it negatively affects our tourism industry?
Because we are a secular state that should not impose religious ideals upon it’s population?
I have a problem religion dictates anything but it’s more tradition now and a day off for bar staff. Let them have their day off most never get a Friday off. Might be nice if there was a day some time in year where all shops closed give those folk a bonus day off they are paid for especially as most of them can’t enjoy Christmas Day with the poxy Stephens day sales
> They can book a day off
> Plenty of people want to work and need the hours
> Government should not dictate when people cannot work, and if they do then where’s my Government-mandated holiday?
The one day pub staff get to have a get together and a game of five a side
Play in the morning before the pubs open.
I think it’s important on such a significant religious holiday for people to spend a little time meditating—alone, at home, with their booze from the off-license..
If it was me I’d blame the government.
The papists are out in force on this one. Javol!
I’ve noticed that – or else others who need the support of a full nanny state. maybe they are just objecting after seeing that the author is FG?
I hate the church but im also opposed to anything the VFI want after their lobbying for minimum pricing
I could care less about the VFI – I object to the State telling an Adult what they can and cannot do.
So you object to being told you can’t murder someone too? Where do you arbitrarily draw the line for what its okay for the state to tell you what to do?
Also they aren’t telling you you can’t drink they are simply not allowing it to be purchased which is different entirely.
Having a Friday pint. Murdering someone. Yeah, that’s exactly the same thing.
“I object to the State telling an Adult what they can and cannot do.” Just curious as to what he has no problem with the state telling him what to do and where he arbitrarily draws the line
You know tradition apart…it’s not a bad idea to focus on our need for the high stool. We are like our children…what we want we must have… And we want it now.
And by the way Dale Mcdermott I’d say you would lift a hot coal off your foot. YOur too busy doing your hair in front of the mirror. . It’s rich of you to try take a day off the small family run pub which is mostly 95% ofpublicans. Of course you probably work with the Dublin mafia lobby who want to open on good Friday while their staff work for the normal rate as there out in villamoura on a golfing trip eating lobster and skulling the champagne at their staffs expense! Somebody please stand up for the small man for once!
Excellent point. As always, the only businesses complaining are the large mainly Dublin based businesses and not the small local pubs who operate with tight margins. The economic argument is moot.
The workers needing a day off argument is pathetic.it’s not as if they would be working 364 days in a row.individual people get different days off to their co workers and workers days off are mixed and staggered to ensure smooth flow of any business.Practically every restaurant and retail business operates this way already so why can’t the pubs? Bewildered tourists wandering around wondering why our famous Irish pubs are closed on a Friday night.Laughable in this day and age
Fitzgerald wont be changing the law this year because its too near the election and she fears she eill lose the Holy Joes vote. Such a stupid law from another era, no place for it now in modern Ireland.
I work in a bar, and i work every Friday. I won’t get paid for Good Friday. 20% of my weekly income gone because of some bulls**t law. Wonderful.
Did you not hear the news, you love Good Friday. Sure all you do is have fun and frolic with the other bar staff of Ireland. Cos everyone knows you can only socialise with people of the same profession.
Why don’t all sellers of alcohol get together and say right, this law is stupid, we will all open as usual.
The government can’t jail them all.
No but they can quite easily fine them and revoke their licenses
Yes but the take on the day would be far greater than the fine. Just like PRSI here. It’s against EU law but the fine is just a fraction of the take so the government takes.
They did get together and they formed their little lobby and they asked the Gov to repeal this stupid law but unfortunately as powerful as the vintners are they don’t come close to the RCC in this country.
If someone doesn’t want to drink on good Friday or a pub owner doesn’t want to open their pub then don’t. It’s called choice. It’s not right that we have a law ,that’s sole purpose is religious and serves no other purpose, forcing all society to partake in a religious gesture. Surely the Catholic faith of its followers isn’t that fragile that they need a law to enforce their dogma on everyone just to make themselves feel better.
An old tradition of closing which needs to stop!
Most pubs these days rely on serving food, and not just crappy oul carvery, some serve top restaurant quality food these days, now pub owners have to send the kitchen staff home for the day, and pay them for time off, as well as lost revenue from losing a days takings..
It’s not all about people who can’t control themselves when it comes to alcohol anyways, in fact, it makes it worse as you’ll see those heads coming back from Tesco or Lidl on a Thursday with slabs of half litre cans under there arm, drinking in pubs at least has ways of moderating the level of drinking.
2 days closed a year, it’s not prohibition!!!!
Government “we’re opening pubs good Friday! Religion has no place in modern Ireland!” Crowds rejoice, dancing in the streets around pagan Gods. Following day Government “we are also doing away with the religious holiday of Christmas so no one gets forced to take time off and not drink on Christmas day in their local!” Riots on the streets every politician hung drawn and quartered. If we could all pick and choose what suited us in life it would be very easy.
Pub owners should boycott this ridiculous law, if the majority of pubs opened on the day in protest then they would get the message.
we’re not a country run by a religion…
Not yet!
looks like the christians are waking up. red thumbs ahoy!!
The pubs do be open good Friday, fact.
If your walking by your local boozer and spot the faint wee light glistening thats your cue to go.
Of course like anything there’s procedure to get in, it is follows..
Knock twice on door
Do one step left
One step right
One to the front
One to the side
Clap your hands once
Clap your hands twice
And if it looks like this then your doing it right…
So the publicans are grand having a minimum price as to discourage people drinking too much, but we close the pub for 2 days in the year and they go mad.
The article shîtes on about how for normal people without alcohol problem this is terrible. firstly how about we allow an off licences to open after 10. Don’t kick people out of pubs at 11.30 and get rid of the minimum price.
Then talk about how our alcohol law need more changing.
He had me until the byline that said he was former president of the young fascist group.
Instead of focusing on why we need booze, pergaosits an opportunity to showcase the many things.gs that can be do eon the dry in Ireland. While I agree it’s archaic so it’s the 10pm closing of off licences. There’s many ways an entrepreneur could promote their business, or use the day as a charity fundraiser. Should the Christmas ban be removed too?
We always have a party Good Friday. Two fingers up. Remove this ridiculous law.
there are 7,500 pubs – why don’t they all just ignore this law and open anyway
The Vintner’s Association attempting to run the country again.
No wonder we’re a nation of alcoholics.
Just wondering will the Irish tourist board take out adds in international news papers telling people who intend to visit Ireland if they come to Ireland the pubs are closed good Friday … Me Arsenal they will
The way that people whinge about getting ripped off in pubs, you’d think they’d want them closed all year round, instead of fighting to get ripped off for an extra day :p
I think ill have a a large glass of red and sink my teeth into a big juicy steak on good friday.
Spare a thought for the bar staff. So it’s only a number of people have a problem with drink. Get out of it. Alcohol abuse is way over the top in Ireland. Ask any GP, Garda. A/E staff, taxi driver. A day off the booze is welcomed by a lot of drinkers, and not everyone who goes to a restaurant needs alcohol.
Bizarre attitude to alcohol in Ireland. We have direct experience of tourists arriving in Ireland at Easter mystified by Catholic approach to legislation in a so called Republic. Close your pub if you want to but Government please don’t force dogma on everyone else.
Dale, In the countryside a vast number of small pubs are open on Good Friday for locals but they keep the front doors locked, that has been going on for years…
Can remember when good Friday was Sunday opening hours in UK ,it was like being in grand Prix to get to the pub . they closed at three pm in them days but shutting at two was a matter of life and death,you all have my deepest sympathy but an irishman who can’t sniffout a drink I’m not having it
Leave in place, A&E staff need the brake.
I would like to see a report from our accident and emergency departments of the effect of closing all license premises.
I don’t understand why all Club Bars are allowed to open, eg, Golf, GAA, Rugby . The explanation and law is “members only” . I wonder can you wear runners?
There is a soccer international been played in Dublin on Good Friday,surly like Limerick when Munster played Leinster in the Heineken Cup, the Bars opened.
To prevent you from being thirsty on Good Friday just buy a few large slabs of beer from Lidl or Aldi on Good Thursday.
Should last you through until Good Saturday.
This stupid good friday ban has been argued over for decades, I remember back in the 80′s we used to stock up on the thursday and have a party on the friday, nobody gave a ***te about good friday or what it was supposed to be about. There were always pubs that opened on the sly if you wanted to go there, you just tapped on the back door and that was that. The very fact that this law even still exists only shows the hypocrisy of the country with it’s catholic church backward ways still been allowed to stifle peoples freedom to chose when they go to the pub. If people want to observe religious days then they are free to do so, nobody is forcing them to drink alcohol or go to the pub so why should those of us who don’t practice religion be forced to put up with this ban nonsense. The Irish government has no right to be enforcing such a law on people or businesses especially as it is wide;y accepted that the law itself is only there at the behest of the catholic church. To all the pub owners who claim “it’s there only day off” BS, what about Xmas day? Publicans can open or close their pubs anytime they like within the equally outdated licensing hours, they can refurbish their pubs anytime, bar staff are entitled to holidays like any other employee so this nonsense that they can only “all get together” once a year is pathetic. A group of people i know were thinking of going to Ireland for the easter break but i felt i should warn them that they would have a wasted day on the friday because no pubs or restaurants would be open, bearing in mind they were going there to enjoy Ireland’s famous pubs and the craic within was high on their agenda they were somewhat bemused that such a strange thing happened, they have now opted to go to Portugal instead, ironic given that too is a ‘catholic’ country yet they seem to have the ability to open their pubs and allow those devotees of their slain deity to do their religious stuff and should they chose, go to the pub too, how very grown up! 6 tourists who will be speeding their money in Portugal instead of Ireland minister Fitzgerald. The yolk of the catholic church is still alive and kicking in the Vatican colony, funny how the princes of the church can still have wine on good friday!
Spare a thought for the bar staff. So it’s only a number of people have a problem with drink. Get out of it. Alcohol abuse is way over the top in Ireland. Ask any GP, Garda. A/E staff, taxi driver.
I bet if it was a Muslim custom they would not do away with it because of the tourists
Spare a thought for the bar staff. So it’s only a number of people have a problem with drink. Get out of it. Alcohol abuse is way over the top in Ireland. Ask any GP, Garda. A/E staff, taxi driver. A day off the booze is welcomed by a lot of drinkers, and not everyone who goes to a restaurant needs alcohol.
Absolutely outdated and ridiculous to be told no you can’t have a glass of wine with your meal in this day and age
Let us close!
Why don’t we ban Christmas, Easter, summer and all bank holidays?! Insist that everyone work 7 days a week with no prospect of a day off?
The people that work in hospitality are more or less guaranteed two days off a year and are on call for the rest. Just leave good Friday as it is.
have your say