Publican’s brother served friends until 5am

Publican’s brother served friends until 5am


A DISTRICT Court Judge told a Cong publican that she hopes his brother helps pay his fine after gardaí found him with a group of friends drinking in the pub at five in the morning.
Last week’s sitting of  Castlebar District Court heard that on October 25, 2010 Garda Jonathon Connor entered Pat Cohan’s Pub in Cong at 5am and found approximately ten people on the premises. He said they were all drinking with fresh drink on the tables, when closing time was 11.30pm.
Judge Mary Devins was told that the licencee, John Connolly of Pat Cohan’s Bar, Main Street, Cong had three convictions in the last year for being in breach of the licencing laws.
“I appreciate it is hard for publicans in rural areas to make a living but this is not the way to do it,” Judge Devins commented.
The Court was told the Mr Connolly was not on the premises at the time and had closed the pub at 12.30am and gone home. However, it emerged that his brother who had a set of keys had invited a group of people he was at a party with back to the pub and was serving them drink.
Mr Connolly’s solicitor said he understood he was in serious trouble and had taken the set of keys off his brother and the only persons with the keys to the premises were himself and his wife. She said that what happened will not happen again and he now ensured that the pub was closed at the time it should be closed.
Judge Devins recorded an endorsement of Mr Connolly’s licence and said she hoped Mr Connolly’s brother was going to pay his fine of €700.