Tag Archives: Susan McMahon

RELIEF was palpable in Bodyke last weekend with the easing of pandemic restrictions and the return of customers to the long bar at The Cobbler’s Rest.  Like thousands of so-called ‘wet pubs’, the venue was hit hard by the pandemic, enduring months of complete closure. The pub, which had never served food, chose not to provide the now infamous €9 meal in an effort to keep the doors open. The result was that it remained shut down between March and September of 2020 and worked around various waves of restrictions in the 15 months that followed. “It’s like a cloud has been lifted over Bodyke last weekend,” said Susan McMahon, who runs the popular rural venue alongside Martin Butler. “The relief was palpable and there was a great sense of excitement on Saturday night. Ironically, I’d say a lot of people chose to go to a restaurant that night, so we were fairly quiet, but it was great for that …

THE buzz was back on Saturday night with the return to normal pub and restaurant opening hours and the removal of a most pandemic restrictions for the first time in nearly two years.  “We went from a stroll straight into a marathon,” said Clare VFI Chairperson and Ennis publican Charlie O’Meara, “but it was great to be doing it. We found people were in earlier and there was a lull for an hour or two after 8pm. We didn’t expect that. People were in great form and glad to be out. I think the pattern will settle in a while.” Miltown publican David O’Brien, of Michael A’s, described the scenes as reminiscent of a St Stephen’s Night. “Nobody was talking about Covid for the first time in a long time,” he said. “It felt like things were nearly normal again. We know it’s not over, but there was a release for people.” There’s hope too that the staycation boost will …

THE proprietors of an East Clare pub are appealing to the government to give them the chance to prove they can re-open and operate safety. Susan McMahon and Martin Butler have been running The Cobbler’s Rest, a so-called ‘wet’ pub, in Bodyke for the last 16 years. They have expressed anger at the fact that while they are sticking to the rules, a number of pubs are flouting regulations on serving a substantial meal, in order to stay open. Like all other pubs who don’t serve food, The Cobbler’s Rest has been shut since March on the direction of government and The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). Its proprietors have seen three false dawns and been preparing to re-open at different stages in July and August, only to have their hopes dashed at the end of last month. “I don’t think they’re going to let us open at all this year,” said Mr Butler. “It’s desperately unfair. Every pub …

CLARE vintners are hopeful that enhanced powers for Gardaí to close pubs not complying with Covid-19 guidelines, will pave the way for the full reopening of their industry. According to the Clare Chairperson of the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI), the forthcoming enforcement powers, which were discussed in the Dáil on Wednesday, are cause for optimism that all pubs might be allowed to re-open in compliance with public health guidelines. “It’s only fair that those flouting the rules should be shut down,” said Darragh McAllister of Lucas’s Bar and Considines in Ennis. “What we are hoping is that tighter rules might allow those of us who run wet pubs to open. In the VFI, we have been seeking these powers from the very beginning because we see them as an indication that all pubs will be given the chance to open and operate responsibly.” Mr McAllister denied that the differential treatment of food pubs, which re-opened in June, had created …

CALLS for a public meeting between Coillte and members of the East Clare community are gathering momentum, following a survey of reactions to a wind farm development proposed for the slopes of Slieve Bearnagh. The survey, which was carried out by a local group called Bodyke Voice on Wind Farm, found that a large percentage of a sample of responses favoured a public meeting. Susan McMahon of the Cobbler’s Rest, a member of the group, said that 120 responses in total had been submitted to the survey. “Because we are a voluntary group and can’t afford to subscribe to a survey, we could only look at 40 of the responses submitted,” she explained. “Of those, 92% favoured a public meeting with Coillte. I’d estimate that around 60% of the responses we could see were not in favour of the project.” Ms McMahon herself said that she did not have an agenda with regard to the proposed wind farm, but wanted …

CONCERNS are being voiced in Bodyke about the nature of the consultation process surrounding a multimillion Euro wind farm proposed for the slopes of Slieve Bernagh in East Clare. In recent weeks, a Facebook page, called ‘Bodyke Voice on Wind Farm’ has been set up by people in the community to facilitate discussion. One of those raising awareness of the project, Susan McMahon of the Cobbler’s Rest, has used the page to publish responses from the developer, Coillte, to a series of detailed questions, some of which focus on a perceived lack of consultation with the wider community. “I have no agenda on this,” Ms McMahon told The Champion. “I’m not trying to rally the forces or influence people one way or another on this project. I’m not against green energy, I’m in favour of it, but, I do feel we have been brushed aside in terms of consultation.” The publican outlined how she had learned, by word of mouth, …