No booze for rugby fans on Good Friday

[J70]

I was listening to Ian Dempsey on Today Fm on me way to work this morning and a guy texted in a very good idea on how to get round this ridiculous law, let the publicans sell the drink on holy thursday, give out receipts and then exchange the receipts for pints on good friday, sounds too simple but it might work as the law states you can't sell it on good friday, but nothing there to state you can't sell it on holy thursday and hand her out on good friday.

As bingobus rightly says the do gooders who harp on "its only one day can't you not have one day without drink?" have a flawed argument as lots of people go for longer than that without having a drink, its not the not having a drink its the not having a choice, the catholic church are in no position to take the high moral ground about its one day to remember Our Lords suffering, when they were shuffling and moving beast priests round the place to offend over and over again.

If anyone wants to go to the cermonies and get the feet washed etc etc go on ahead, don't force it down my throat.   

if the law really stated that then surely a pub could do the same any day of the week and thus ignore closing times?  Does the law not mention consumption of alcohol on a licensed premises?

As for the whole divorcing church from state arguments, where do we start?  At it's most basic, as pointed out above, why do we take sunday's off?  Hell, why do we have 7 days in the week...........

That's hardly a valid defense of banning booze sales on Good Friday. The seven day week/weekend off long ago became the secular norm, and besides numerous industries open/work over the weekends anyway. There is no religious aspect to it at all at this stage. You cannot say the same for the Good Friday ban - the only reason for its existence is the traditional majority religion in Ireland. In this day and age that is not a valid reason. If I want a pint on Good Friday, I should be free to go to my local to get one (and the same on Christmas Day, assuming that the landlord felt like opening).

[J70]

Flip.

Some of you will want Christmas and Easter banned next. Sure why dont you ask for all the bank holidays to be in the summer when the golf course is open. Why are things closed on a Sunday? Make Sunday just another day of the week eh?

You also have a choice to drink at home if you want to. Isnt that enough?

Xmas and Easter don't infringe on people's freedom, except to the extent that booze sales are also banned on Xmas Day. Why on earth, apart from hyperbole, you'd think people would, even hypothetically want to ban them is beyond me. Lots of businesses open/operate on Sunday, but even if not, the Monday-Friday week is a long-standing secular arrangement at this point. And no, the choice to drink at home is not enough. You are free not to go to the pub if it is open. That is your unrestricted choice. I am not free to go to the pub if it is closed because of some outdated religiously motivated law.

[Bogball XV]

As for the whole divorcing church from state arguments, where do we start?  At it's most basic, as pointed out above, why do we take sunday's off?  Hell, why do we have 7 days in the week...........

That's hardly a valid defense of banning booze sales on Good Friday. The seven day week/weekend off long ago became the secular norm, and besides numerous industries open/work over the weekends anyway. There is no religious aspect to it at all at this stage. You cannot say the same for the Good Friday ban - the only reason for its existence is the traditional majority religion in Ireland. In this day and age that is not a valid reason. If I want a pint on Good Friday, I should be free to go to my local to get one (and the same on Christmas Day, assuming that the landlord felt like opening).
[/quote]
I'm not defending the banning of booze sales on Good Friday, I'm just trying to point out that virtually everything about our lives had its grounding in religion at some stage, therefore it's not that simple to try and separate church and state.  Re Good Friday and the booze ban, I don't care either way (but more in favour of it remaining), but if I had my way shops would be closed on Sundays and that's not for religous reasons, but more for quality of life issues, but I digress, once again!!

[J70]

As for the whole divorcing church from state arguments, where do we start?  At it's most basic, as pointed out above, why do we take sunday's off?  Hell, why do we have 7 days in the week...........

That's hardly a valid defense of banning booze sales on Good Friday. The seven day week/weekend off long ago became the secular norm, and besides numerous industries open/work over the weekends anyway. There is no religious aspect to it at all at this stage. You cannot say the same for the Good Friday ban - the only reason for its existence is the traditional majority religion in Ireland. In this day and age that is not a valid reason. If I want a pint on Good Friday, I should be free to go to my local to get one (and the same on Christmas Day, assuming that the landlord felt like opening).

I'm not defending the banning of booze sales on Good Friday, I'm just trying to point out that virtually everything about our lives had its grounding in religion at some stage, therefore it's not that simple to try and separate church and state.  Re Good Friday and the booze ban, I don't care either way (but more in favour of it remaining), but if I had my way shops would be closed on Sundays and that's not for religous reasons, but more for quality of life issues, but I digress, once again!!

Fair enough, there are grey areas like having catholic schools serve as de facto state schools in Ireland, which would obviously be difficult to reform (or maybe not... couldn't the state just take them over and free the clergy up? Its probably coming anyway with the shortages of priests and nuns, although will that mean the end of using state schools to teach religion?). However, inflicting a narrow law such as the Good Friday ban on everyone purely to satisfy the religious beliefs of one sect is completely different and would not be at all difficult to rescind. I think its pretty clear that if something infringes on the rights of everyone solely to placate one particular religious group, then that thing has no place in a modern society. Basically, practise away at your religion to your heart's content (not you personally BB XV!), but leave me the f**k out of it! No one is forcing anyone to hit the pub on Good Friday or B&Q/Woodie's DIY on Sunday! Sunday opening or Good Friday piss-ups are not restricting anyone's rights.

[Hardy]

I think its pretty clear that if something infringes on the rights of everyone solely to placate one particular religious group, then that thing has no place in a modern society.

Indeed. Take, for instance, the Act of Settlement. Anachronistic, framed in a time when religion dominated politics, favouring one particular sect and nakedly discriminatory against those who profess a different religious belief or none. Reminds me of the Good Friday pub ban.

[Doogie Browser]

Power to the people
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8587056.stm

[AZOffaly]

I think the pub ban on Good Friday is a joke. People have their free will and conscience, so if they don't want to drink on Good Friday, they won't drink. Just because the pubs are open doesn't mean you have to drink.

Pub owner may or may not decide to open based on their own beliefs as well, and that should be grand too.

And now people who have no affiliation to the church, or who think the Good Friday ban is the same as the eating fish on a friday lark can have a pint if they want.

Proper order.

For me, I'd not drink on that day, but I see no reason why others should be stopped as opposed to choosing not to.

[The Subbie]

Power to the people
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8587056.stm

This could quite possibly be the first time common sense has been used by any state organ since 1921.

[Capt Pat]

Yeah that makes sense, open up the pubs to allow the fans driving to the match have a drink. Most fans will be driving there will they not.

[Franko]

Yeah that makes sense, open up the pubs to allow the fans driving to the match have a drink. Most fans will be driving there will they not.

Get a grip man. 

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

I always make a special point to drink alcohol and eat meat on Good Friday.

[Declan]

Special event my arse. It's a rugby game, Irish solution to an Irish problem.

I always make a special point to drink alcohol and eat meat on Good Friday.

Very grown up of you!

[Capt Pat]

Yeah that makes sense, open up the pubs to allow the fans driving to the match have a drink. Most fans will be driving there will they not.

Get a grip man. 

You get a grip, can you not go a day without a drink? Are you interested in the match at all?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Special event my arse. It's a rugby game, Irish solution to an Irish problem.

I always make a special point to drink alcohol and eat meat on Good Friday.

Very grown up of you!

Yes, I am over 18 so I am allowed to consume alcohol. I often go off drink & alcohol for a fortnight either side of the date to make my consumption of meat and drinking of alcohol all the more meaningful to me.

[thebigfella]

Yeah that makes sense, open up the pubs to allow the fans driving to the match have a drink. Most fans will be driving there will they not.

I didn't read they had received a special Good Friday exemption for drink driving also?