Pubs 'are a place for people to meet' and can play crucial role in our society

“Pubs can play a crucial role in getting people out and getting people socialising, but more importantly getting people to meet their neighbours and friends,” the Cork-based president of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) has said.

Michael O’Donovan, owner of The Castle Inn in Cork city, told The Echo that pubs still play an important role in towns and villages across Cork in combatting social isolation.

“The bigger part for me and other publicans is that pubs are a place for people to meet,” he said.

“A lot of the time, a postman may be the only person that somebody living on their own in rural Ireland might meet. Whereas if they go down to the local pub in the evening, they might have a game of cards and meet a few of their friends.

“It doesn’t have to be drink, they might have coffee or a mineral. But it is just getting that interaction with somebody else,” he added.

Although there are challenges and costs associated with running a pub in a town like Macroom, bars such as Dineen’s play a big role in the social life of the mid-Cork town.

Dineen’s Bar is now into the fourth generation of family. For 58-year-old Denis Dineen, who has been pulling pints for 44-years, the bar has been a major part of his life.

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Dineen said that “interacting with people” is among the aspects he enjoys the most about the bar.

“I think the main thing in a bar is having the drink good. Having a nice homely fire and a homely atmosphere.

“You need to have the prices right as well and you can’t be extortionate with the prices as well. Especially being a small bar like this,” said Mr Dineen.

“Interacting with people is the main thing. You’d always have new people coming in and people ing by.

“There is a great mixture in the bar. There is a good young crowd and old crowd coming into the bar that mix very well, which is unusual I think in a lot of pubs,” he added.

“Dylan my son, he is the fourth generation. Josie my sister is still here working with me and she works three mornings a week.

“Then we have two part-time staff at the weekends,” said Mr Dineen.

Pubs such as Dineen’s form part of an important social outlet in a town such as Macroom.

A study by Professor Anthony Foley from the Dublin City University Business School revealed a 23.8% decrease in publican licenses from 2005 to 2023.

It also found that the closure of 1,829 public houses between 2005 and 2021 had a negative social impact particularly in rural and remote areas.

To help address the issue of social isolation in rural communities, the VFI launched the ‘Pubs as Community Hubs’ pilot program in 2022, with funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development. The aim of this pilot programme is to transform pubs into multifunctional community hubs, helping to address issues of social isolation.

The pilot program also seeks to encourage rural pubs to diversify their services during quieter periods by hosting activities such as community cinemas, book clubs, arts and crafts workshops and digital hubs.

The Gaelic Bar in Drinagh is one of the pubs which has benefitted from this particular scheme, for example providing changing room facilities for charity walks and the tennis courts in the village.

Eamonn Connolly of The Gaelic Bar outlines how they utilised the Pubs as Community Hubs scheme as a way of being there for the local community in Drinagh.

“The whole scheme and the idea of it was good. We saw it ourselves coming out of covid that the community were really stuck for somewhere to go. When the pubs opened, that is where everyone wanted to meet.

“Whenever there is anything on in Drinagh, we are the only outlet to host an event. From that point of view we are the local community social hub,” said Mr Connolly.

“Something like the Darkness Into Light, where we can have the toilets available and they can use the car park facilities when they come back from their walk. Which is what they have done, and it has been a great success the last two years. We looked at it saying it would be great if we could facilitate them with our facilities. Where the pub is situated we are in the middle of the village,” he added.

“The pub itself isn’t open at that time, but everything was set up and they were able to use it the same way we use it for parties or functions outside.”

VFI President Mr O’Donovan describes the scheme as an important way for pubs to give back to their local community, while also showcasing how pubs play a central role in being at the hub of rural communities across Cork and around Ireland.

“There is one particular pub I know of up in Cavan (Keeper’s Arms, Bawnboy, Co.Cavan) , where they turn the pub into the local cinema on a Tuesday and Wednesday, and people come to the pub to watch a film. It has been a huge success up there,” said Mr O’Donovan.

“The scheme is something that is giving something back to the community. It is getting the community together and getting community buy in. So hopefully we will see funding come from the department and maybe some of our suppliers might row in behind it.

“In most communities the local pub plays a crucial role in the local community and especially in rural communities, where it is a vital part of the local community,” he added.

On an overall level, Mr O’Donovan feels that the future of pubs in rural areas of Cork and across Ireland as a whole looks to be bright.

“If you asked me this pre 2020, I would have said challenging. But now in 2025, I think that pubs that are here now, a lot of them have invested in their business over the last number of years. It is inevitable that some people will retire out of the business and may not have a son or daughter that may be interested in taking on the business.

“I think the vast majority of pubs that are here now, I think we will see them into the future, once they are ed by the local community with people using them.”