Flashback: Castlebar publicans' brewery outing in 1960s

IN April 2019 I wrote about a group of publicans from the Castlebar area who were taken on a tour of the Macardle Moore & Co. Ltd. brewery in Dundalk where the Guinness Group brewed Double Diamond beer, writes Tom Gillespie.

Accompanying that article was a photograph, taken in 1975, courtesy of Ben Quinn, son of the late Guinness Group representative, Brendan Quinn, The Curragh, Castlebar.

Since then I have come across this other fine photo of Castlebar publicans, well really most of their wives, who were taken on a brewery trip in the 1960s.

They came from all across the town, including Spencer Street, Linenhall Street, Market Square, Rush Street, Bridge Street, Market Street, Castle Street, Lower Chapel Street, and Tucker Street.

Unlike today, all of the pubs were family-run with the family residing in or above the premises.

In particular, nearly all of the premises on Linenhall Street were licensed to sell alcohol as were many on Main Street.

Those were different times when customers were content to sup a pint of plain porter or enjoy a half-one without the confusion that drinkers today face with the vast choice of spirits, beers, lagers, wines and cans from the cooler.

* Included in the photo are Mary O’Malley, Ann Mitchell, Kitty McDonnell, Teresa Stewart, Breege O’Connor, Kitty Sloyan, Eddie Cannon, Mrs. Moran, Mai Coucill, Mick Conway, Johnny McHale, Johnny McGowan, Mrs. Byrne, Annie Kenny, Paddy O’Malley, Kitty Rattigan, Eileen Leamy, Frank McNamara, Paul Carthy, Mattie Moran, Michael Murtagh, John Kenny, Paddy Hoban and John Feeney.