Blow dealt to true love as judge restricts pub opening hours for famous Clare matchmaking festival

Those seeking love at this year’s month-long Lisdoonvarna matching making festival in north Clare have suffered an early blow to their romance prospects.

This follows a district court judge cutting back planned extended opening hours for pubs at September’s Lisdoonvarna match-making festival after Garda concerns.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, publicans across Lisdoonvarna sought a blanket extension of opening hours to serve alcohol to 2.30am through an area ‘exemption for a Special Event’ application under Section 10 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1962.

The publicans were seeking the opening hours extension across Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for five weekends of the festival with the first night of extended opening hours to commence on Friday August 30th and the final night to be Sunday, September 29th.

Those licensed premises seeking the 2.30am extension included The Ravine, The Ritz, The Rathbaun, The Royal Spa, Meg McGuires, The Imperial, The Hydro, The Matchmaker, The Roadside Tavern, The Wild Honey Inn, The Thomond and White’s Castle.

However, in court, Judge Alec Gabbett rejected the 2.30am ‘area exemption’ application from the publicans and has instead extended the opening hours to 1.30am for the month's weekends - one hour less than what was requested.

Judge Gabbett made his ruling despite solicitor, John Casey commenting that the ‘serious work’ for singles attending the festival begins at 1.30am.

Judge Gabbett said serving time until 2.30am “would be the latest exemption I have granted yet”.

On behalf of the Gardai, Sgt John Burke of Ennis Garda Station said: “We have a difficulty with it.”

Acting as agent in the case for M Petty & Co, solicitor, John Casey suggested a compromise of 2am.

Mr Casey said: “The poor men and women who didn’t get hitched up last year get another opportunity this year."

Judge Gabbett asked: “Would that extra hour make all the difference?”

In reply, Mr Casey said at that time of the morning “time is running out and that hour will become very, very important in determining their future."

Sgt Burke remained firm and told Judge Gabbett: “That is our position."

Judge Gabbett said: “1.30am is perfectly sufficient.”

Referring to the numbers of Ukrainians and International Protection (IP) applicants being currently accommodated in Lisdoonvarna hotels, Judge Gabbett said: “It is a very busy town, every hotel is full already before visitors come."

Judge Gabbett said: “They are all sleeping at this hour- they are not interested in match-making."