A publican who lost his licence because of his alleged refusal to serve a traveller is to appeal his case to the Circuit Court. The publican insists that he is not prejudiced against members of the travelling community.
At the annual licensing court this week in Ennis, Co Clare, Mr John McLoughlin was accused of discrimination for refusing to serve Mr David McDonagh (41), a settled traveller with an address at Waterpark View, Ennis.
Mr McDonagh objected to the renewal of Mr McLoughlin's licence for Dillingers public house in Ennis, claiming that he had been refused service on St Valentine's Night when he went to the pub with his wife. He said that there was nobody else with them on the occasion.
Mr McDonagh, who has lived in Ennis for the past 22 years, said he felt he had been refused service because he was a traveller. He said he had been served in the same public house on another occasion. He told the Clare Champion that when he asked for an explanation for not serving him, Mr McLoughlin replied: "The citizens", which he took to mean that other customers would object.
Mr McLoughlin said he did not refuse Mr McDonagh because he was a traveller, but because he was in the company of another man who had caused problems previously. Asked why he did not ask this man to leave, and permit Mr McDonagh and his wife to remain, Mr McLoughlin said he had taken a quick decision based on his 30 years' experience in the trade.
He added that in a two-month period prior to this incident he had experienced a lot of problems in his two public house, and gardai had been called on seven or eight occasions.
The publican pointed out that there were other travellers on the premises that night and he continued to serve travellers at Dillingers and his other pub, Johnny Mac's. "I still serve travellers and I will take their pound just the same as anybody else. If they misbehave they will not be served," he added.
At the court hearing Judge Albert O'Dea refused to grant Mr McLoughlin a good-character certificate, which is necessary to trade once there is an objection to a licence renewal application.
The publican will continue to trade at Dillingers in Market Street and Johnny Mac's in Carmody Street pending the outcome of an appeal to the Circuit Court.