THEY'LL stagger closing time in Listowel's pubs this weekend. With over 100,000 people expected in the town for the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil, the last thing they want is everyone leaving pubs at the same time, followed by brawling over late night burgers.
Judging by the demeanour of the two policemen sitting having tea and porter cake in the back kitchen of the celebrated playwright and publican, John B. Keane, the Garda is not expecting trouble, however. "We're here for the nightlife," admits the garda from Bandon with a smile. "We put our names on the list and we're lucky to get day shifts here for the weekend. We expect to have a good time."
On the street outside, Insp Michael Keogh who was in charge of operations yesterday said the Garda will adopt a tolerant attitude during the festival of Irish music.
"We'd like people to keep to the spirit rather than the letter of the law, so that everyone has a good time," he said.
In the backyard of John B's, Listowel's famous pub, a session had been in full swing since 10 yesterday morning. An Oxford professor sitting at the bar was there "to study the craic". A middle aged man from Tarbert was there to sing his latest number, an ode to the Olympic champion, Michelle Smith. Most of the audience were there for the drink.
More than a million pints will be sunk in Listowel this weekend. The town of 4,000 people boasts a pub for every week of the year. Thousands of musicians and music lovers have already arrived. A week before the Fleadh started a spare bed could not be found within a 10 mile radius of the town.
But Listowel people have responded to the accommodation crisis, according to the Fleadh's PRO, Ned O'Sullivan. "There are still bits of beds to be found, but they won't stay empty for long," he says enigmatically.
"Those who come will have the best of music, the best of drink, a little food and hardly any sleep at all," he added.
More than 3,500 musicians are taking part in competitions over the weekend, but hundreds more come along just to play in the impromptu sessions around the town.
Street sellers line the roadways selling everything from bones and bodhrans to bangles and balloons. Fortune tellers on the main road into town are predicting a great Fleadh this year. But the young Cambridge fiddle player in the Good Old Days pub doesn't believe you need special powers to see that everyone is going to have a ball.
Derek Magee, who was playing yesterday with a group of Dublin musicians, arrived on Thursday for his first Fleadh Cheoil. "It's amazing, it's ace," he declared. "I could not help but have a good time.