“There was a mindset that the people who wanted takeaway drinks were the 18 to 25-year-old demographic, that they wanted to mix in a crowd, but that isn’t the case,” Mr Meagher said.
“Sixty-year-old women are customers. Two 50-year-old friends order wings and Guinness. They hadn’t seen each other for four months.
“It’s the elongated process of the third lockdown. People are tired, they’ve had enough.
“Martin hasn’t mentioned takeaway pints since the throw-away manner at the start of the third lockdown in January.
“We were very compliant. We stopped for two weeks after the announcement but it was clear there was no law brought in.
Publicans are increasingly serving ‘takeaway pints’ and cocktails, with customers aged in their 60s even popping along for a tipple.
Despite the Taoiseach’s request in January to “forget about takeaway pints” during Level 5 lockdown, it seems this request has now been long forgotten by many.
Many pubs across Ireland are welcoming customers for takeaway drinks. According to some publicans, their very survival depends on the takeaway trade, which is not illegal.
Ciaran Meagher, of the Salmon Leap in Leixlip, Co Kildare, said as there was no legislation to prevent it, he felt perfectly within his rights to operate a takeaway service.