This programme recalls the Bona Fide rule which meant that a person could only get a drink in a public house on a Sunday if he/she had travelled in “good faith”, three miles, along a public roadway.
The Bona Fide rule, introduced by the British government in Ireland in 1872, remained in place until 1960.
Contributors to the programme include many of those who frequented pubs in the 1930s through to the 50s when the rule applied and governed the opening and closing times of public houses.
Denied a legal drink in their local on a Sunday resulted in ingenious plots and plans devised by publicans and drinkers to avoid getting “caught on”.
If “caught on “ the non bona fide drinker faced heavy fines and could be named and shamed in the local press. Publicans risked losing their licenses for breaching the legislation.
Retired gardai and publicans together with patrons recall their experiences in what now seems a different world.
The programme is presented by international award winning journalist Teresa O’Malley, Head of News at Midwest Radio and is co produced by Teresa and her newsroom colleague Liamy MacNally with technical assistance from Ronan Courell.
The Bona Fide rule, introduced by the British government in Ireland in 1872, remained in place until 1960.
Contributors to the programme include many of those who frequented pubs in the 1930s through to the 50s when the rule applied and governed the opening and closing times of public houses.
Denied a legal drink in their local on a Sunday resulted in ingenious plots and plans devised by publicans and drinkers to avoid getting “caught on”.
If “caught on “ the non bona fide drinker faced heavy fines and could be named and shamed in the local press. Publicans risked losing their licenses for breaching the legislation.
Retired gardai and publicans together with patrons recall their experiences in what now seems a different world.
The programme is presented by international award winning journalist Teresa O’Malley, Head of News at Midwest Radio and is co produced by Teresa and her newsroom colleague Liamy MacNally with technical assistance from Ronan Courell.
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