There’s been a lot of debate this week around what pubs can and can’t do, where they can and can’t serve, and (for indoors at least) who they can and can’t offer service to.

But debates around the conduct of Irish pubs are nothing new as was seen on the 7th July 1905, when the British House of Commons debated what was formally entitled 'The Drunkenness (Ireland) Bill'.

It was a deeply contentious act that sought to make it an offense to buy a drink for a drunk person in a pub or another licensed premises, and took aim at what it termed “habitual drunkards.”

There was even parliamentary debate shortly after it around abolishing the position of ‘bar maids’ and keeping women out of public houses. It all caused great debate, with Irish MPs regarding the Bill as a slight upon the country, but it forms an important moment in the history of the Irish public house.

Donal Fallon joined Gavan Reilly for another episode of Hidden Histories to discuss.

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