This week host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Dublin publican and Managing Director of Grand Slam Bars, Noel Anderson.

The pub group is jointly owned by former Irish rugby internationals Rob Kearney, his brother David, Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien.

They own the Bridge bar in Ballsbridge, the Blackrock pub in the Dublin coastal suburb, the Lemon & Duke and Little Lemon in the city centre and its most recent purchase, McSorley’s in Ranelagh.

Noel is also a shareholder in the Changing Times Brewery set up by a group of leading Irish publicans to produce a range of local stouts and other beers.

Noel’s career in the pub trade began as a teenager and has involved a number of highs and lows. This included allegations of money laundering at one of his former venues, which yielded a financial settlement but only after years of legal wrangling. He talks to me about that extraordinary case, along with the current challenges of running pubs in Ireland and securing insurance against Covid lockdowns just weeks before the pandemic hit here.

We also discuss the rising price of a pint and taking on Guinness in the stout market, and why he feels Dublin city centre needs an extra 1000 Gardai on the street to counter anti-social behaviour.

Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.

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