GUBU
An Irish woman's social, political and domestic commentary
Wednesday, April 27, 2005  

Miscellaneous and The Stag's


I reached a point beyond tiredness last night. I had passed through the jet lag stage (pain across the forehead), I had done the cold sweats the night before, I stuggled to find words when speaking and I was driven to fantasising about getting some non-life threatening, non-disfiguring illness that would hospitalise me for about a week. Then I got up this morning and tried on a pair of jeans that were inches from being buttoned a fortnight ago. They fitted!! Hurraah! Now, not so comfortably that I would wear them and my poor tummy was coming over the top BUT! progess progress. It lifted me to the point where I could do my yoga and believe that life will normalise in another few weeks. Baby wakening is still erratic but I think we are on the right road.

In other news The Stag's Head is for sale! This is the bar that I effectively grew up in. Owned for years by a Mr. Shaffrey from Cavan and then by his nephew Philip, this brilliant pub has had the same staff for about 20 years and during my years in TCD we could be there every day. They never put a telly in, and singing and snogging were banned. I asked for a cocktail once and they nearly threw me out. Whilst completely pissed one night I demanded drinks for all and waved my credit card around. Francie, one of the senior barmen took the card off me (they didn't accept credit cards anyway), gave me a tenner and refused to let me spend any more money that night. Was I grateful the next morning. If you were heading off to a party they'd lend you a bottle or three from behind the bar and you'd replace it with an economically priced one from the Supermarket whenever you had the cash. It was traditional to go down around 5.30 and get your dinner (they did the whole meat/spuds/veg thing and great chips!) but the shift changed at 7 and they'd lose track of who paid and who didn't so we frequently ate for free. They didn't care because we'd just stay for the rest of the night anyway spending our money on booze. It was never a problem getting served after hours of course. During my final year in TCD things starting getting completely out of hand. We were so friendly with the barmen, they practically stopped charging us at one point. One night I was pouring my own drinks behind the upstairs bar. In gratitude we threw a party for the barmen in our rooms, offering the porters a few cans since the guys couldn't come to the party until after midnight when Front Gate was locked. One particularly cold and taxi-less night Peter the manager got into his car and left a gang of us to a party rather than see us walk in the cold. Unfortunately I only get in a couple of times a year now. Some of the lads are still there. I hope the new owners don't tart it up. End of an era and all that. Sigh.

Finally......check out this link (thanks to the brother for alerting me) to this Slate discussion on why abortion helps the crime rate go down! Apparently the economist in question is very well respected.

posted by Sarah | 21:30 4 comments
Comments:
So.
Farewell then
The Stag's Head
Or at least
the current ownership thereof.
Dame Court --
How many of your customers
even knew that's the street it's on?
And now we wonder whether
a Superpub or McDowell cafe
will take your place.
Indeed, as a better poet might have said
"And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Dame Court to be born?"

PS I owe you 4 quid for a burger and chips back in 1987.
 
Sigh, I was close to tears when I heard about this...so many wonderful memories. The night college choir had christmas drinks in the snug and filled the pub with beautiful singing, drinking in the rain the week the roof was replaced, pulling our own drinks and talking for hours and hours and not remembering any of it etc. etc :-(
 
or...

So.
Farewell then
The Stag's Head
I lost my own head in your dingy snug
and sometimes my heart.
Some of your Cavan barmen were cute.
Others not.
You welcomed me like a queen because I was a regular.
Will I be a regular anywhere again?
 
that abortion article is fascinating - it would be weel worth bringing into the public spehere if only for the outrage i imagine it would cause.

the conclusion is very challenging
 
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