{"id":516391,"date":"2026-06-24T18:35:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T18:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/516391\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T18:35:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T18:35:31","slug":"more-than-a-pint-roscommons-pubs-are-fighting-for-their-future-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/516391\/","title":{"rendered":"More than a pint – Roscommon\u2019s pubs are fighting for their future – News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cA problem shared is a problem halved.\u201d For generations, that quiet wisdom found its home in the rural Irish pub \u2014 a place not just for drink, but for companionship, conversation and community. Today, however, the future of that tradition is increasingly uncertain, particularly in counties like Roscommon where closures and rising costs are reshaping rural life.<\/p>\n

A 2025 report commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland paints a stark picture: Roscommon has recorded the fourth-highest rate of pub closures in the country. Since 2005, 82 pubs in the county have shut their doors \u2014 a significant decline in a region already grappling with rural depopulation and limited amenities.<\/p>\n

For those still operating, the challenges are mounting. The Vintners\u2019 Federation of Ireland (VFI), which represents more than 3,500 publicans nationwide, says the past year has been among the toughest on record. Chief executive Pat Crotty points to escalating overheads as a primary concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cElectricity costs have increased by 70% in the past five years, wages by 40%, while water tariffs have also risen significantly,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is simply no capacity left to absorb further cost increases.\u201d Those pressures are feeding into a wider sense of uncertainty across the trade. A recent VFI survey found that 42% of publicans lack confidence in their future business outlook, while 41% say trading conditions have worsened compared to 12 months ago.<\/p>\n

Behind the statistics lies a deeper story \u2014 one rooted in the lived realities of rural communities.<\/p>\n

\"ThirdThird generation publican D\u00f3nal Rattigan.<\/p>\n

Rattigan\u2019s Bar in Kilrooskey has stood at the heart of its community for generations and has been operated by the Rattigan family since 1903. Now operated by third-generation publican D\u00f3nal Rattigan, it represents both the tradition and fragility of rural pub culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cA customer once said you\u2019re like a counsellor listening to people,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou celebrate the good, console during death. People open up to you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

For D\u00f3nal, the role extends far beyond serving drinks. In communities where social outlets are dwindling, the pub often provides a rare point of human connection. Yet he believes rural Ireland is being left behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe countryside is totally ignored in all aspects,\u201d he said. \u201cPoliticians shake your hand and talk to you \u2014 you won\u2019t see them again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

One of the most pressing issues is transport. Unlike cities, where late-night public transport is at least available for part of the night, many rural areas have no viable options. In Roscommon, services are limited largely to daytime Local Link routes, leaving taxis where they are available as the only alternative.<\/p>\n

In an attempt to address this, the Rattigan\u2019s previously ran a shuttle service under the slogan \u201cYou drink, we drive.\u201d Though popular, the initiative proved financially unsustainable due to high insurance and taxation costs.<\/p>\n

\"D\u00f3nal\u00a0D\u00f3nal\u00a0 Rattigan believes targeted supports, such as grant aid for local night buses, could make a real difference \u2014 not just for business, but for safety and community life.<\/p>\n

D\u00f3nal believes targeted supports, such as grant aid for local night buses, could make a real difference \u2014 not just for business, but for safety and community life.<\/p>\n

The significance of rural pubs extends well beyond economics. Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice emphasises their role in combating isolation, particularly among farmers and others who spend long days working alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you look at rural populations now, especially in agriculture, many people are working on their own all day,\u201d he said. \u201cFor mental health and wellbeing, the rural pub as a place to socialise and interact is important. This isn\u2019t about drinking \u2014 it\u2019s about having a chat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Deputy Fitzmaurice warns that without these informal gathering spaces, rural isolation could deepen. He supports the creation of a \u201cSocial Fund\u201d to support organised monthly events in local pubs, including transport for attendees. Such initiatives, he argues, could strengthen community cohesion while providing a modest but vital boost to struggling businesses.<\/p>\n

However, affordability remains a significant barrier. According to a \u201cRhythm of the Night\u201d survey, 86% of respondents now consider a night out too expensive \u2014 a reflection of broader cost-of-living pressures.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe real problem is how expensive everything is,\u201d Deputy Fitzmaurice added. \u201cWorking people got no tax break in the Budget. But I believe strongly in community spirit \u2014 even one night out a month can make a difference.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Padraig Mulligan, owner of Mulligan\u2019s pub and hardware shop in Ballaghaderreen, has witnessed the evolution of drinking habits first-hand. As a second-generation publican, he sees both the enduring value of the pub \u2014 and the growing threats to its survival.<\/p>\n

\"PadraigPadraig Mulligan, owner of Mulligan\u2019s pub and hardware shop in Ballaghaderreen.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are people I count as friends that I met through the bar,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we are witnessing the demise of the rural pub. For some people, you might be the only person they encounter that week.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

A major shift has been the move towards home drinking, driven in part by rising costs. While off-licence sales have grown, he warns that the change comes with risks.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrinking nowadays has gone towards the off-licence,\u201d he said. \u201cThat can be a good thing and a bad thing \u2014 home measures can lead to over-drinking, and with no final bell, it doesn\u2019t have to stop.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

He also raises concerns about the impact on younger generations. \u201cYoung children in the background may not know the difference between what normal drinking is and what isn\u2019t,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Rattigan\u2019sRattigan\u2019s Bar in Kilrooskey has stood at the heart of its community for generations and has been operated by the Rattigan family since 1903. <\/p>\n

The challenges facing rural pubs are complex and interconnected. Rising operational costs, changing social habits, limited transport, and declining rural populations all contribute to the strain.<\/p>\n

Yet the loss of these establishments would represent more than an economic shift \u2014 it would mark the erosion of a uniquely Irish social institution.<\/p>\n

As D\u00f3nal Rattigan reflects, the pub remains a place of shared experience, whether in celebration or in grief. Maintaining that role in modern Ireland will require not only resilience from publicans, but meaningful support from government and communities alike.<\/p>\n

Without intervention, the steady rhythm of closures may continue \u2014 and with each shuttered door, a piece of rural life risks disappearing with it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cA problem shared is a problem halved.\u201d For generations, that quiet wisdom found its home in the rural…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":516392,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[72,61,60],"class_list":["post-516391","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-ie","tag-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/516391","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=516391"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/516391\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/516392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=516391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=516391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=516391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}