Franco Kelly (68) wasn't having any of it. The Kerry man, who has been living in Galway for the past 10 years, says he is a regular customer of Fibber Magees. He likes cigars, but he wasn't going to climb the stairs yesterday for a smoke.
As he pulled on his cigar outside in Eyre Square, Mr Kelly expressed sympathy for the proprietors who had decided to challenge the smoking ban. "I am not going to break the law myself, but I think they have a point," he told The Irish Times.
There was that distinctive aroma as one climbed the stairs of Fibber Magees. About six customers were smoking, including one north Mayo publican who wouldn't identify himself but said he had travelled down specially to have a look.
"I came home five months ago from England to run the business owned by my parents; we have paid ten grand for extractor fans and we have had to let three of our staff go since the ban came in. I had 14 customers all day yesterday, and so I am going to follow suit on Friday and ignore the ban - and I expect four or five pubs will go with me."
Lynne, who wouldn't give her surname but lives in Galway, said that the proprietors of Fibber Magees, Mr Ronan Lawless and Mr Ciaran Levanzin, should "be given a medal". Paul, who said he was from east Galway, agreed, and felt that more publicans should "take a stand".
None of the group had their names taken by any Western Health Board official, and pub staff said if environmental health officers (EHOs) were present they hadn't identified themselves.
