REMOVAL of almost all COVID-19 restrictions have been broadly welcomed across Co Clare and the entire country.
“It’s time to be ourselves again,” Taoiseach Micheál Martin (FF) announced while addressing the nation on Friday. Some 680 days on from the introduction of the first set of restrictions, it was confirmed that the operating hours for pubs and restaurants would return to normal, nightclubs would reopen while requirements for COVID certificates and face masks in these settings were scrapped. At pubs, the rules of six per table and contact tracing will be removed.
Household visits can occur with no restrictions and social distancing has also been removed. Full attendance will now be allowed at indoor and outdoor events such as sporting contests, funerals, weddings, other religious ceremonies and all events taking place in the music and entertainment industry.
Pubs across Clare reported an increase in business over the weekend with crowds in Ennis on Saturday reminiscent of the ‘good aul days’.
Trevor White was DJ in the Queens as the popular nightclub welcomed large crowds back to the dance floor. He said of the excitement before the return, “you were nearly like a child on Christmas morning, it was exciting and I was really looking forward to it. Tadhg Lyne onto me Friday morning to check my availability for Saturday night and once we got the go ahead on Friday evening, I was looking forward to getting back into it and seeing the place in full flight, by God was it in full flight then on Saturday night”.
He told The Clare Echo, “You could see everyone was happy by the smiles on their faces, normally when people go into a nightclub they venture in, go to the bar or whatever, on Saturday night it was straight to the floor and let loose”.
Some of those in the Queens on Saturday night had never been to a nightclub before, Trevor noticed a mix in the age-demographic present from eighteen and nineteen year olds to those in their forties and early fifties, he was confident people would continue to embrace the night-time economy for the coming weeks.
Saturday’s atmosphere was “electric,” the popular DJ said and admitted that it ranked among the top ten gigs he has performed to date, “it was like freedom day”. The Ennis native continued, “You’d hope that it would be a boost to the nightclub industry and rejuvenate it again, I think people took it for granted that the nightclubs were there, I hope people appreciate them now they’re back. I also hope that the worst days are behind us”.
Away from the DJ booth, Trevor is also the owner of AAA Taxis, the increase in business was very evident for their drivers. “To compare Friday and Saturday, it was like chalk and cheese, on Friday there was nearly tumbleweed blowing up the street and Saturday was all non-stop. The feedback from our drivers was that everyone was in such good spirits and form”.
