The sun still comes up every morning, the Suir still ebbs and flows but, blow me down with a feather, women are now been served in Tom Maher’s famous Moondharrig House pub in the city’s O’Connell Street.
I actually saw one myself the other day brazenly coming out of the pub, smiling and chatting to a man.
A roll of thunder shook the street and, for a moment, I thought the Gods were angry but to my relief it was only the bin lorry banging, clanking and rattling for Ireland
Then another female emerged wearing high heels – high fecking heels! I had to steady myself by leaning up against the post office window.
The sun suddenly disappeared behind a cloud and I looked nervously around half expecting to see Tom striding up the street shaking his hurley at the intruders.
Actually, the truth is that I knew Tom and Mary Maher for many years and I know they would be as proud as punch at what the new owners, Mary’s nephews, Bernard and Martin Kelly, have done to his beloved premises.
For the history books, let it be recorded that the first woman to be served in the bar was Ms Nellie Walsh from Slieverue and the momentous transaction took place on January 26th last on the occasion of her birthday.