Sir, – The accelerating decline of rural pubs is often discussed as a cultural loss, but in many communities it is something more profound – the disappearance of the last remaining public space. When the pub shuts, so too does the informal welfare system that has quietly operated for generations – somewhere to check in on older neighbours, to meet after a funeral, to organise the GAA draw, or simply to break the isolation of rural life.
If we are serious about sustaining rural Ireland, we need to stop treating pubs solely as private businesses and start seeing them as pieces of community infrastructure. That means thinking beyond tax cuts or once-off grants. Other countries have already accepted that certain local assets are too socially valuable to lose; we should do the same.
There are simple, imaginative steps we could take. A national “Public House Land Trust” could acquire at-risk premises and lease them back as multi-use social hubs. A small levy on large-scale alcohol retailers could fund pubs to host non-drinking activities – from men’s sheds to carer support groups. And we should examine whether every rural resident is entitled to a local social hub within reasonable reach, in the same way they are entitled to broadband or public transport.
These ideas are not about nostalgia for the “good room”. They are about recognising that connection, belonging and visibility are as vital to rural wellbeing as roads or broadband.
RM Block
When the last pub closes, the loss is not measured in pints – it is measured in loneliness. – Yours, etc.
Dr KATHY MCLOUGHLIN,
Roscrea,
Co Tipperary.
