2019 and 2020 might be side by side in list of years on the Gregorian calendar but really they could not be more different.
For example in 2019, we could go out to the pub without ordering a meal, host house parties, attend house parties, hug family, have half the village at our wedding and cheer on our favourite teams from the stands. The list goes on, really.
2020, however, is not so enjoyable. All those little freedoms we took for granted have been taken away from us by this godforsaken virus and close to the top of the list of 'things that people miss' is going to the pub.
The clink of glasses, the laughter and simply walking to the the bar for a pint are very much experiences of the past and that's evident by this pair of photos posted by The Shelbourne Bar on Cork's MacCurtain street.
The first image depicts a rake of kegs being lined up outside in preparation for the city's annual jazz festival which usually takes place over the October Bank Holiday. The second one, however, shows two lonely kegs waiting to be installed to serve the few people who can dine outdoors in at the Shelbourne Bar over the coming days.
https://twitter.com/Shelbournebar/status/1316671431460167680
It really hits home the reality that pubs have faced this year and with the
three counties entering level 4 of Covid-19 restrictions, the end doesn't appear to be in sight. If you are down in Cork, you can find out more about the Shelbourne Bar and other places that are serving outdoors
here.
One day, we'll all be back to sip every last drop from those kegs. In the meantime, all we can do is follow
HSE Covid-19 guidelines to ensure that that day comes sooner rather than later.
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