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Speaking of pubs and sessions, I wonder if anyone has been part of a "lock-in"?

Maybe I'm not supposed to talk about it. ;-) I wonder if you'd best not look at it directly, like a shy creature...but if you've got a story, I'd love to hear it.

Here's mine.

Almost 20 years ago we were in a pub in Killybegs. It was a small crowd in a small bar: a dozen or so locals, us (from Canada), and some more come-from-aways, a honeymooning couple from Ulster. We had asked the landlord when we sat down if there was a session. "No," he said sadly. "I might go grab my guitar," he added apologetically, as if it was inhospitable of him not to have music if someone had requested it.

Somehow as the evening matured, we all ended up around one long table, in a song session. Unaccompanied, each of the locals contributed a song. (We and the honeymooners were shy.) And somehow the drapes were pulled and the doors were locked, so there was time for everyone to have as many turns as they wanted. There were rebel songs, laments, and drinking songs, many we'd never heard before--or since.

We weren't terribly late to leave, though the landlord warned us that we had to be quiet or we might attract the guards.

Oh! I just remembered, we also got locked in in Slane the year before that. Another great session ended, and we were talking to the musicians who had finally stopped to drink their pints, when we noticed the crowd had thinned. That was when one of musicians started an hilarious story of his encounter with a boisterous tourist from Idaho, "big corn-fed boy!", who had been there earlier, but wasn't now part of the honoured few behind the locked door.

Good times. :)

Posted by
2161 posts

Hi JoAnne, what's the reason for getting "locked in"? We're headed to Ireland for the first time this year and I assume we'll spend some evenings in the pubs. I don't want to get locked in. What's the deal?

Posted by
263 posts

Sorry Donna, didn't mean to confuse. It's not a bad thing, it's a good thing! The practice, as I've heard, is a way to keep the evening going among a congenial group when the landlord agrees. Instead of shutting the place down and kicking everyone out at the official closing time, the door is locked (and the curtains drawn) so the place appears closed to the guards (police), and after that point, no other customers enter. In our experience we were asked with a nod and a wink if we wanted to buy another pint after that technically was not allowed. The brilliant part is, though, that whatever good things were happening before the closing hour continue to happen--like the song session, or the great conversation. It feels a little "naughty", and our b&b host was mildly scandalized the next morning and clucked about how we were lucky the guards didn't find us. And it did feel a bit like we got a special invitation to the party, to be included.
In "the old days" you could also get locked in on a Sunday afternoon during the "holy hours" (2-4 pm if I remember correctly), but I understand that was perfectly legal as long as you had your orders in before closing.
I'd love to have it happen again on this trip, because it's a sign of a good evening, but I don't think it's something you can force, or plan on. I was just wondering how many here have experienced the same thing.

Posted by
1631 posts

I don't think it was an official "lock-in", but when we were in Kinsale in 2014 we had a similar experience. We were at the pub enjoying the music and had met fellow travellers from all over. I had way too much to drink. At one point I sort of realized there was no music - in fact the band was sitting at the table with us. I looked around to discover all the chairs up except our table which included us, the band, the bar staff and a few other couples. I was mortified but quicly realized noone cared at all. Still, I finished my drink pronto and left.

I think we are part of the annual lock in at our local. They always have staff appreciation in December for the staff Christmas party. It's closed to the public but some of us regulars are invited. No cash changes hands. It's food and drink all night on the owners. A great night!

Posted by
263 posts

That sounds really neat Andrea, great story. :) Thanks for sharing it.

Posted by
20 posts

Here's Mine

We were " locked in" in Skibbereen on a pub trivia night, it was great fun! I must admit I got a nervous when we had to hide behind the bar when the guards were looking trying to look in thru the shutters. If you get the opportunity, I would bet you wont be disappointed!!

Posted by
1692 posts

Hic, pass me another one. Yay, landlord, yay.

A look in does not have a a legal basis. It is simply when the licenced opening hours end and there is some continuation of the bar. It turns into a private event.

Really what this means is each lock in is different dependent on the jurisdiction and the pub. But above all they are ILLEGAL. And the authorities across the UK and ROI are making them more and more difficult.