It’s always crazy in Clifden at this time of year. Any fears that this summer might be different in the Connemara town because of Covid-19 have most certainly been swept aside this week.
It all started with a €7 million lottery win last week. Then Storm Ellen saw locals tying down everything that could be tied down. And, lastly, the Oireachtas Golf Society came to town.
Locals say this has been Clifden’s busiest summer in years. While the usual influx of US and continental European tourists has been halted, Irish visitors, mostly from Dublin, have filled every bed in the town.
Most of the tourists who have come here have been compliant, and then you have this sort of behaviour
Most townspeople were unaware that a political delegation attending the Oireachtas golf outing had visited the Station House Hotel until a media storm broke on Thursday night. But politicians and celebrities are not rare in Clifden in the summer.
“It’s a disgrace. I haven’t been further than the beach with my dog since this started and they have come from all over the country this week,” said Paddy Howard, a chef in the popular Off the Square restaurant.
“We have been doing everything right and most of the tourists who have come here have been compliant, and then you have this sort of behaviour this week. It’s the talk of the town.”
Sympathy
The Station House Hotel is owned by businessman John Sweeney. Having employed hundreds of people in the area over the years in his various ventures, including an oil distribution business, there is considerable sympathy for him and anger at the politicians.
Lisa King, president of Clifden Chamber of Commerce and operator of King’s Paper & Gift Shop in the town, said it was vital that everybody followed the same rules.
“From a business point of view we would like everybody to follow the same rules. It is unfortunate that these [politicians] broke their own rules,” she said. “We don’t believe there should be one rule for them and one rule for us.”
Only basic catering facilities are available at the golf club as they adhere to the Covid-19 restrictions
The golf society was celebrating its 50th anniversary this week and Geoff Tucker, captain of Connemara Golf Links in Ballyconneely, said that most years the group plays the course in August. He did not know when this year’s booking was made, but the event usually takes place around the same time.
He did not attend the dinner on Wednesday evening but met society president Donie Cassidy and captain Noel Grealish during the day.
Mobile home
Mr Tucker said the family of the late TD and MEP Mark Killilea, to whom tributes were paid at the dinner, had a mobile home at the back of the club. “They have been a long time coming to the golf club – over the last 45 years,” he said.
Only basic catering facilities are available at the golf club as they adhere to the Covid-19 restrictions, and it would not have been able to host the prize-giving dinner, Mr Tucker added.
Back in the town Joe Rogan, who sold the winning Lotto ticket at his Gala service station shop, might have expected to see out the week as the top news story in the region, let alone the town.
“This story has trumped me now, so it has,” he said. “It has been non-stop chat today about it. It’s not good at all.”