"Respectable" young men had found the type of girls they met in Galway nightclubs were "dreadful", Judge John Garavan told the local District Court yesterday, before refusing to extend late-night opening hours for a number of city nightclubs.
"If people want a night out let them go out on time. Why wait until 12.30 a.m.?" he said. "It's uncivilised. A lot of respectable people would not go out, or stay out, late. Let's face it, it's attracting the wrong sort of people. "I hear from respectable young men they can't meet nice, respectable girls in these nightclubs. The girls they meet there are dreadful, at least that is what I am told," the judge said.
Judge Garavan made his remarks while using his discretion under the new legislation to refuse the extension of late opening hours already granted to Cuba Nightclub at a previous sitting.
Mr Pat Sheehan, solicitor for Mr Paul Grealish, nominee of the nightclub, said his client was getting only half an hour extra a night under the legislation. After all, he said, his client was there to make a profit.
Refusing to amend the application, Judge Garavan told Mr Sheehan his client was not the only one to be considered. "What about the ordinary, respectable citizens of Galway? They are concerned about the hooliganism that goes on in the streets of Galway at the weekends. Do you want it every night of the week now? "There is drink and mayhem on the streets. Not a weekend goes by but Supermac's window is broken. If people want a night out let them go out at a respectable hour. Of course, if the truth be known, you won't find respectable people out at all hours. It's uncivilised and a lot of them just won't go out," he said.
Since longer opening hours were introduced last month, Judge Garavan has granted bar extensions to nightclubs in Galway to 1 a.m. for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. The legislation gives judges discretion to grant late-night opening on these nights to 2.30 a.m.
He has also granted extensions for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights to 2 a.m., (under the new laws this was extended to 2.30 a.m.), while granting extensions to 1 a.m. for Sundays and Mondays, in accordance with the legislation.