Not only but also, Harvey's, the locally brewed tipple at the centre of the row, won Best Ale awards in 2005 and 2006. Happily there are still around 20 pubs in the town that continue to purvey the amber nectar; you can also purchase copious quantities direct from the brewery shop for home consumption, something I do regularly throughout the summer - or if that fails to show up, the middle two weeks of July.
The smoking ban is most welcome. During
my time in Macroom I had the best time nipping out into the pissing rain to try and roll my own. Certain people prefer not to acknowledge their foul habit, so I'll just say the highlight was when one of my companions gave up after 10 minutes pathetic fumbling, accepting the help of a softly chuckling local.
As a reformed offender I'm particularly zealous in my condemnation of puffers. I've been completely 'clean' for well over a year (I only dabbled, but as someone once said, just as you can't be a 'little bit pregnant' you can't 'have the occasional rollie' either). My good friend Captain Tom is going through cold turkey just now. He's a lifer well into his forties, and I take my hat off to him for a courageous effort.
