Pub Closes After Defying Smoking Ban

The Galway pub that led a four-day rebellion against Ireland’s smoking ban closed Thursday under threat of huge fines and the loss of its liquor license.

A grim-faced Ronan Lawless appeared on the Galway courthouse steps to announce the indefinite closure of his Fibber Magees pub, where customers this week were encouraged to flout the 3-month-old smoking ban.

“Nobody has smoked on the premises today and that will continue to be the case. The premises shall remain closed until further notice,” Lawless said. “Our opposition to this legislation will be pursued through lawful means.”

Any effort by Lawless to sue the government appears unlikely to succeed. The two major associations representing pub owners have decided not to go down that road after being advised that it would be expensive and futile.

The Western Health Board, which is responsible for enforcing the ban in western Ireland, said it was preparing files to prosecute customers who smoked in Fibber Magees on Wednesday night. Each violator could be fined up to $3,700 or spend three months in jail.

The board told Lawless that it would petition the Irish High Court to also punish him unless he promised to stop breaking the law by 4 p.m. Lawless faxed his pledge to comply to government headquarters.

About 200 supporters of Lawless’ rebellion gathered Thursday afternoon outside Fibber Magees in hopes of cheering the owner’s arrival -- to be followed, they hoped, by more illicit smoking inside.

But the crowd dispersed when government officials announced that they would crush any further opposition to the ban, which has been broadly observed in a country where 70% of adults do not smoke.