YOUR FRIENDLY BARMAN

One of the consequences of the Easter Rising and its aftermath was a shortage of bar staff to help run Dublin's pubs. Over 150 barmen, known then as wine porters and grocers assistants were arrested and deported by the British to camps in England and Wales. When they were released in mid and late 1917 there was anger and ill tempered feelings as the publicans had replaced their errant staff. There was a mini riot in Dorset Street on Christmas Eve 1917 when a group of out of work barman attacked a number of pubs and their customers in that area.