This article is from page 8 of the 2012-06-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
A COUPLE who said they were discriminated against on the basis that they are Travellers have won their case against an Ennis pub.
John Mongans (33) and his wife Anne Marie Mongans (31) said they felt “humiliated” and “embarrassed” after being refused a drink at All Bar One, Abbey Street, Ennis on November 3, 2011.
The Ennis couple brought a case against Tradewell Pub Company Ltd under the Equal Status Act.
The case was heard at Ennis District Court on Thursday. Tradewell Pub Company Ltd was not represented in court.
Mr Mongans said he and his wife entered the bar at around 9.15pm on the night in question. He said the barman came over and told them that the bar was closed.
Mr Mongans said other customers in the bar were drinking at the time and “nothing looked out of the ordinary”.
The couple left the bar and came back at around 10.15pm. Mr Mon- gans said he asked for two drinks but the barman refused. According to Mr Mongans, the barman said that he was closing the bar in order to control the crowd in the pub. The court that Mr Mongans went outside and rang the Gardaí.
He said, “I felt totally embarrassed that I had to go and get the guards.”
He said “settled people” whom he played soccer with had seen what had happened at the bar.
Asked by solicitor Andrew Darcy why he believed he had been refused service, Mr Mongans said, “I was re- fused on the basis of being a member of the Traveller community.”
He added, “I don’t hide the fact that I am a Traveller.”
Ms Mongans was described in court as a proactive member of the Traveller community. She said she was a member of a committee that worked with Clare County Council on the issue of Traveller accommodation.
Ms Mongans told the court that people she knew from her children’s school were in the pub on the night. “I felt very, very humiliated,” she added.
The court heard that the couple had not been drinking on the night. Judge Timothy Lucey said that he found the case proven. He said there was no good reason why the couple should have been refused.
Judge Lucey added, “To be refused because you are a member of the Travelling community, when you are well behaved, is very upsetting.”
Mr Darcy said the couple were not seeking the closure of the bar.
Judge Lucey ordered that that couple be given € 500 compensation each, plus costs of € 250 and VAT.