From the archives: Mayo pubs were without lavatories in 1952

By Tom Gillespie

IN April 1952 The Connaught Telegraph reported on a state of affairs that would be hard to credit, which was revealed at a meeting of Castlebar Urban Council during a debate on housing in the town.

The discussion unearthed the unsavoury truth that there were many houses, even public houses on the Main Street, in which there were no flush lavatories.

The unhappy condition of some of the houses was brought to light when Councillor Joe Chambers, addressing the Medical Officer of Health (MOH), Dr. Duignan, asked: “When you made your survey and found that 55 houses were needed, how many houses did you visit and go through and examine.”

Mr. Pearse Carney, Health Inspector: All the condemned houses and overcrowded houses.

Mr. Chambers: I’m sure you must be aware that, apart from the 55 you have mentioned, there are 100 without water or lavatories, which means that next year your staff might come along and condemn them.

Dr. Duignan: That is possible.

Mr. Chambers: The most of them are two-roomed and are without lavatories or water. The tenants in them have paid rates all their lives and got no facilities.

There is even a public house in the Main Street in which the landlord refused to put in a lavatory, and I’m sure that if any house needs a lavatory it is a public house.

He protested: “The archways are being turned into lavatories.

"I must take the blame of the publicans and put it where it rightly belongs - on the exploiters, the landlords - the racketeers, as Mr. John Clarke, of Ballina, called them on one occasion.

“Mr. Carney you made the butcher's put in glass widows, but did not make the assistants wear white coats.”

Mr. Carney: Under the law a public house must have a lavatory and a urinal, a wash-hand basin with a detergent.

"Only butchers’ shops and ice cream shops are affected by the regulations that came into force on April 1 (1952), and they have 12 months to get everything in order.

“We can’t prosecute them under the Hygiene Act, but can under the Health of Ireland Act for a lack of sanitary accommodation in public houses.”

Mr. Chambers: The publicans should not be compelled to put in the lavatory. The landlord should have it done - the man who draws rents.

Mr. Noel Rogan, Health Inspector: The onus is on the publican to put in the lavatory, and he can recover it from the landlord. He has to have a lavatory under the Food Hygiene Regulation, 1950. At the moment this applies to hotels, cafes and butchers’ shops - anywhere food is prepared.

The publican can put in a lavatory and recoup the cost from the landlord.

Even before I came here notices were served on people to instal sanitary accommodation but were not followed up.

Mr. Chambers: Mr. Manager, you told us you were proceeding against Lord Lucan and that was to be the test case.

County Manger: The six months expired and no action was taken.

Mr. Carney said that under the Sanitary Services Act it was obligatory in certain premises and prosecutions would be brought for non-compliance with the Act provided there was a sewer within 100 feet of the premises. A number of houses in the town were not near or had no sewer.

Even some of the council houses had no sewer and the council should put their own houses in order first and then go on to the rest.

Mr. Carney: There is now a sewer on the Westport Road. Put your house right first, and when that is done we’ll give you a list of the others.

Mr. Chambers: Does that mean your office has failed in the matter? I did know something and its this - many councillors have spoken here about insanitary conditions and nothing has been done about it.

Mr. Carney: Mr. Rogan inspected and reinspected, but nothing was done by the council. We’ll carry out another survey and send you the names.

Mr. Chambers: Before compelling a man to install costly sanitary appliances, you want to make sure that you won’t be condemning the houses the next year.

Councillor Chas. Guthrie: I agree with Mr. Carney that we should look after our own house first.

Mr. Carney: The present would be a good time while there are new sewers going in.

Dr. Duignan: I’d like the council to go ahead with the sewerage scheme as soon as possible.

He then enumerated the sections of the town where the present system was either inadequate or non-existent and added: “I urge the council to go ahead vigorously with the sewerage schemes.”

The council instructed the officers concerned to go ahead with the good work.