Effect of the recession on Paddy's day?

[evercloserunion]

(and vice versa...)

Does anyone know what effect the current economic woes will have on Paddy's day glee and, more importantly, Paddy's day spending? Christmas was an example of how the recession can hit spending trends to the detriment of retailers but will publicans and eateries suffer the same fate? The Metro was reporting that up to 40% would be hitting the pubs on the 17th this year, and while I don't know the usual figures the report is worded such that 40% seems to be an unsually high figure. Furthermore, walking through temple bar and surrounding areas as I have been this past week I was taken aback by the sheer numbers walking around the place, mostly tourists here for the festival and spening what is presumably a bomb on silly green hats and badges and the like. And I'm sure with all that spending they're working up an awful appetite and an even awfuler thirst.

So any views on how the country will fare from Paddy's day? Is there usually such a crowd of tourists walking around for the whole week prior to Paddy's day? I haven't been in Dublin for Paddy's day since I was a child (and back then we usually stayed in Tallaght) but working in a popular Dublin chipper last year we didn't seem overwhelmingly busy in the week coming up to the 17th, though Paddy's day itself is the second busiest day in the chipper calendar.

[spidermom]

Recession and the fact its a Tuesday will hopefully mean that A+E is quieter than it usually would be!!!!


This is what todays trolley figures look like BTW

Date of Results: Monday, 16 March 2009
St Vincent's University Hospital Eastern 29
St Colmcille's Hospital Eastern 5
Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown Eastern 12
Beaumont Hospital Eastern 25
Naas General Hospital Eastern 18
Adelaide & Meath Hospital (Tallaght) Eastern 33
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Eastern 12
St James' Hospital Eastern 10