122 Donegal pub closures over the past 18 years – 36 since 2019

The economic analysis by Anthony Foley, of the Dublin City University Business School, demonstrates how the number of pubs in Donegal declined by 122 from 453 in 2005 to 331 in 2023 - a 26.9 per cent drop.

A sharp drop in the number of pubs in the county was also witnessed over the past five years.

In 2019 there were 367 in Donegal but by 2023 that figure was down by 36 to 331 (-10.9 per cent).

“To continue to let this cultural institution decline would be to abandon one of Ireland’s most valuable assets. The importance of pubs to our tourism offering is even more pronounced in rural counties such as Cork (-31.4% pub decline), Clare (-30.6% pub decline) and Donegal (-26.9% pub decline),” the report declares.

Mr. Foley’s analysis points to a significant decline in the number of public houses across the 26 counties over the past two decades.

"In the period 2005 to 2023, the number of pubs has reduced by 23.8 per cent, from 8,617 businesses in 2005 to 6,563 for the most recent period in 2023.

"This represents a closure of 2,054 pubs across the country, an average of 114 closures per year.

"The continuing trend of pub closures is reflected in every county in Ireland, with rural areas most significantly impacted. Between 2005 and 2023, the five counties which suffered the largest percentage reduction in the number of pubs were Limerick (35.6 per cent), Roscommon (31.9 per cent), Cork (31.4 per cent), Tipperary (31.2 per cent) and Laois (30.6 per cent).

"In total, seven counties had decreases of 30 per cent or higher, and another thirteen counties had decreases of 20 per cent or higher,” Mr. Foley stated.

DIGI is proposing a 15 per cent reduction in excise duties across two years, Mr. Foley notes, stating that this would involve a 7.5 per cent annual reduction, bringing Irish alcohol excise levels in line with the EU average and easing the strain on indigenous business owners.

Donegal loses 119 pubs in 17 years – a 26.3% decline