If you’re traveling on the N62 through the counties of Westmeath and Offaly, you’re traveling through the centre of all Ireland, and the junction where the R356 and R357 regional roads meet it, is one of few places in the world where apparently a traffic roundabout is called«The Square». This is Cloghan, Co. Offally, looking like a frontier town crossroads, and dominating the scene, where’s there’s not much else to compete with it anyway, is the very colourful exterior of Clancy’s Bar. Stopped off here only really because a mate was on nostalgic look at where his dad came from, and while he was off exploring, & not being the driver, I thought I’d see how the«blonde with the black skirt» was inside. It was only just after 2pm on a weekday but it was near packed, with a disco thumping away. Everyone seemed smashed, nice smashed & not unfriendly, but it was difficult to find out what it was all in aid of, some local sporting victory I guessed. After a couple of Guinness, and a nice free rather large, «small one»,(no complaints), that was pushed into my hand by a fella who I think in retrospect mistook me for his mate, the driver of our vehicle returned with a look on his face that was a mixture of disgust & envy, and we were on our way to a friendly farewell of Yazz’s «The only way is up», which given that most of the afternoon disco crowd were having trouble standing up by then, was rather ironic. Nice place to stop off in the middle of Ireland, despite a sign suggesting bar food, there wasn’t any sign of any,(apart from the liquid variety), but the pub was lively fun, and cheered me, on what was otherwise a rather bleak road.
