[Knute]

Just returned on the 28th (via Shannon) following a lovely vacation in Ireland. I am against government intrusion into the decisions of a business to allow or disallow smoking, but I must say, the times we had in the SMOKE FREE pubs and restaurants were refreshing. The music and the Guinness seemed that much more wholesome without the tobacco smoke negating the aroma of the peat fires.
We saw no overt violations of the law. The sidewalks in front of the establishments had smokers gathered, but nothing inside at all.

[sarasota]

I attend a trade show every year in which the Irish have the largest booth in the hall, two stories high. I've heard they continue to smoke in the upper floor. "The Irish without cigarettes?", one of them told me. Their headquarters are not far from Shannon airport.