[Madame Dufarge]

"many smokers and non-smokers alike believe that, far from getting better, the atmosphere — in terms of the traditional Irish craic — is the one thing that has got worse. In the town of Muff, two miles from the border with Northern Ireland, Willy Harkin and other smokers in the Squealin’ Pig Tavern believe that something special has vanished since the ban came into force. “This is one of the best-known pubs in Ireland,” says Harkin, “but the atmosphere has been destroyed. There have been times when we’ve all been outside smoking and the non-smokers have come out and joined us because they want to follow the craic. Sometimes we stand out there for up to 40 minutes.”

Ireland smoking ban: No fags, no fug, no fun?

[Mears]

My daughter,a non smoker,calls it "smoker bonding".

She always says they seem to be laughing and having a good time.

Once when we went to a theater she went in for the tickets while I stayed out for a smoke and talked with a few other smokers. She commented on it saying that she stood in line and got the tickets and no one said a word,but I was outside having a good time.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

"Ireland smoking ban: No fags, no fug, no fun?":

"Orwellian-sounding Office of Tobacco Control (OTC)"

At least in Orwell's 1984 there was no workplace ban on smoking.