When Mary Rose Shanahan started working at O'Riada's Nightclub for her aunt seven years ago, she never thought the day would come when it would no longer be there.

But after more than 30 years as the only nightclub in the town of Macroom in Co Cork, it was announced to devastated customers last month that the venue would be closing down.

Nearly a year ago the club went viral for hosting a memorial for a dead 'one-eyed raccoon', but while business was booming that weekend, spiralling costs forced the owner's hand.

Mary Rose's aunt, Rose, has run the venue for the last fifteen years and blamed rising insurance premiums, the cost of late bar extensions and changes in socialising habits for the decision to close.

Expand Close Mary Rose Shanahan outside the now closed O’Riadas Niteclub in Macroom where she worked as manager in the family run business. Pic. John Allen/Provision / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mary Rose Shanahan outside the now closed O’Riadas Niteclub in Macroom where she worked as manager in the family run business. Pic. John Allen/Provision

It wasn't an easy choice, according to Mary Rose, who says they are "devastated"

“Insurance costs are killing small businesses in Ireland and this is having a knock on effect in the nightclub industry - it’s being decimated,” she told Independent.ie.

“People were coming in every weekend complaining about the cost of drink but between paying for extension rates and insurance, we had to charge more to make ends meet.

“We were paying more than €400 to stay open an hour later and some weekends we wouldn’t even make that back.”

Up to 15 people lost their jobs following the closure, including bouncer Con Murphy who had been with the club for 29 years.

“It’s heartbreaking as it was a family business and it was a very social setting for our bouncers as they’re coming here every Saturday and they had their relationship built up with the customers.”

While thanking many of O’Riada’s loyal customers, Ms Shanahan also warned that Ireland’s claims culture was another factor behind the closure.

“We’ve had a few cases at our venue which caused our insurance to go through the roof. We tried to take actions to reduce the risk but there’s only so much we can possibly do.

“I’m calling on people to take responsibility for their actions, they are getting hammered and pre drinking and we can’t stop people from falling, we can only stop them from coming on the premises when they’re too drunk or stop serving them.”

When the news was posted on O’Riada’s Facebook page, customers shared their fond memories of the venue.

But for Mary Rose, the highlight of her family’s tenure at the club came when a one-eyed raccoon made headlines after occupying a woman’s garden in Macroom.

The raccoon was eventually caught and euthanised, but in a genius marketing ploy, O’Riada’s decided to hold a ‘memorial event’ for the nocturnal animal.

“We held a special service for him and even had a mass card,” she laughed.

“We got a lot of coverage and business from it so it’s always something we’ll remember fondly.”

The Shanahan family is now looking at alternative business options for the venue, but Mary Rose said it’s a “sign of the times” that Macroom’s only club had to close.

“Irish people will always love having the craic but between changes in legislation and fitness trends, the nightclub scene is coming to an end. Rural pubs are being wiped out at the minute and that’s a shame.”

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