The Tramore August Racing Festival usually attracts 20,000 visitors to the town across the four day festival each year. These visitors not only enjoy the entertainment on and off the track at Tramore Racecourse, but they eat and drink in local bars and restaurants, stay in local hotels and guest houses, use local public and private-hire transport and spend their money in local shops. However, this year, with the racing going on behind closed doors, there will be no visitors spending their money and contributing to the local economy. 

One local businessman who knows they will be taking a big hit this weekend is Noel O'Neill of O'Neill's Bar, Mol's Restaurant and The Old Forge in Tramore. O'Neill's Bar is a third generation family establishment, open since the 1940s, while Mol's Restaurant and The Old Forge are newer additions to the town. All three are owned and run by Noel, his parents Johnny and Margaret and his sister Lisa. Not only are these establishments part of the fabric of Tramore town centre, but they are huge supporters of local community groups, clubs and societies, as well as race sponsors every year at the Tramore August Racing Festival. 

Noel chats to The Hot Desk to tell us just how different this weekend is going to be for them and other local business owners in Tramore.