By Rachel Garvey
There was a time when bouncers scared me to the core. They looked intimidating and the thought of getting on their bad side haunted me. The thought of them jabbing their finger in your face and growling how they would remember you if they were to see you again. The next thing you know is that every bouncer knows who you are. I won’t lie, I was only properly introduced to Galway’s nightlife scene back in March 2019, Saint Patrick’s Day to be exact. One of my best friends seemed to be talking to every single bouncer in the places we went to during our little drunken adventure, except for the fact that he is our sober designated driver (and I do applaud him for not drinking, he’s a dote!) Anyways, back on topic!
I had a bit of a knot in my stomach on that night for various reasons, but the main one was would I get in anywhere without a proper ID? My hero of a best friend came to the rescue then, by saying those three magic words, “She’s with me!”. Did you think for a minute those three magic words were “I love you”? No, the first statement works more in my favour. It must be every bouncer’s kryptonite, but don’t tell them that, if they become aware of their weakness then the words merely won’t work anymore. It’ll be our little secret.
I quickly became a familiar face among Galway’s bouncers in venues such as Supermac’s, The Skeff, Garavans, DNA and Coyotes, all thanks to friendly connections. When your best friend introduces you to a bouncer, then do yourself a favour and extend your hand, slap on the brightest smile you can and make small talk. Once you have performed those small tasks over the space of a few weeks, the bouncers will become more than an acquaintance, you will become a friend. Isn’t becoming their friend so much easier than being one of their many enemies? I have even become really good friends with them, and a handshake then becomes a hug and a friendly chat and a laugh. Isn’t that better than two bouncers on either side of you, dragging you out the door for unruly behaviour? Take my advice and stay on their good side, it’ll make your nights out on the town so much more easy-going. We also need to remember that at the end of the day, we can’t hold grudges against them, they are following guidelines for their job in order to keep people safe as well as keeping a good name for the venue they are assigned to. We all know that valid IDs and good behaviour will work in your favour when dealing with bouncers, so why do we do the exact opposite?
Our actions do have consequences, surely we all know that. If a pub or club is caught selling to underage people, then they could potentially be closed down. The person behind the bar could end up with a criminal record as well as losing their job. The bouncers have a duty of care towards those that come to them, so if they deny you entry, then they are denying you for a reason. We all need to stop bad-mouthing them. Ask yourself, what would you do if you were in their shoes? There are two sides to every story and all we seem to care about is our own side of the story, how we were denied entry into a bar because we didn’t have an ID or if we were too intoxicated, when the reality is we are being rejected for our own safety and for the safety of others. I have given you the ingredients, please mix them together correctly and your nights out will become so much easier. Bouncers are there for our safety, so be kind to them and they will be kind to you.