Black Bush too green for the Mayor

Whatever about the past, Black Bush is a whiskey now generally held in equal favour among Northern Ireland's divided population.But this ecumenical spirit doesn't go down well with all consumers. Last year Mr Willie Brown, the Mayor of San Francisco, poured the amber fluid down one of his city's sewers because Bushmills did not employ enough nationalists. Now the Mayor of North Down has banned the whiskey from her parlour because the Co Antrim distillery supports the GAA.

Ms Ruby Cooling, a DUP councillor, has decreed that henceforth her colleagues and visitors to Bangor Town Hall shall no longer drink Ireland's longest-established whiskey because of Bushmills' sponsorship of the Antrim GAA team.

Ms Cooling believes her action is justified, and indeed was made with some degree of personal sacrifice. While teetotalism and the DUP tend to be synonymous, Ms Cooling enjoys a dram. She subscribes to the Rev Ian Paisley's political views but not to his Free Presbyterian Church. She likes her occasional glass of Black Bush.

"We are not against the Gaelic Athletic Association as such. But what we are against is the offensive rule they have to exclude members of the security forces from the organisation," she said. Ms Eileen Bell, an Alliance North Down councillor, was on the side of Bushmills, which, although based in the predominantly Protestant town, has been striving to meet Fair Employment Commission guidelines.

"In the past a Catholic would have needed a few stiff whiskeys to work in the place, but they've been working hard on fair employment, and should be complimented for that," she said.

She wasn't totally surprised by the decision, however, as peculiar issues can occupy Bangor mayors. For instance, last year the then Ulster Unionist Party mayor, Ms Irene Cree, castigated the BBC's Songs of Praise for inviting Daniel O'Donnell to sing at a televised service in Bangor. North Down had plenty of good singers without inviting an outsider, she complained.

A spokeswoman for North Down Council said the matter would be discussed and voted on. Bushmills, which comes under the umbrella of Irish Distillers, pointed out that its whiskey was "enjoyed by people across Northern Ireland" and that the company also sponsored sports such as rugby, hockey, golf, and indoor bowling.