I love this story because I think it typifies the combination of tolerance and iconoclasm that are an integral part of the Cork character.

My brother-in- law Milo Lynch, originally from Cork, lived in London for some years. During one of his trips home to Cork he took the Blackrock bus into town.

You must remember that at this time the rule was that one could smoke upstairs but not downstairs in a double decker suburban bus.

Milo sat down stairs and, as he did, three ladies, sitting near him, lit up cigarettes.
Whereby Milo drew himself up to his full height and summoned the conductor.
“Is it now permitted” he said in his most authoritative voice “ to smoke down stairs in the bus”
The reply was a classic:
“Yerra shmoke away boy!