Unique Ambiance?

For anyone who doesn't know, because of a smoking ban, you can't smoke in pubs in Ireland. It's fantastic! Being a girl, that means I can put on perfume, smelling ever so nicely and remain so even after I've had a few pints. They just recently implemented this rule in Scotland, however I think England will be a longterm hold-out. They tend to do their own thing over here, re: € vs £. Anyhow, despite the health benefits of a smoking ban, it introduced a unique dilemma, other smells produced by drinking beer...get the picture yet?

An Irish friend of mine first told me about the 'Guinness farts' over the Paddy's Day weekend. She was complaining about how no one realised the benefits of smoke, masking the smells emmitted by old men drinking beer for hours. Apparently she never goes to one of her favourite pubs anymore because the carpet is so incredibly old and has never been changed, therefore it's soaked up all the nasty smells that have been expelled over the years. Now, I'm a very squeamish person when it comes to farting. It's not polite, I like to pretend it doesn't happen, and if anyone was to ask me, I would swear I have never done it. So when my friend told me about this phenomenon, I laughed it off, hoping to God I'd never have to experience it.

Saturday night I went out with a friend to The Stag's Head and The Long Haul. I'd never been to either pub and both were great, really relaxed/Irish atmosphere, with a lot of young people and Kilkenny on tap. However, it didn't take long for the beer farts to start. Not me though, I repeat, IT WASN'T ME! At first I could kind of laugh it off, but after three, it was making me nervous. I would normally ignore having smelled something like that, pretending it didn't happen, anxiously waiting for it to pas, but the person I was with kept bringing it up, making me more and more uncomfortable. I thought when we decided to go to The Long Haul that the entire smelly episode was behind us (no pun), but nope, the smells quickly started again, making my stomach twist and turn in embarrassment.

My question is this: Why? Why do people do that? Come on! If you're old enough to drink in a pub, you should have the common sense to take care of your business or go outside. Gross! For those of you coming to visit me over the next few months, consider yourself warned, and when it happens (cause it will), don't look at me!