A well-known restaurant in Galway, situated in the historic Bridge Mills building with a view of the River Corrib, faced a closure order earlier this month due to food safety issues. Despite raising over €116,000 in online donations to challenge Covid certificates, Il Vicolo on Dominic Street Lower was shut down by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on June 6th. Inspectors deemed there was a 'grave and immediate danger to public health,' prompting the closure under the Food Safety Authority Act of 1988.

The FSAI has not yet disclosed the specific reasons for the closure but plans to release a detailed report next month. Following necessary adjustments to address the concerns raised by inspectors, the restaurant was allowed to reopen on June 8th. Despite attempts to reach out for comment, Il Vicolo had not responded by the time of publication.

In 2021, the HSE had previously ordered the restaurant to close for three days due to repeated violations of indoor dining regulations. In response, the establishment launched an online fundraising campaign to challenge Covid restrictions, collecting €116,839 from the public. Their aim was to contest the enforcement of the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate, citing discrimination and privacy law breaches.

Despite their efforts, the fundraising page was closed after raising nearly €120,000 and as restrictions eased. The restaurant owners, Gerry McMahon and Breffni Archer, acknowledged the need to adjust their legal challenge following the relaxation of restrictions, emphasizing that the Vaccine Pass legislation was primarily intended to boost vaccine uptake rather than prove immunity.

In 2022, the restaurant revealed to Galway Beo that the majority of the funds were utilized for legal expenses, with the remaining amount donated to the Galway Fire Service.