A field in County Meath was filled with car loads of bingo players last week as the latest gambling craze in Ireland took off. Drive-in bingo because popular after the introduction of the smoking ban meant that bingo player who have to abstain from smoking for hours at a time. Their solution has turned into a hit across the country.

"It is proving to be extremely popular, it is good value and the prizes can be a few thousand sometimes...All you have to do is drive in, turn off your engine and buy a bingo book. If you get a line, simply beep your horn and we'll come and literally hand the cash in through the window.

"It's also a great laugh and there's been a lot of positive reaction. You can relax in your own car with friends or family, have a smoke if you want, and enjoy the game and not worry about parking," said Séamus Davis, the organizer of the event.

"It is really catching on, and word of mouth is helping out with this. We are just off the old Dublin road and are completely accessible by motorways. So we expect people from Dublin and from further afield too, perhaps from Cavan and areas like that. It is a day out and you could spend up to three hours playing."