The Virgin Mary: Dublin’s only alcohol-free bar closes its doors
Dublin’s only alcohol-free bar The Virgin Mary has announced its closure, following four successful years on Capel Street.
The bar, named after the world’s most famous alcohol-free cocktail, released a statement last weekend saying that their time at 54 Capel Street has come to an end.
“Like many other food and drink businesses, we have been impacted by the changing face of hospitality over the last few years and the pressures of operating in a post-pandemic workplace,” Sarah Connolly, of the bar’s ‘TVM Collective’, told The Liberty.
While the closure sparked negative comments online about prospects for an alcohol-free bar in Ireland, due to the stereotype of Ireland’s drinking culture, Connolly said the bar had a steady stream of business, apart from the closures during the pandemic.
“There is most definitely an audience in Ireland that is ready for an alternative way of socialising,” she said. “Unfortunately, our timing has just been unlucky.”
However, closing the doors of the Capel Street bar does not mean the end for The Virgin Mary.
In the social media statement, announcing its closure, the ‘collective’ announced a new venture.
“This marks an exciting new chapter for us. The Virgin Mary Bar is going mobile,” the statement read.
“As part of the wider TVM Collective franchise operation, we are thrilled to be bringing our new ‘TVM On The Road’ concept to events, festivals, pop-up venues, and much more around the island of Ireland! So, get ready to see a lot more of us in the coming months.”
Connolly said that there’s a demand for a wide-range of alcohol-free products, and for the presence of their attractive alcohol-free option at events.
“There’s a growing cohort of people who are looking to moderate their drinking who are based all around Ireland,” she said. “We are excited to be bringing The Virgin Mary’s drinks to them.
“We are indebted to the many staunch supporters of our bar since we took the leap of opening back in 2019,” Connolly said. “We have had some of the most amazing customers you could wish for, and we will miss our regulars dearly. But we do hope to see them again as we continue to bring The Virgin Mary to the people of Ireland.”
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