Has Dublin dried up?

For a nation heavily linked with drinking, our alcohol consumption has dropped by almost a third in the last two decades. 

Is it the rise of zero alcoholic beverages – or are we just too poor for a pint? 

Dublin has witnessed a notable decline in alcohol consumption, reflecting broader societal shifts in attitudes toward drinking. 

 Several factors have contributed to this trend, from growing health consciousness to government initiatives aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm.  

Younger generations are increasingly opting for healthier lifestyles, with alcohol-free socialising becoming more popular.  

Additionally, rising costs of alcohol, stricter regulations, and a cultural shift towards mindfulness and mental well-being have all played a role in reshaping Dublin’s drinking habits. 

 This shift marks a significant change in the capital city’s traditional pub culture. 

In a report by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), studies showed that young people, aged 18-24, have balanced socialising and alcohol consumption much better than older generations. 

There appears to be less pressure to drink when socialising, and there is a brilliant sober nightlife available in Dublin.  

A prominent sober event that took place earlier this year was ‘Club Vous – Sober Dance Club’. 

It was organised by DJ Aidan Kavanagh and took place in The Pearse Centre, Dublin 2. 

It was created for those in recovery from alcohol abuse, people who are ‘sober curious’ and an alternative option to regular night life in Dublin. 

‘Meetup’, an events website also has a section for sober Dublin events, with over 2,000 members.  

They host a weekly event, a sober Uno game night, among many more!   

The Barbers Bar in Lower Grangegorman, Stoneybatter, is less than a five-minute walk from the TU Dublin college campus. 

Sean Nugent, a bartender in Barbers, has worked there for the last five years.

“After Covid there was a massive increase in zero alcohol drinks,” Nugent tells The Liberty. “They’re so much more popular because they’ve been advertised on TV and stuff a lot more.”

“We also now have zero alcohol taps at the bar, which makes it more visual to customers, rather than bottles at the back they can’t see.”

Most of their customers are TU Dublin students, and Nugent says, “Before Covid it was a lot busier, but we still have lots of students in. On a week day, a student would spend around €30, which is pretty good for us.”

Pre-drinking or ‘prinking’ before nights out has become widely popular with young people, to combat spending nearly €100 on nights out in Dublin, solely on alcoholic drinks. 

Young people buy their drink in supermarkets or off licenses for a fraction of the price than a bar or club before heading out. This has also played a huge part in the decline of alcohol consumption in establishments like these. 

In most Dublin clubs and bars a long drink, such as a single shot vodka and mixer is around €9/ €10, which contains just 35mls of alcohol – while the likes of cocktails can range from €15- €20 – an expensive affair! 

TU Dublin student Ellen Hughes talks about her experience with Dublin nightlife. 

“I moved up to Dublin for college in 2022, and every September when I come back, I see prices of drinks have risen again. Obviously as a student, there has always been a big drinking culture as it’s most of our first time living away from home and having that freedom, but a lot of the fun has been taken away by the extortionate money for a good night out.” 

Hughes, from Wexford, notices a huge jump in Dublin prices compared to other counties. 

She finds it hard to balance money for groceries, rent and transport. A night out even once or twice a month throws her budget off balance completely. 

Though it’s a huge positive that we have become much more self-aware of the negative effects of alcohol on people, physically and mentally, it seems a major factor of the decline in drinking isn’t even the people’s choice – we simply cannot afford it.