Irish and Drinking?

Question

I read these 2 articles about Ireland having the highest rates of binge drinking in world:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6451019.stm

http://clippednews.wordpress.com/2007/03/14/the-worlds-drunks-the-irish/

I am wondering why drinking is so popular in Ireland? Are there any Irish people on YA who would explain it to me : )

Answer 1

Thats bullshit i'm sorry but i can't believe that not after i saw a similar study on RTE  awhile ago placing Germany and Sweden and Russia above Ireland.

The irish are known for their drink, Guiness, Bulmers it's a part of the irish culture since before the famine. We like to have the craic and have a few pints, alot of people love to get wasted, and yes many people do binge in Ireland.

But i don't think that we are the largest binge drinkers in the world by a long shot, especially for such a small country if you were to take statistics alone it wouldnt be possible.

Answer 2

That is disgusting. I am going out to help us Scots catch up!

Answer 3

I think that binge drinking is more common among young people, and of course in combination with cars that can be lethal.

It's not 'popular' as such, not really. I think that the same young people are feeling very pressured, and from all sides, and don't know when to shut things off - when I was in my early twenties, there was no internet, very few mobile phones, few people had cars, virtually no-one had a credit card, and the onus was on to go to college and get qualifications - nowadays there is so much coming at them from all sides: In addition to having a presence on the Internet, they have to have the mobile phones, the car, and lifestyle, and all this while attending colleges, complete with the attendant bills - and anyone who has been to Ireland is aware that it is an expensive place to visit, so imagine living here. They drink  because they can, and to escape the stress ....

Answer 4

There are many countries that have a higher rate than Ireland....its just pathetic articles like this that most people read and believe and then think they have the right to take the p**s out of Ireland by insulting every Irish person by basically calling them all alcoholics.  

Its just ignorance...we do not drink as much as everyone thinks

Answer 5

I think it's because there is so much regulation about drinks - you can sell drinks only in certain premises, only at certain hours, only to over 18s... And it's human nature to desire what they can't have. So, if you turn 18, you start binge drinking because now you can. If the pubs are closed on Good Friday, people will binge drink on Thursday and all Easter weekend "to make up". I'd love to see the Irish governemnt abolish all regulations about drink - like Italy, where you can drink everywhere, at any time and age (you can have a beer in McDonald's in the morning, no questions asked!) - the Irish will slowly become "moderate" binge drinkers like other fellow European.

Answer 6

Hmmm...the reason why we spend so much money on alcohol, is because alcohol is much more expensive in Ireland than in the rest of Europe. Go to any supermarket in France or Spain or Italy and you will notice that in Ireland we pay at least twice as much for the same item.

Answer 7

The study conducted for Ireland's health department found that 48 percent of all men and 16 percent of women in Ireland binge drink at least once a week. Binge drinking is considered to take place when a man drinks over 5 drinks on one occasion, or when a woman drinks more than 4 drinks on one occasion.

Drinking is a big part of Irish culture. It is considered to be the norm to socialize and relax with friends over a couple of pints in the pub... there's always a good atmosphere in your local pub! A lot of young people particularly tend to over do it, drinking to excess on a regular basis... particularly during college years. But as they settle down into their careers, drinking habits generally calm down quite a lot, often being reserved for the weekends. (However, even at this, 4 and 5 drinks would probably seem like a light drinking session to most Irish women and men.)

Answer 8

i'm going to put a very popular myth to bed, we irish do not drink as much as everybody thinks we just drink a lot more but can hold our booze as well.  whats a binge drink in britain 5 pints something like that? fuc'ks sake thats mouthwash where i'm from.  i think nothing of getting a 24 pack as a carryout on a friday night.  too many people come over to ireland from britain for stag and hen nights.  why waste what could be a very cultural weekend by getting legless on a very small amount of booze.  i've seen too many of them in dublin waste a very good weekend.  theres so much more than pubs and folk singers and aran jumpers in dublin.  museums art galleries that big needly thing eastern europeans begging outside banks.  so come to ireland its ******** great, just avoid belfast, you just might get killed!

Answer 9

From a practical point of view, Irish people have a big culture of drinking because it's a cold country and pubs always (past and present) offered a nice fire!

In other countries, where the weather is warmer people could walk around parks, go to the beach etc etc, but here it's bucketing down and in times gone by there wasn't the same technology as there is now in the homes e.g. internet, radio, television.  Hence the pub provided all these - a fire, a pint, some storeytelling, some music ........... all combining to give us 'the craic' which we're world famous for!

Answer 10

may be because of the most excellant of brewers Guinness the Irish just cannot get enough of

but certain cities in England would vie for the honour Newcastle being one .... again blame it on the local brew Newcastle Brown Ale

Answer 11

you know wot they say about articles load of BLANNEY

Answer 12

we feel the pain of a world thats lost its soul..we got beaten down for centuries by certain people not far from here,we couldnt even speak our own language ,twas outlawed..we love song,music,dance,story and rhyme..we feel the proud beat of a celtic warrior in our hearts..but alas these times are for weaker men,baser men,men of no substance..gone are the gaelic heroes,the men of might,the proud gaelic women who stood shoulder to shoulder with the men folk..tis all lost..so we drink..and dream of the days of heroes.

Answer 13

Why are we always being asked to be like our european neighbours in regards to our drinking culture, what about our culture.

The fault of binge drinking is the off license,  plain and simple.

Answer 14

well ireland maybe as a nation but of recent years there has been major import of non nationals who contribute vastly to this problen i think per head of population cant imaging there is anywhere worse then the uk they come over here for stag parties

Answer 15

Im Irish, lived in Dublin my whole life, started drinking in 5th class, I must of been about 10... Its just the way it is over here, drinking is sociable and fun an its been in our blood since the dawn of time. I personaly think that other drugs are coming in and they might change the fun, alot of coke goin around in ireland at the moment. I personally only do drink and weed