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The Average Irish Person Drinks The Equivalent Of 40 Bottles Of Vodka A Year

The Average Irish Person Drinks The Equivalent Of 40 Bottles Of Vodka A Year

The figure may sound shocking it translates to just over eight pints of beer a week

Gary Grimes

Gary Grimes

A new report by the Health Research Board has found that "a majority of drinkers in Ireland consume alcohol in a manner that is risky to their health".

This revelation in itself is perhaps not breaking news to most Irish citizens but it does pose the question - what exactly constitutes alcohol consumption that is in a manner risky to one's health?

Only a cool FORTY bottles of vodka a year it would seem. The report, as covered by Independent.ie, reveals that in 2019 the average Irish person drank the equivalent of forty bottles of vodka, 113 bottles of wine or 436 pints of beer.

It's no coincidence that 2019 was also, of course, the last year we even had the opportunity to drink 436 pints. However, in spite of COVID's best efforts, the level of alcohol consumption in Ireland in 2020 fell by just 6.5%, a small drop when you consider the number of pubs and premises around the country that have been unable to open their doors to customers in the pandemic.

This sustained high level of alcohol consumption - the ninth highest in the world, the report reads - is a testament to the strong sales enjoyed by Ireland's growing number of off-licenses (the total number of which grew by over 400% between 1998 and 2018). It may also be a good indicator of how many of us saw our new working-from-home status as an opportunity to flex our mixology muscle from the privacy of our living room.

Now it's all fun and games playing bartender but anyone who's tried their hand at rustling up an at-home Long Island Ice Tea will be able to tell you, it is crucial - and we can't emphasise this enough - that you always endeavour to drink responsibly. Whether it be in a bar, at home or rolling around a field. In fact, especially in that field. There's a lot fewer surfaces to hold on to there.

There's no denying these figures are a little shocking. So what then, you might ask, was Irish Twitter's reaction to the news? Well, believe it or not, it seems some folks are not all that concerned.

Forty bottles of vodka in a year? "And it would've been more if it wasn't for that pesky virus," revealed defiant Twitter user Gary.

"We called that pre-drinks back in my day," another user named Mark recalled. Glad to see the news hasn't interrupted everyone's passion for the national past time then.

"I usually drink my forty bottles in January and stick to the Guinness for the rest of the year," added another thrifty drinker.

As much as we admire enthusiasm in the face of rattling adversity, one user named Chris made a point that feels especially valid after the year we've endured (and are still enduring).

"Can you blame us?" he solemnly asked. Well Chris, try as we might, we're struggling to find a reason at this exact moment in time.

In any crisis, there's always that one friend who can manage to find the silver lining. In this situation it's another guy called Mark, whose keen eye spotted a rare opportunity in the news, jovially declaring: "Definitely an excuse to go on the gargle!"

You know what Mark? We'll drink to that.Featured Image Credit: Photo by Carlos Irineu da Costa on Unsplash

Topics: Ireland, Drinking