Answers: B, C and D.
Alcohol and drinking
Although there are nightclubs and music clubs, the Irish pub remains the mainstay of Irish social life. It is the gathering place for drinking, eating, and talking, collectively referred to as craic.
There are over 1,000 pubs in Dublin alone, and everyone has a favorite. Pubs in Ireland are open 1030 through 1130 Sunday through Thursday, and 1030 through 1230 on Friday and Saturday. Some pubs have a moderate cover charge, particularly if they are offering entertainment.
Refusing a drink in a pub used to be considered an insult, but no longer. Similarly, it is no longer absolutely essential that you buy a round of drinks for the crowd. However, if you visit a pub with a group that buys drinks by round, be sure to take your turn. This is also known as a "shout."
A very popular toast is slainte, which means, "cheers" or "to your health".
Types of drinks
Wines are served sometimes at business meals, with a port or sherry at the conclusion. Mixed drinks are not as common in this environment.
Beer is still the country's favorite alcoholic beverage, with a wide variety of stouts, lagers, and ales to choose from. Guinness is Ireland's most well-known stout, and most popular beer. Beer is usually served in half-pint or pint glasses. Compared to other international beers, Irish beer is high in alcohol content.
Wine is the second most popular alcoholic choice in Ireland. Spirits and ciders round out the drinking population's preferences.
An Irish "shandy" is another popular drink of part lemonade and part beer.
Ireland imposes one of the highest taxes on alcoholic beverages in the EU. It amounts to roughly 54 cents for a pint of beer and 80 cents for a 187 ml/6.3 oz glass of wine.
Non-alcoholic choices
In two decades, alcohol consumption fell 31 percent in Ireland, according to a 2023 report by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI). Among the reasons cited are an increasing focus on health, the cost of alcohol, and the growing availability of non-alcoholic beverage options.
Non-drinkers can enjoy an outing just about anywhere, with most bars and other establishments offering zero-alcohol beers and wines, and mocktails that mimic mixed drinks but without the alcohol.
Legal aspects
The legal drinking age in Ireland is 18.
Drunk-driving laws are very strict in Ireland. Offenders lose their license for a minimum of three months on the first conviction and can face jail time and steep fines. Police can ask any suspected driver to take a breathalyzer test. If you refuse to take the test, you can still be prosecuted. Any resulting sentence is substantially increased.
Excerpted from Living Abroad's Ireland report. Social customs / Alcohol and drinking.
Written by Michael Cadden, SGMS-T, VP International Operations
