People often ask me what Ireland is like. Do people really drink all the time? Do we eat potatoes with every meal? Do we all have funny accents? Very often the stereotypical answers are, by and large, mostly true. We do eat potatoes a lot and yes we do all have funny accents but most people aren’t really on the ball when it comes to Irish drinking culture.

Ireland isn’t as big on alcohol as one would think. Well, actually we are, but it’s not quite in the way you might assume. First and foremost, Guinness isn’t actually that popular. All my friends back home don’t really like it. For those of you who have tried it, one can definitely say it’s an acquired taste. American beers are pretty popular but the most popular drink is actually Irish cider, especially Bulmers.

Another misconception is that we are constantly drunk, another partial truth. It is true that we Irish like our alcohol, but we rarely get langered. Getting bolloxed isn’t a thing we really do, but we do get drunk and lamp it in frequently. Right now you may be confused, this, however, further highlights that the relationship between the Irish and drink is complicated.

Drink is very much a part of Irish culture, in fact the love of alcohol has created Ireland and our language. The Irish word for whiskey is “Uisce Beatha,” meaning water of life. A relaxed attitude to drink from an early age means that we, unlike America, aren’t banjaxed in our attitude towards the ol’ naggin. You won’t see us as full as monkeys everywhere on the weekend because we aren’t chugging back pinta diesel repeatedly.

I remember my mother would put Uisce Beatha in my bottle and send me straight off to sleep. My Da would give me a swalley with every meal, sometimes when I’d be beaking for food, my brother and I would get a wee half instead.

This was all very normal. As a result, we never glorified alcohol. I blame the late drinking age and attitude most adults have towards the good stuff. It really means that alcohol is seen as the bag o’swhag it really isn’t.

Craíc comes first. Ultimately drinking in Ireland isn’t a means to an ends, the purpose isn’t to get twisted but rather to have a good time, to be an eejit for the night, to have a lark, to act the maggot. That’s one stereotype that is true — we Irish love to have fun.

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