Irish teetotalers - what's it like?

beks101

Shakespeare's Sister wrote: »

Yeh if I was in a situation where I couldn't drink, I would head home when people are starting to get pissed. You're not on the same page as everyone else if you're sober and a bunch of them are drunk. You're excluded. Not in a malicious way, but just by virtue of being in a completely different state of mind.

Too much alcohol makes most people obnoxious and annoying. And 'too much alcohol' is kind of the norm, going out and consuming 5+ pints and a few shots or a bottle and a half of wine is perfectly socially acceptable, God knows how many times I've done in myself.

I sat on a bus in central London last night coming home from a work dinner, few glasses of wine in me and even that couldn't protect my ears from the onslaught of yelling and screaming and laughing and digs at other passengers and rowdy bullsh1t at the back of the bus, group of 20-somethings already loaded with cheap beer heading out on the p1ss for the night. We've all been there, that was probably me every other weekend during college. But jesus, it's painful and nothing short of traumatic when you're sober and surrounded by that.

Musefan

23 year old teetotaller here... Just a preference and I wouldn't begin to force my view down anyone's throat.

I do notice when I have to tell people that I don't drink, that there's a quick astonishment followed by "yeah I'd only have the one or two on a night out myself", even if they had been talking about getting locked 5 mins previously! I think it makes some people uncomfortable

Grayson

beks101 wrote: »

Too much alcohol makes most people obnoxious and annoying. And 'too much alcohol' is kind of the norm, going out and consuming 5+ pints and a few shots or a bottle and a half of wine is perfectly socially acceptable, God knows how many times I've done in myself.

I sat on a bus in central London last night coming home from a work dinner, few glasses of wine in me and even that couldn't protect my ears from the onslaught of yelling and screaming and laughing and digs at other passengers and rowdy bullsh1t at the back of the bus, group of 20-somethings already loaded with cheap beer heading out on the p1ss for the night. We've all been there, that was probably me every other weekend during college. But jesus, it's painful and nothing short of traumatic when you're sober and surrounded by that.

lets say we have a scale of 0-10 with 0 being sober and 10 being passed out. I think drinking to the 3,4 or 5 level is fun and enjoyable. Its the giggly, funny laughing stage. Unfortunately nearly everyone keeps going till they get to the 8,9,10 stage. they become loud, obnoxious get sick and pass out.

czx

Shakespeare's Sister wrote: »

Why do you need a reason? I have no interest in lots of things - there's no particular reason, I'm just not drawn to them.

Drinking is a central part of Irish culture. People are often immersed in it rather than drawn to it, unlike knitting or ballet. I think most people don't drink because they've tried or they think they won't like the effects.

Shakespeare's Sister

czx wrote: »

I think most people don't drink because they've tried or they think they won't like the effects.

So there's your answer. Wonder why you asked it.

Daveysil15

beks101 wrote: »

I find the less I drink, the less interested I am in nights out, etc. Which at 29 is no real skin off my nose, the hangovers are atrocious anyway and I can think of better ways of spending my time.

But I think the social scene in bars, pubs and clubs is insufferable particularly in Ireland and England if you're a teetotaller. Being surrounded by drunk people when you're sober is as a big a headache of a social experience as I can think of.

I'm the same. I find drinking on a night out gets boring after a while, never mind doing it while sober. People say you don't need a drink to have a good time, which is true if you're not in a bar or club I suppose, but its just not enjoyable when everyone else is pissed and you're as sober as a judge.

Grayson wrote: »

lets say we have a scale of 0-10 with 0 being sober and 10 being passed out. I think drinking to the 3,4 or 5 level is fun and enjoyable. Its the giggly, funny laughing stage. Unfortunately nearly everyone keeps going till they get to the 8,9,10 stage. they become loud, obnoxious get sick and pass out.

The giggly funny stage is great but its just not in the Irish to stop there. The other problem then is that some people have to drink a lot to get to that stage, whereas others are drunk after a couple of drinks. So if you're out with a group of big drinkers and you're pissed after a few pints then it can be a bit of a challenge to keep up. You can get slagged off as been a lightweight, which from my experience, is almost as bad as abstaining from the booze completely.

Although again, I find that mentality is more common with the younger crowd, (thank god).

czx

Shakespeare's Sister wrote: »

So there's your answer. Wonder why you asked it.

People claiming they simply had no interest. Like they never thought about it!

Grayson

Daveysil15 wrote: »

I'm the same. I find drinking on a night out gets boring after a while, never mind doing it while sober. People say you don't need a drink to have a good time, which is true if you're not in a bar or club I suppose, but its just not enjoyable when everyone else is pissed and you're as sober as a judge.

Yep. being sober isn't bad. I manage to enjoy most says and stay sober
Being around drunk people when you're sober is bad.

Daveysil15

Grayson wrote: »

Yep. being sober isn't bad. I manage to enjoy most says and stay sober
Being around drunk people when you're sober is bad.

Having said that, I've heard quite a few people say they can go out and have a good time without alcohol, and fair play to them if they can. For me personally though, I have more of a dislike for the nightlife rather than the booze itself. I enjoy having a few drinks but don't like the bars and clubs and the whole drinking to get drunk culture.

When I lived abroad, the majority of a night out would have been the giggly merry stage and would very rarely get to the flutered stage. Now I just prefer doing other things outside of the bar/club scene. I have some good hobbies which allow me to meet interesting people so I don't feel like I'm missing out on much by not going on the nights out.

czx

czx wrote: »

Drinking is a central part of Irish culture. People are often immersed in it rather than drawn to it, unlike knitting or ballet. I think most people don't drink because they've tried or they think they won't like the effects.

Completely depends on your circle, and your family. None of my family are regular drinkers so I didn't have the example of drink being central to family celebrations and big occasions.

Drinking doesn't matter to me, you can put some sort of spin on that if you want, but for some people it's just not a regular factor in their lives or something they or their circle are immersed in.

I don't care why anyone drinks, I don't analyse them or wonder about their motivations. They drink because they want to, I don't drink because I don't want to. It's that simple.

Aidric

P_1 wrote: »

I drink on occasion but I hate getting mouldy.

Precisely. Being mouldy is just unattractive. Unfortunately a sizable portion of Irish drinkers can't draw the line.

WilyCoyote

WilyCoyote wrote: »

Do you not like the taste of all these alcoholic drinks ........ or the result?
Straight answer please.

sup_dude wrote: »

........................................................
I may be reading it wrong but you sound awfully defensive. Does it matter?
....................................................................................

If that is your idea of straight then no wonder your brother doesn't take no for an answer

Or perhaps too much Nash's Red Lemonade has had a debilitating effect on your ability to reason.

Mrs Garth Brooks

I'm a teetotaler and I love it. I don't need alcohol to get hangovers as I get migraines alot, and the best way to describe a migraine is its like a hangover without drink. I can even get them over the smell of certain foods, like a bag of crisps. Imagine a hangover from a bag of crisps! I really don't need drink in my life.

WilyCoyote

Shakespeare's Sister wrote: »

Yeh if I was in a situation where I couldn't drink, I would head home when people are starting to get pissed. You're not on the same page as everyone else if you're sober and a bunch of them are drunk. You're excluded. Not in a malicious way, but just by virtue of being in a completely different state of mind.

You don't sound a bit like Siobhán Fahey!

Ave Sodalis

WilyCoyote wrote: »

If that is your idea of straight then no wonder your brother doesn't take no for an answer

Or perhaps too much Nash's Red Lemonade has had a debilitating effect on your ability to reason.

That question wasn't aimed at me and I had already answered it in my first post so why would I give you a straight answer?
Nor do I drink red lemonade, it's water or Lucozade. If it's going to be long night, then the Relentless comes out.

Sunnyisland

(1) Most non-drinkers dont look down on people who drink. However it is hard not to feel a little bit sniffy when somebody is talking ****e/droning on for hours about something uninteresting/Vomiting on themselves/starting arguements for no reason.

Sober, you do feel superior to them, as least in that moment.

As well as this you must understand that most non-drinkers in Ireland are seriously swimming against the stream. We live in a culture in which everybody gets totally polluted on a regular basis. Its not like we're in Italy where most people are sipping 2 glasses of wine with a meal. THE most important part of the culture is getting smashed: So if you dont take part you're likely to be a bit alienated by it all.

(2) This is totally understandable: For a non-drinker occassions that revolve around drink can be really boring. Irish drinkers are often interested in drink only, so a night out can involve sitting at the same table for 5 or 6 hours at a stretch, having conversations that are much less interesting than the ones you have sober. Theres no food, no games, no dancing. Just a long night at the same table. As a non-drinker this can make you irritable, cause you dont have the benefit of the anasthetic that makes it feel like fun.

In my experience, the first 2 or 3 hours is fine, but after that the drinkers start to become boring or downright stupid. One of my mates is like that, fascinating when sober, a tedious monologuist after 2 pints, tellling the same stories again and again, totally oblivious to your boredom.

3) Of course they feel it's an attack: Your very question is kind of pressuring them. It implies that everyone drinks so not drinking is wierd. Wouldn't you feel strange if somebody said to you "Why do you not do cocaine?". You'd feel like saying "Well its not up to me to tell you why I dont, Its up to you to tell me why you do."

Most non drinkers are constantly having to answer that question so they get very tired of it. I even find myself awhispering to the barman "Non Alcholic beer in a pint glass please" so that I dont have to answer the inevitable questions that happen when they notice: "Oh, on the dry eh? whys that?"

Ask yourself if you would be pissed off if everytime you had a pint somebody said "Oh having a pint eh? Why do you drink, tell me, honestly?" You'd be like "Oh **** off!"

But the true answer to all of this is: Go out with your mates on a few messy nights out and stay sober. You'll see exactly what I mean. You'll be like Homer Simpson at the baseball game when he gives up drink: "My God, I had no idea how boring this game was!"





First posted here back in 2008 by la vida loca, gives some good opinions http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055278978

seamus

This has been doing the rounds for the last couple of years:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/punctuated-equilibrium/2011/apr/26/1

So, it's far from a scientific conclusion, but it's an interesting concept. Especially when you consider that humans have been drinking alcohol longer than humanity has existed. It's woven into the fabric of our very DNA, and it does have some health benefit in small quantities, so it seems to make sense that there would be an innate desire for it.

It also explains why alcoholism seems to run in families, as does being teetotal. There can of course be social effects too, but I've known as many alcoholic sons of teetotal parents as I have teetotal sons of alcoholic parents. So "everyone else is doing it", doesn't adequately explain why someone is or isn't into drinking.

Likewise in cultures or countries where alcohol is banned or frowned upon, demand is still huge. Ask any westerner who has lived in Saudi or Bahrain and they'll have a million stories of fully-grown adult men (muslim) asking them to go into the offie and buy them a few cans. How would someone whose culture, religion and family completely abhors alcohol, find themselves desiring it, if there wasn't some deeper innate draw towards it?

FloatingVoter

WilyCoyote wrote: »

You don't sound a bit like Siobhán Fahey!

thats because she's Marcella Detroit (y'know, the weird one with the talent).

Daveysil15

realies wrote: »

In my experience, the first 2 or 3 hours is fine

I find that to be the case even when I'm drinking. I get bored after a few hours. The Xmas party is a good example as you're typically in the same venue for the entire night.

Party starts at 8pm. Have the dinner, a few drinks, get up and dance for a bit, have some more drink, get up and dance again, more drink, run to the jacks for a piss, more drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, try and get the shift, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink... and after all that, I look at my watch and its only 12:30 - Still another 2 hours to go. :eek:




And before you ask, I don't have an over active bladder. It's just that fecking cider goes straight through me. :pac:

FloatingVoter

Daveysil15 wrote: »

I find that to be the case even when I'm drinking. I get bored after a few hours. The Xmas party is a good example as you're typically in the same venue for the entire night.

Party starts at 8pm. Have the dinner, a few drinks, get up and dance for a bit, have some more drink, get up and dance again, more drink, run to the jacks for a piss, more drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, try and get the shift, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink, piss, drink... and after all that, I look at my watch and its only 12:30 - Still another 2 hours to go. :eek:




And before you ask, I don't have an over active bladder. It's just that fecking cider goes straight through me. :pac:

Well, you're spending half the night in the toilet. No wonder you never get laid. The girls think you're fidgeting with yourself.

Daveysil15

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Well, you're spending half the night in the toilet. No wonder you never get laid. The girls think you're fidgeting with yourself.

Aye, and to make things worse, that's where the quaaaars tend to hang out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS05YkhEeUs

InReality

Candie wrote: »

I tell them I won't drink it. As far as I'm concerned, I won't be forced into drinking because someone else wants me to. I tell them to keep it for themselves and I buy myself whatever I want. Some people get offended, but I'm not going to do what someone tells me to to spare their feelings when they completely disregarded mine.
.

Well put and fair play !

Well as I said in another thread last week, I was recently branded "anti-social" for not drinking at a wedding a few weeks ago. I'm regularly told that I should be drinking.

I really feel like there's too much emphasis on drinking in this country.

Wompa1

I was 19 before I had my first drink, in a small village where the regular age to start was about 12-13! It was tough just making it to that age...I only drank a couple more times after that until the age of about 22 (due to not being able to afford it)

School Discos were a nightmare. Socializing in general was just pretty awkward outside of school. Even in school it was tough, a lot of the lads would sneak drink at lunch.

I went through a phase of drinking a lot then, during college. Social crutch.

Over the last few years. I've drank probably on average, twice a year. It's much easier not drinking in the US than it was in Ireland. It's normal to go to a venue with alcohol and not drink.

Dapics

I don't drink that often, I'm pretty fussy about when I drink.

I don't see the point in having a few quiet ones in the pub or some pints/wine over dinner in a restaurant. Heck, most nights, if i head out and it's not a special occasion I won't drink.

However....

when I do decide to drink, I go all out and get absolutely smashed. I am incapable of heading out/social gathering (on an important occasion) without getting locked. It's not like I need it or anything. I just can't say no to more drink once I'm passed a certain stage. Weddings are the devil for this kind of mindset.

Also festivals - for any festival longer than 2 days, I drink.

I know a good few other people who are like me

hanging on

I don't drink because I'm an alcoholic.

I can't let you buy me one pint because you haven't seen me in ages. I can't go for drinks with everyone at work on Friday. I can't accept that bottle of Jameson at Christmas.

I can't leave myself open to becoming that guy again - that guy everyone loves when he's doing karaoke even though he's so shy in college, that guy who's picking up all these girls even though he can barely look you in the eye before you got to the pub, that guy who everyone loves until closing when he stumbles home, pukes all over himself, pisses the bed and wakes up unable to remember a single thing that happened in the day before. I wont be that guy.

mikeyjames9

I'm not anti alcohol but I feel the advertising should be clamped down
to protect kids

There's too much linkage between success/happiness/sport and alcohol in the media

FloatingVoter

mikeyjames9 wrote: »

I'm not anti alcohol but I feel the advertising should be clamped down
to protect kids

There's too much linkage between success/happiness/sport and alcohol in the media

I didn't start drinking because I saw an ad on TV. Nobody ever did. Movie stars were getting "drunk" onscreen since the days of silent movies. The last notable sports person with a booze problem was Gazza and he's a stumbling wreck advertising everything that can go wrong.
"The TV made me do it" is an excuse that ranks alongside "Your honour, I had drink taken" in the pantheon of lame.

mikeyjames9

FloatingVoter wrote: »

I didn't start drinking because I saw an ad on TV. Nobody ever did. Movie stars were getting "drunk" onscreen since the days of silent movies. The last notable sports person with a booze problem was Gazza and he's a stumbling wreck advertising everything that can go wrong.
"The TV made me do it" is an excuse that ranks alongside "Your honour, I had drink taken" in the pantheon of lame.

You think advertising is a waste of money

They really need to hear this

FloatingVoter

mikeyjames9 wrote: »

You think advertising is a waste of money

They really need to hear this

Shhh, don't tell the morons that we speedsearch the ads and pirated flicks don't have trailers. Without ads, there'd be no TV at all. Let them flog their dodgy wares to empty rooms. It keeps marketing graduates off the dole queue.

WilyCoyote

Wompa1 wrote: »

I was 19 before I had my first drink, in a small village where the regular age to start was about 12-13! It was tough just making it to that age...I only drank a couple more times after that until the age of about 22 (due to not being able to afford it)

School Discos were a nightmare. Socializing in general was just pretty awkward outside of school. Even in school it was tough, a lot of the lads would sneak drink at lunch.

I went through a phase of drinking a lot then, during college. Social crutch.

Over the last few years. I've drank probably on average, twice a year. It's much easier not drinking in the US than it was in Ireland. It's normal to go to a venue with alcohol and not drink.

I've been to a few of the weddings here ....... all over by 8pm ........ except for the Irish, British and Canucks who carry on with the craic until the early (and sometimes) dawn hours.
There's a culture miasma ........ they overdo the safety of their kids ........ and then send them off to fight a foreign war - for fuck all. They overdo the education of their kids ........ and have them graduating with perhaps $50K of debt. They overdo the economics of ageing .......... and spend so much energy on making sure their IRAs will cover the Nursing Home.
I think this is why a lot of the immigrants hanker for the green, green grass of home!
But in answer to your post ....... the idea of a guy floating around at a party with a bottle of water in his hand ....... reaching for the food tray (gotta get some carbs in), and in general talking through his/her ar$e about longevity ....... gimme a break and pass the bottle.
The average US citizen lives 1.4 years less than your pint guzzling, hairy bacon eating, non-worrying Irish person ......... this should give a few pointers.
Cheers!

Wompa1

WilyCoyote wrote: »

But in answer to your post ....... the idea of a guy floating around at a party with a bottle of water in his hand ....... reaching for the food tray (gotta get some carbs in), and in general talking through his/her ar$e about longevity ....... gimme a break and pass the bottle.
The average US citizen lives 1.4 years less than your pint guzzling, hairy bacon eating, non-worrying Irish person ......... this should give a few pointers.
Cheers!

I kind of doubt the fact they don't drink as often or get as drunk as one of the reasons the life expectancy is less here

I went to an event in Orlando a few years ago. Two Irish lads were sitting behind me, we got to talking. Anyways, it started with the national anthem for the US being played...not that surprising. The two lads were taking the piss out of the song and the people singing it...again, not all that surprising. Have gone out to watch the Superbowl at home and experienced the same ****e from the people in the pub who had no interest in it. Anyways, the event gets started and people are cheering and shouting and starting chants and these two dopes again are snickering and taking the piss out of the dumb, loud Americans.. An event that they had to know would be like this...you see that carry on watching it on TV.

Long story short...about an hour in. They start joining in. After they had a glasses of beer in them. Just my theory here but, I think they couldn't justify acting like that without alcohol. Gimme a break and get a personality without substituting with alcohol!

That of course just being an anecdote about one such event. How many people do you or I know from Ireland that get fluttered drunk every weekend and is a different person. A dependence on any substance can't be a good thing.

Long Gone

In fairness all the teetotallers that I know are right boring, miserable Barstewards. Just saying like...

The Rabbit

Long Gone wrote: »

In fairness all the teetotallers that I know are right boring, miserable Barstewards. Just saying like...

Same as most of the drinkers I know.

Amazing isn't it?

Long Gone

The Rabbit wrote: »

Same as most of the drinkers I know.

I rest my case ! .:D

lukesmom

I don't drink because it is a depressant.

The Rabbit

Never argue with an idiot...

Never argue with an idiot...

Never argue with an idiot...


I'll take my own advice.

AnonoBoy

Candie wrote: »

And that's only within the first 8 posts of the thread.

I started my post by referencing the Bull Mick (a TV character who is a caricature of the intolerant sort of Irish person who views gay people and those who don't drink with suspicion) - with this in mind reread my post and you'll see that I was being sarcastic.

mikeyjames9

lukesmom wrote: »

I don't drink because it is a depressant.

I'm down to just occasional drinking

I can't stick the hassle of depressions after regular weekend drinking, not to mention the empty pockets and long-term health risks

Zombienosh

I stopped drinking a few years ago, I say stopped because I don't think I gave up anything. In fact I gained so much by not revolving my life around drinking.

lanos

Long Gone wrote: »

In fairness all the teetotallers that I know are right boring, miserable Barstewards. Just saying like...

very true, and they know it



when i meet an old school aquaintance at an event, wedding etc and i find out that person has never drank
( i'm excluding the ones who have drank and gave up for various reasons )
i would typically remember them as the socially ackward, nervous, boring, unpopular weird types.
and they tend to be in boring careers in adulthood.
just an observation

Quin_Dub

I don't drink - Tried it twice at 16 , hated it and never drank again (I've decided that I simply despise the taste of ethyl alcohol as I can drink alcohol free versions of things (albeit very very rarely) and don't have the same repulsion as I do with the real thing...)

In the nearly 30 years that have passed since I still get looks from people when I tell them that I don't drink, although the attitude & reaction has somewhat altered over the years

When I was younger and into my early 20's everyone would try to get me to drink - "Ah go on , give it a try, surely you'll have one?" etc. etc.

That peer pressure thing stopped when people grew up a bit , but people I meet today continue to express surprise that I don't drink, tell me that it's odd or unusual etc.

It doesn't really bother me in Ireland anymore , but for some reason when it happens overseas it really irritates me..

I travel to the US a lot and I get totally wound up by the whole "What??... An Irish man that doesn't drink?.... I didn't think that such a thing existed!" thing that I get there - To be fair I get the same thing in other countries too, it's just that Americans are a bit more blunt and directly vocal about it...

Being Irish and drinking are seen as synonymous abroad..... That's a very sad indictment of the Irish cultural attitude to drink (it's also an indictment of the people saying it for not having a wider world view than the one given to them by Hollywood).

As other posters have said , we Irish seem to have a very warped relationship to Alcohol , it's seen as a tool to get drunk to provide bravado on a night out or whatever rather than being a potentially enjoyable interlude during an evening out...

Maybe it's caused by our traditional catholic repression that booze is used as a tool for release - I don't know... I just know that we have an attitude problem to alcohol in general here..

Daveysil15

Ireland is the only country in the world where you see protesters outside AA meetings.

alphaLaura

lanos wrote: »

very true, and they know it



when i meet an old school aquaintance at an event, wedding etc and i find out that person has never drank
( i'm excluding the ones who have drank and gave up for various reasons )
i would typically remember them as the socially ackward, nervous, boring, unpopular weird types.
and they tend to be in boring careers in adulthood.
just an observation

What's a boring career?

FunLover18

This idea that non-drinkers are boring is quite sad. If I understand it correctly it implies that they'd be more interesting if they drank, which leads me to conclude that people of this view point drink in order to make themselves more interesting or popular which is ****ed up and why I don't drink. I don't think it's in anyway healthy to drink in order to change your personality or who you are so you're more appealing to others.

foxy farmer

Teetotallers are handy for a free spin home after a wedding or whatever. Not so boring now are we?

podgemonster

foxy farmer wrote: »

Teetotallers are handy for a free spin home after a wedding or whatever. Not so boring now are we?

One of my mates is a non drinker and is great for the lifts home and the only price is a bag of chips and a few lucozades in the club as a thank you.

He's morbidly obese now though.

RedemptionZ

I've got an on off relationship with drinking. Currently not drinking. In general though I can't handle it, although I've been on anti depressants since I was 16, the same age I started drinking so I don't know if the medication has an effect but currently I know myself that drinking would do me more harm than good. I'd like to think I'll be able to get back into having a few pints with the lads but I think I'm just more prone to alcohol and substance abuse than others so I really don't know.

I usually only drank when going to nightclubs and at house parties, ie. situations where you're meeting new people in a non formal setting or dancing or something awkward like that. While I haven't enjoyed going out sober yet, it's really made me identify my insecurities in that department. Now I'm not shy at all, but I'd still bottle going up to talk to girls or dancing in front of people if I was sober. I'm now seeing that drinking is a bit of a cop out, papering over the cracks. I think a lot of people are like that too, whether or not they like to admit it. Because I'm not drinking I'm gonna have to learn how to handle situations like that sober, which will put me at a bit of an advantage in the long run I think. And once I can enjoy nights out sober I'll be laughing, having the craic and not spending 50 euro a night.

Definitely do miss the pub nights. And casual beers watching the match. But such is life.

Quin_Dub

lanos wrote: »

very true, and they know it



when i meet an old school aquaintance at an event, wedding etc and i find out that person has never drank
( i'm excluding the ones who have drank and gave up for various reasons )
i would typically remember them as the socially ackward, nervous, boring, unpopular weird types.
and they tend to be in boring careers in adulthood.
just an observation

And this just totally encapsulates Irelands messed up attitude to Alcohol..

Being a non-drinker in Ireland is viewed with suspicion and is treated as some kind of character flaw.

Whereas in a mature society not drinking should be no different than not eating carrots or Brussels sprouts...

Shiraz 4.99

I'll be honest, I don't trust teetotalers, it's to do with being unwilling to let their guard down.

I don't befriend them, I'd rather not work with them or have to deal with them.
Say what you will about drink but it's the easiest way to discover someones true personality.