Irish students launch social media campaign showing alternative options to a boozy Christmas

COMING home this Christmas and dreading the pressure many Irish people feel to survive the seasonal festivities? Have no fear.

Christmas is a time of year known for overindulgence, especially in the case of overeating and drinking too much.

The festive season calls for people to get merry with a drink or two either at home or in the pub, but for those who don't drink there's often a dilemma looming - to go out or not?

To tackle that problem, MSc in Science Communication student Jeanne Sutton along with a group of fellow students have set up a social media campaign to document an alcohol-free guide of Dublin.

The campaign has gathered traction on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, using the hashtag #AFreeDublin to spread awareness of alcohol free options in Ireland's social scene, specifically in Dublin.

Did you know the Morgan Hotel in Temple Bar will turn any cocktail into a mocktail for €4 less from their alcoholic cocktail menu? Well now you do! Please alert us to other mocktail offerings in the capital! #afreedublin ? ? via @morganhoteldublin

A post shared by afreedublin (@afreedublin) on Nov 15, 2017 at 4:58am PST

Speaking to The Irish Post, Jeanne Sutton who runs the AFreeDublin Instagram account said she was surprised by the success of the campaign: "It was really interesting that a campaign we started for a college project took off in such a way. I think what really satisfied me was seeing how openly supportive some of our followers were of a non-drinking co-existing in that sacred Irish space - the pub."

Love your craft beer but worried about the non alcoholic alternatives out there? Don't! BrewDog have a 0.5% beer called Nanny State. Stock up at the offy or ask your bartender if they've got it chilling behind the bar. What other beers do you turn to when you're cutting down or #offthelash? #afreedublin

A post shared by afreedublin (@afreedublin) on Nov 23, 2017 at 12:06am PST

Surprisingly, some establishments were not interested in offering alcohol-free options according to Sutton: "Also, some places were not willing to engage at all with the campaign - the places that did though, they will be seeing my custom more often!

She told of how she chased Dublin hotspots but received no response on being included in the campaign: "We messaged a lot of places and followed up, but it was a case of 'message seen'. On Twitter a lot of places engaged when we tagged them."

Could this be the start of an alcohol-free social scene in Dublin? What do you make of the campaign?

Ohhhhhh, lookit here, @firerestaurantandlounge has alerted us to their mocktail offerings, including the Allo Vera pictured above. It's a blend of aloe vera and grapefruit for that bite. Only €6. #afreedublin #alcoholfree #lovindublin #dublin #aloevera #zeroalcohol #nonalcoholic #soberissexy

A post shared by afreedublin (@afreedublin) on Nov 1, 2017 at 1:18pm PDT

For more updates, make sure to follow the AFree Twitter page below.

You don't drink alcohol. Or you're simply watching your unit intake? How do you partake in the Irish social scene? If your scene is more #mocktails than #cocktails - #AFreeDublin is here for that! We're running a campaign to highlight #alcoholfree socialising options in #Dublin! pic.twitter.com/ggMc3IOuDp

— A Free Dublin (@AFreeDublin) November 22, 2017