THE unidentified Irish toddler filmed sipping a pint of Guinness in an RTÉ broadcast from 1997 has been found.
The 20-year-old clip from Nationwide went viral at the weekend after being posted online by RTÉ reporter Cian McCormack.
The clip was filmed in Daly’s Bar in Ennistymon, Co. Clare in 1997 as part of a segment called ‘Single Women Scarce in Kerry’ – which looked into the plight of single men in the area.
Thousands of Irish people quickly related to the story and "#pintbaby" became a top trend on Twitter.
Now the child featured in the clip has been tracked down to Co. Kildare where he lives with his mother, also shown in the clip.
Steven Barron, now 20, told RTÉ: "I don't really mind the attention – I'd rather be called Steven than 'pint baby' though.”
The images of a small child consuming alcohol have naturally attracted criticism, but other social media users defended the 1997 clip as being from a “different time”.
1/2 You won't see this on TV nowadays. Look at this 'pint drinking baby' in 1997 from RTÉ's Nationwide. pic.twitter.com/wgwnoGQtE0
— cian mccormack (@cian_mccormack) February 17, 2017
Steven also defended the footage of his younger self tasting a pint, saying: "I suppose everyone can relate to it. I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm just the only one who got filmed doing it."
Pint Baby in action. Picture: Facebook/RTEHis mother Caroline said: "There was filming going on in the pub, we were there – there was great fun and atmosphere and craic.
"Steven was sitting on my knee and he took a shine to a pint of Guinness.
"It was only a drop of Guinness, there's plenty of parents even to this day that would do it, there's no harm in it.
She added: "He's turned out perfectly fine and there's no bother on him."
Steven revealed that alcohol is the last thing on his mind at the moment as he trains to become a qualified blacksmith.
"I make pokers, knives, I might try the odd gate,” he said. “It's a nice craft and I'd like to keep it going!”
Check out Pint Man's reaction below...
He's been dubbed 'Pint Baby' after a video of him drinking a pint of Guinness went viral last week. RTÉ's @cian_mccormack tracked him down. pic.twitter.com/zugBX0CgEX
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 20, 2017
