Ask anyone about their perception of Ireland and chances are, they'll mention the fact that we're fond of a few pints.

Our ability to drink other countries under the table has become a strange source of pride over the years - not to mention a very effective marketing tool for our St Paddy's Day celebrations.

However, everything we thought we knew has now been thrown into doubt as new research has confirmed that we're no longer the biggest drinkers in Europe.

What?!

Yep, statistics compiled by the European Commission have shown that Ireland has dropped to 12th place in the rankings - with our newfound dedication to healthy living (not to mention the fact that we're all broke) seemingly having a serious impact on our alcohol consumption.

The average amount of alcohol consumed in Ireland between 2000 and 2014 dropped by 23.6%, with individual consumption dropping from 14 litres of pure alcohol a year to 10.6 litres.

The top spot is now held by Lithuania, so we know where we're going on our holidays!

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