Irish drinking laws: Can you buy alcohol on Good Friday?

Are pubs and restaurants allowed to serve alcohol on Good Friday?

Every year there's a bit of confusion over whether alcohol can be served on Good Friday, and for good reason to be fair. The short answer to this question is: yes. For nearly 100 years, drinking on Good Friday was prohibited. From 1927 to 2018, pubs and shops were forbidden from selling alcohol on this day every year. However, in 2018, the Dáil passed new legislation abolishing the prohibitive drinking laws on Good Friday; according to The Journal, the reason behind this change in law was primarily tourism. At the time, TD David Stanton said this of the bill:

"Tourism makes a much greater contribution to our economy (than when the act was brought in) and this is particularly true during holidays, such as the busy Easter period. “In addition changing demographics and increasing diversity in our population have led to a reduction in traditional religious practice."

The move was also seen as a progressive move towards separating Church and State in Ireland. So to put it plainly, the prohibitive drinking laws on Good Friday have been scrapped, meaning pubs, hotels, restaurants and shops can serve it. No more hopping on the ferry for a pint of the good stuff when the Friday before Easter Sunday rolls around. However you're celebrating Easter, we hope you have a very happy one. Header images via Shutterstock READ ON:  - The Sunday decision means Irish fuel prices could be set to rise again - The 22 best private wedding venues in Ireland have been revealed - Kerry's Skellig Michael named as one of the world's most beautiful places