Ireland’s only alcohol-free pub closes doors and is ‘going mobile’ instead

The Virgin Mary has served Dublin’s alcohol-free community for just under four years.

The latest in a string of hospitality closures across the country, The Virgin Mary of Capel street closed its doors for the final time this month.

Speaking to The Times, a representative from the bar confirmed the closure, adding that “spiralling costs were a big factor for us”.

Pubs, cafés and restaurants all over Ireland have struggled to keep afloat amidst rising costs due to inflation,  staffing issues and other lasting effects of the pandemic and various lockdowns.

 

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A post shared by TVM Ireland (@thevirginmarybar)

The Virgin Mary opened in May of 2019, becoming the only pub in Ireland to serve exclusively non-alcoholic drinks. The Capel Street bar were known for their mocktails and extensive selection of non-alcoholic beers and spirits.

While time has been called on their Dublin city location, this isn’t the end for The Virgin Mary – the pub have announced they’ll be taking their concept mobile, popping up at festivals, events and more across the island of Ireland.

While not much has been revealed about the new business model or where we can expect to see TVM popping up first, they teased “get ready to see a lot more of us in the coming months”.

 

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You can keep up to date with The Virgin Mary and their upcoming events via Instagram, and order non-alcoholic drinks “sober starter kits” and more through their website.

Header image via Instagram/thevirginmarybar

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