Ireland’s only alcohol-free pub is closing after four years

By Fiona Frawley

The bar first opened in 2019.

The Virgin Mary on Capel Street in Dublin city centre has 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. The Virgin Mary opened in May of 2019, becoming the only pub in Ireland to serve exclusively non-alcoholic drinks. The Capel Street bar was known for its mocktails and extensive selection of non-alcoholic beers and spirits. While time has been called on its Dublin city location, this is not the end for The Virgin Mary. The pub has announced it will be taking its 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, it teased on social media: "Get ready to see a lot more of us in the coming months". You can keep up to date with The Virgin Mary and its upcoming events via Instagram. You can also order non-alcoholic drinks "sober starter kits" and more through its website. This article originally appeared on LovinDublin.