A brand new group, Sober Sallys, has been set up in Galway for the purposes of connecting people who prefer to socialise without alcohol.

Faye Ní Dhomhnaill was inspired by Sober Babes Vancouver to set up a collective, having finished her undergraduate degree in Law, English and Performing Arts at NUIG. "I've worked in bars for years so I’ve seen both sides of our binge drinking. Only recently working a day job I’ve realised that so much of our day revolves around drinking," Ní Dhomhnaill tells Hot Press of Sober Sallys origins.

As of today, the trans-inclusive group are taking in submissions for alcohol-free meet-ups around Galway. Events for gender specific/LGBTQIA+ people will develop as the group becomes larger, but everyone is welcome.

 

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"Basically I’d been wanting to set up a group like this for a while," Faye tells me. "I’m not a big drinker myself and when I do drink it never ends well, and I wanted for there to be something for people who wanted to make new friends without needing to drink! I’m not saying you need to have a 100% sober lifestyle to take part, I’m just saying that these events will be 100% sober.

"I think it’s crazy how much of our socialising comes from drinking," Ní Dhomhnaill remarks. "Once you start saying no to drinking, it’s mad how much you realise it’s everywhere. I stopped drinking before my final year exams and it was crazy how few of my friends I saw, and then once I was back having a few drinks how many people commented on the fact they hadn’t seen me. I didn’t disappear I was just not drinking!"

DNA Galway.

After the Virgin Mary bar on Capel Street in Dublin closed down (though the owners will be doing pop ups), and Galway's own nightlife has consistently seen clubs shuttered over the last few years, nightlife in all its forms in the area has been criticised.

"Galway nightlife is a shambles," Faye opines. "Don’t get me wrong, it has a great upcoming music scene, from singer-songwriters to DJs, but there’s nowhere for this music to be listened to. I think this is part of why our drink culture is so bad is cause there’s no clubs for us - just late bars. There’s nowhere with just a big dance floor where you can boogie the night away and not have to worry about drinking and taking drugs!"

Dublin has seen the rise of Babes Without Beers; a meet up for women, non-binary people, the LGBTQ+ community who are sober, sober-curious or want to drink less alcohol - founded by Steph Meagher.

For more information, follow Sober Sallys at instagram.com/sobersallys_galway/.