Spirits consumption per person in Ireland
Ireland: Spirits consumption per person was 2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
42nd
of 187 countries
All-time high
3.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
in 1978
All-time low
1.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
in 1963
Years of data
60
1963–2022
Spirits consumption per person in Ireland, 1963–2022
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for spirits consumption per person in Ireland is 2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spirits consumption per person in Ireland peaked at 3.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1978 and was at its lowest, 1.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, in 1963.
That places Ireland 42nd out of 187 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Spirits consumption per person in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 1.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | — |
| 1964 | 1.45 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 1.54 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +6.2% |
| 1966 | 1.47 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -4.5% |
| 1967 | 1.54 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.8% |
| 1968 | 1.72 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +11.7% |
| 1969 | 1.87 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +8.7% |
| 1970 | 2.12 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +13.4% |
| 1971 | 2.14 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 2.44 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +14.0% |
| 1973 | 2.63 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +7.8% |
| 1974 | 2.77 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.3% |
| 1975 | 2.95 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +6.5% |
| 1976 | 2.95 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 3.13 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +6.1% |
| 1978 | 3.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.8% |
| 1979 | 3.24 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 2.94 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -9.3% |
| 1981 | 2.72 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -7.5% |
| 1982 | 2.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -12.9% |
| 1983 | 2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -15.6% |
| 1984 | 2.14 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +7.0% |
| 1985 | 2.56 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +19.6% |
| 1986 | 2.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -5.9% |
| 1987 | 2.25 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -6.6% |
| 1988 | 2.38 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.8% |
| 1989 | 2.36 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 2.33 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 2.33 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.18 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -6.4% |
| 1993 | 2.3 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 2.14 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -7.0% |
| 1995 | 2.12 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 2.36 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +11.3% |
| 1997 | 2.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.45 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 2.69 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 3.05 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +13.4% |
| 2001 | 3.09 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 3.19 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 2.5 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -21.6% |
| 2004 | 2.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 2.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.57 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 2.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 2.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -9.4% |
| 2009 | 1.96 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -19.0% |
| 2010 | 2.19 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +11.7% |
| 2011 | 2.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 2.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 2.02 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -12.6% |
| 2014 | 1.99 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 2.01 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 2.16 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +7.5% |
| 2017 | 2.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 2.29 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 2.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 2.25 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 2.36 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.0% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.79 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, 1.4× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.8 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, 1.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.57 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.87 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 7 |
| 1970s | 2.77 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.12 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.94 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.32 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.12 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.69 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.65 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.96 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3.19 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.17 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.99 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.35 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.25 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 39 Guyana 2.46 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 40 Germany 2.46 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 40 Spain 2.46 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 43 Andorra 2.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 43 Luxembourg 2.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 45 Haiti 2.35 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
More economy & growth data for Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.96 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 67.14 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.1102 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 12,444 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 4.82 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 103.44 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0079 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 893.09 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 7.57 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spirits consumption per person in Ireland?
- Spirits consumption per person in Ireland was 2.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spirits consumption per person recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 3.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1978.
- What is the lowest spirits consumption per person recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1963.
- How does Ireland rank for spirits consumption per person?
- Ireland ranks 42nd out of 187 countries with data for 2022.
- Is spirits consumption per person rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Spirits consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Spirit consumption per person, measured in liters of pure alcohol per year. Spirits are distilled alcoholic drinks and include gin, rum, whisky, tequila and vodka.