The social contexts of drinking among Irish men in London : Evidence from a qualitative study

The article reports aspects of a qualitative study which examined health beliefs and behaviours among Irish people in London. The findings elicited though focus groups and semi structured interviews, demonstrate excessive alcohol among men who left Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s, which was related to socio-economic, housing and migration factors. The pub filled economic and social functions for men working mainly in construction and who felt homesick and isolated in an unwelcoming and often hostile environment. Irish masculinity was constructed around a combination of hard physical labour and heavy drinking and alcohol became a culturally sanctioned coping strategy for men economically inactive because of injury, degenerative disorders or redundancy or with underlying mental illness. The findings demonstrate discrimination and insensitivity in primary care, mental health and social services dealing with alcohol problems. The study uncovered a tolerance of heavy alcohol use and alcoholism in the Irish community in London which may reflect a continuation of social and cultural attitudes in Ireland. This requires further investigation but the findings illuminate the function and meaning of alcohol for Irish men in London, highlight the need for action by UK policy makers and potentially inform health and social care practice.