Drinks giant Diageo has been forced to defend this Thursday's Arthur’s Day celebration, a Guinness-sponsored music event, after it was attacked by doctors and well-known personalities.
Doctors have said, that with high rates of alcohol abuse and liver disease, Ireland did not need another campaign promoting alcohol consumption.
Singer Christy Moore and the Waterboys are releasing anti-Arthur’s Day songs on Thursday to coincide with the event, which has also been condemned by actor Gabriel Byrne and popular writer Marian Keyes.
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland will hold a public meeting in Dublin tonight to discuss the country’s relationship with alcohol.
“With high rates of alcohol consumption and binge drinking, we don’t need another reason to drink,” said the head of the RCPI’s policy group on alcohol, Frank Murray.
However, Diageo said Guinness was showcasing emerging Irish music talent by offering them a stage at over 500 music events.
Diageo also said it had implemented a responsible drinking awareness campaign around Arthur’s Day and gave clear advice to pubs creating their own events.
In particular, it was encouraging all 500 participating pubs to give our free water and food at the larger ticketed venues.
