Irish emigrants miss a cup of tea more than a pint in the local pub, survey finds

Irish people living abroad miss a cup of tea more than a pint in their local, claims new research by one of Ireland’s biggest tea brands.

The survey conducted by Lyons Tea found that a whopping 69 percent of Irish people said they missed a cup of tea more than a tipple in their local pub. Both male and female respondents ranked spending time with family and friends as the most missed activity.

Tea was the most missed Irish product for Irish men abroad at 54 percent, while Irish chocolate and crisps came in a close behind.

As part of their ‘Bring The Talk Home’ campaign, Lyons Tea commissioned the research to find what Irish emigrants missed most about Ireland while they were away.

Diarmaid Ferriter, Irish author and historian, commented on the findings, “Emigration has been central to the Irish experience for nearly 200 years and more recently with 68,000 emigrating from April 2009 to April 2011 and a further 46,500 from April 2011 to April 2012.”

“This Lyons Tea survey is a further reminder that behind all the emigration statistics over the centuries and decades, certain things remain constant and unchanging; the Irish abroad still feel a need to gravitate towards each other.”

“For all the negative headlines about alcohol abuse by the Irish abroad and the role drink played historically, this survey makes it clear that one of the oldest of Irish rituals- the drinking of tea - is of more importance to them than drinking in Irish bars.“

“It would seem that drinking tea is the activity that creates the most satisfying taste of home, generating vital bonds of sociability and interaction. The importance of the tea drinking ritual in Irish culture is clearly one that is deep rooted and longed for when abroad.”

Lyons Tea are currently running a competition to ‘Bring The Talk Home’, the competition will give 8 people a month the chance to fly a friend or family member home from abroad for that special chat with friends and family.

For further information on the Lyons Tea ‘Bring The Talk Home’ campaign via their website.