Irish people will feel compelled to drink alcohol to celebrate St Patrick’s Day this Sunday – whether they want to or not – according to a Northumbria University academic.

Alcohol consumption is romanticised in Irish culture and many Irish people regard drinking on St Patrick’s Day as a symbol of patriotism to their country, the research reveals.

Marketing lecturer Matthew Kearney asked 70 Irish people in their 20s and 30s to keep shopping diaries and analyse their feelings about their spending as part of his PhD into the experiences of and attitudes to shopping with a particular focus on excessive shopping habits. He then conducted in-depth interviews with a third of those who took part.

The research revealed that every single person who took part in the research celebrated St Patrick’s Day and many maxed out their credit cards and borrowed from friends and family to support the celebrations.....