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If you think nothing of splitting a bottle of wine with your partner on a Friday night, then that could bode well for your relationship.

A new study has revealed that couples who drink together are much happier in the long term than couples where only one person drank. 

Image result for wine funny

According to the study, titled Drinking Patterns Among Older Couples, the couples who didn't see eye to eye when it comes to drinking had the most arguments and unhappiness in their relationships.

The imbalance is what seems to cause most of the problems, as couples in which both people drank equally, there were less issues. Interestingly, the study found that in couples where the woman was the one who drank while the husband stayed sober, more issues arose. 

"Wives who reported drinking alcohol reported increased negative marital quality over time when husbands reported not drinking," the study said.

Now, that's not to say that a teetotaler can't have a strong relationship with someone who enjoys a drink, but according to the study, finding someone who has the same alcohol habits as you can make life a bit easier and your relationship a bit longer. 

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*NO SPOILERS* Don't worry lads.

After last night's Battle of Winterfell, most of us need a good, strong drink. Luckily, some of our favourite alcohol companies have released limited edition Game of Thrones spirits to celebrate the final season.

Did someone say 'cocktails'? We did. Big bag of cans with the White Walkers sounds good to us.

confused jon snow GIF by Game of Thrones

1. White Walker Whiskey by Johnnie Walker Scotch.

Johnny Walker is our new bestie. The veteran scotch brand and mixologist master Gabe Orta has created six special serves alongside the White Walker Whiskey.

This is exactly what we need to numb our emotional trauma of character deaths. Each of the half-a-dozen drinks is inspired by the iconic HBO series, and are easy to make at home. 

'Rooting for the Night King' is an ice-cold mix of whiskey, but add coconut soda to create the 'Army of the Dead''. Targaryen fans can make a fiery blend of burne rosemary, whiskey and cinnamon syrup in the 'Dragonglass Old Fashioned.'

Image credit: extravaganzi.com
Price: €38 (£33)

The GOT-'Old Fashioned' features Zacapa Rum, Dram palo santo bitters, Angostura, rosemary stalk and smoked cinnamon syrup. Yum.

Make the 'Hold the Door' (SOB) with whiskey, berry soda and blackberries and raspberries as a garnish. 'Sword in the Darkness' is made with vermouth, bitter liqueur, Angostura, Pimento bitter, brandy cherries and whiskey.

Your head will be spinning in no time, get ready to forget the pain of watching this brilliant show.

GIF by Game of Thrones

2. Ommegang's 'Game of Thrones' Beer

'For the Throne', 'Winter is Here', 'Valar Dohaeris', Bend the Knee', 'Fire and Blood', 'Queen of the Seven Kingdoms', 'Mother of Dragons', King in the North' and 'Hand of the Queen' are all new flavours brought our by Ommegang to commemorate GOT.

Brewery Ommegang are a craft outpost in NYC, and first teamed up with HBO back in 2013. It has since created, brewed and released over 10 special beers to pay homage to the show and it's characters.

The collection also features imperial stour, red kriek ale, golden ale and smoked porter, and can be bought on drizly.com's website.

Image credit: parched.asia
Price: €8

3. Game of Thrones Chardonnay wine

Remember all of the episodes in which Cersei Lannister drinsk deviously out of a goblet of never-ending wine?

Well, now that can be you. Picture yourself as Tyrion, always sipping his storage of vino and plotting ways to defeat evil.

8wines have released a Game of Thrones 2016 Chardonnay with bursts with tropical fruit like guava, mango and honeydew melon along with zesty lime, peach and white blossom aromas for feverish fans.

Image: 8wines
Price: €36.15

4. Cardhu Game of Thrones 'House Targaryen' gold reserve single malt scotch whiskey

Eight Scottish distilleries have collaborated with Westeros' ruling families based on their independent traits: Lagavulin paired with House Lannister and Cardhu aimed at House Targaryen.

The Night's Watch got theirs from Oban Bey Reserve, in a gorgeous blac bottle, but we love Cardhu's House Targaryen's gold reserve single malt scotch whiskey.

The fiery spirit of the fierce female leadership of Daenerys Targaryen has fuelled this whiskey on behlaf of legendary women and their unwavering perseverance. The drink involves notes of baked apple with spices, cloves, nuttiness and caramel character.

Image: CraftShack
Prices: €35.80 upwards

Interestingly, the Cardhu Distillery was created by Helen Cumming and her daughter-in-law Elizabeth during the 1800s, a period when the whisky industry was basically entirely male-dominated.

We love a fierce female. You can snag the whole collection here.

One last thing; You need a KILLER glass to drink away your GOT-related sorrows in. We've found the perfect goblet to tackle that freezing cold winter.

Introducing…

5. The Weirwood Tree Goblet by EMP.

Image; www.emp.ie
Price; €39.99

We couldn't let you drink such outstanding alcohol in a regular glass, now could we? A true fan appreciates the metal, stainless steel version of the mysterious tree.

The tree is featured in the godswood of Winterfell, and has carved faces in it's bark. It's rumoured to be key in the final series, mainly because of Bran Stark.

Drink responsibly, lads, but enjoy these gorgeous Game of Thrones collaborations this season.

Feature image: Golf Digest/HBO

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St Patrick's Day is probably the biggest day of the year in our Emerald Isle for hitting the stores to buy alcohol.

Let's be real here, we're a nation of drink-connoisseurs; we'll be in the pub all day or at some mad gaff with a keg.

Stores like Aldi have been recently producing some of Ireland's best quality and cheapest gin, but they've only gone and topped themselves with their latest product.

Aldi Ireland has OFFICIALLY announced that it will be selling…wait for it…shamrock infused gin. Just in time for St. Patricks's Day; we know exactly what we'll be polluting ourselves with this year.

Made by Listoke Distillery in Co. Louth, Tower Gin’s 'Shamrock Infused Gin' will be on sale from Thursday, February 28 for a price of €19.99/50cl, so banishing all of those snakes won't break the bank.

Tower Gin’s 'Shamrock Infused Gin' has been distilled in the traditional London Dry style, with all ingredients, including the fresh shamrock, coming from the highways and byways of Co. Louth.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The refreshing gin has a mild earthy taste from the shamrock flavour, and has rosehips and sweet orange flavour to match. Oh, and the gin is genuinely green, in honour of St. Paddy himself.

The gin makers have written an adorable poem for it's customers to enjoy;

"We once made a gin by The Tower, distilled with an Irish green power, some citrus and spice, some tonic and ice, from Ireland’s delicate wild shamrock flower!"

Adorable. We're so excited to give this one a try, it would be our honour to drink gin for the sake of our country.

Only one week left until we can get our hands on the gincredibly patriotic alcohol beverage, and 24 days until the biggest day of the Irish calendar. Get down to Aldi before the snakes get their paws on it first.

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Did you know that you're judged on what drink you order on a first date?

We kinda thought that we might not lash into the sweet sherry or order a glass of port on a first date but that's about it. 

Do you just choose whatever booze you want, or stick to your staple drink?

You might want to play it safe when it comes to how you come across to your prospective love interest.

Because those choices make a bigger impression more than we realise.

 Alcohol.org carried out a study and the findings are fascinating. 

Men and women were agreed on two drinks that should most definitely not be ordered and they are Vodka Red Bull and Sex on the Beach.

So avoid those two if possible.

When it comes to drinks that got the green light they were wine and beer (although beer was also said to be the least classy).

The list in order of what was most acceptable went like this:

Wine, beer, Margarita, champagne, rum and coke, an Old-Fashioned, gin and tonic, Martini, Whiskey Sour, and Long-Island Iced Tea.

Would you choose any of them on a first date? 

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Powering through a hangover can be tough, especially after night of excess where alcohols were mixed, tables were danced on and regrettable texts were sent. 

Here's a few hangover cures that work for us, because no one deserves to feel this amount of pain just for having fun: 

10. Powerade 

 

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Drinking is so often followed by puking, and if this is the case, replacing lost electrolytes and minerals will help you on the road to recovery.

Drinking Powerade can help replace the lost electrolytes, plus it's a flat drink rather than fizzy so it's easier on a sick tummy. 

Lucozade works well too if you can stomach the bubbles

9. Vanilla ice cream

Much like a glass of milk, vanilla ice cream can coat and calm an angry, irritated stomach that was until very recently full of Jägerbombs.

So if your tummy is on fire, try a cooling coat of plain vanilla ice cream or fro-yo. 

8. Dioralyte

 

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While Dioralyte may reside in the very un-glamorous world of diarrhoea cures, the rehydration sachets are a quick way to get better if you can't face drinking litres and litres of uisce.

The sachets contain rehydration salts, consisting of glucose and electrolytes like sodium chloride, potassium chloride and disodium hydrogen citrate, which work to replace body fluids lost after a heavy night on the town. 

7. Banana

 

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Eating a banana can help shorten the length of time you're going to spend being revoltingly hungover. 

The more dehydrated you get, the more potassium you lose, which makes you feel extra tired and generally icky.

If you manage to eat the banana before you go to sleep for the night, it will serve you well. 

6. Feminax 

Feminax is obviously a powerful cure for period pain, but the painkiller is also excellent for curing throbbing hangover headaches.

Also, if your muscles are aching from a night on the tiles, these tablets can help. 

5. Two Advil 

 

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If the headache is what's killing you, then two Advil every few hours washed down with a pint of water is the only way to go. 

Simple but efficient. 

4. Spice bag

 

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If you are well enough for a nice starchy meal, a spice bag is one of the preferred ways to go. 

Definitely not recommended for those with a sick stomach due to the spice, but this high calorie, high carb meal will give you the energy to go about your day

3. Lukewarm shower

 

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When the hangover is so bad that you're welcoming death with a smile, sitting in the shower and contemplating your life choices for hours is the only way to go. 

It's also handy if you simply cant stop puking, because what difference does it make when you're already in the shower? You can just puke freely and let the shower wash away the evidence of last night.

Also, opting for lukewarm rather than hot water can help wake you up from a zombie-like state. 

2. Tea, tea, tea

 

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Tea literally cures everything, and the caffeine in a good cuppa can help perk you up, without hurting your stomach like coffee could. 

The milk in tea can also help settle your stomach, and if you take sugar, you can elevate your energy levels. 

1. Hot chicken roll and a can of Coke

 

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The crème de la crème of cures, the classic chicken roll and can of Coke combo will never get old. 

The addition of a packet of cheese and onion crisps to this stellar line-up is never a bad idea either. 

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Prince Harry’s days of partying are well and truly behind him. The dad-to-be decided to give up alcohol as a mark of respect to pregnant wife Meghan Markle, and now he has made another major changed to his diet.

It is understood that the Duchess of Sussex has encouraged Harry to follow a healthier lifestyle.

As part of the new regime, Harry can’t drink tea or coffee.

According to the Express, the lifestyle changes have had a major impact on Harry’s health and wellbeing.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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A source told the publication that he is a lot more relaxed than he used to be: “Considering he’s been a pretty brutal drinker since he was a young teenager, it’s quite an achievement.”

They added: “He was always fidgeting and on the go, always looking for the next thrill. He was a great laugh but it was always very full on.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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He is no longer the wild, booze-loving prince he once was, “Now his new regime doesn’t make him the most entertaining party guest in the world, but he’s definitely more chilled and relaxed.”

Since marrying the former Suits actress, Harry has been living a healthier life. “All she [Meghan] did was show him there’s another way to live and he’s become a huge fan. He eats well, doesn’t poison his body, exercises, does a bit of yoga and is a lot happier.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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It is also understood that Meghan is hoping Harry will become a vegetarian, or at least cut down on how much meat he is eating.

The Duchess of Sussex is a big animal rights activists and is hoping her husband will follow in her footsteps.

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Our mammies are constantly warning us about leaving our drinks down on a night out.

The reminder about keeping an eye on your drinks and buying your own is one we will never get tired of as it's so important.

This is what Love Island's Savanna Darnell is warning her followers of. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Sadly, a Christmas night out did not go according to plan for the TV star.

On Instagram, she explained what had happened and issued a reminder to everyone.

"Just a quick update. I’m fine, thanks for everyone who’s asking. I went out the other night and my drink was spiked. I cannot remember one single thing from the night, my body couldn’t function properly, I collapsed and it was a horrendous experience."

"It’s a scary thing. So PLEASE make sure you always watch your drinks on nights out!!! Be careful and surround yourself with the right people."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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We will definitely be tightening up our watch on our drinks.

We are glad that Savanna is feeling better and has recovered from a very scary experience.

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Did you have a heavy weekend on the booze?

Was the couch, a chicken fillet roll and a vomit bucket your best friend for the following day?

As we surface with a hangover from hell, a study has discovered that our alcoholic beverages continues to impact our abilities to function the next day. 

The study showed that as hungover humans, we have poorer attention, memory and psychomotor skills such as coordination and speed when compared to our sober selves.

We believe it; ever attempted to person once the fear hits after a big night out? – Scary stuff.

However, being hungover could potentially have serious repercussions, according to the study.

They found that drivers who use their vehicles whilst they're hanging could have impaired cognitive processes required to navigate the road safely – even if all the alcohol has left their bloodstream.

Additionally, anyone who has been hungover in work knows just how difficult it is to get through the day. 

Researchers have now warned employers to reconsider their policies surrounding alcohol and the next day effects after a drinking session, particularly from safety grounds. 

The study which was published in the journal Addiction from psychologists at the University of Bath, suggested that employees should be aware of the real impacts a hangover can have on your work.

Senior author Dr Sally Adams said: "Our findings demonstrate that hangover can have serious consequences for the performance of everyday activities such as driving and workplace skills such as concentration and memory."

Leader author Craig Gunn of the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath added: "In our review of 19 studies we found that hangover impaired psychomotor speed, short and long term memory and sustained attention. 

"Impaired performance in these abilities reflects poorer concentration and focus, decreased memory and reduced reaction times the day after an evening of heavy drinking. Our review also indicated limited and inconsistent research on alcohol hangover and the need for future studies in the field," he said.

The researchers are now turning their attention towards examining the true health and economic costs of a hangover and the associated risks with the next day effects of heavy drinking.

The study reminds us to think twice about our plans for the next day before heading out to get hammered.

It's probably best to leave your car behind the following day and attempt to bum a lift from a sober friend or family member.

Additionally, the safest place for you to nurse a hangover is in a dark room, under the covers in your bed – so prepare ahead of time if you decide to go hard on the alcohol. 

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We've all been there – you eventually make it home after a big night out, snuggle into the covers and prepare yourself for the glorious lie-in that awaits, only to be rudely awoken by some kind of drunken mystic force at 8am. 

Maybe it's our bodies trying to get back at us? Or perhaps it's the universe trying to turn us into functional human beings? Either way, it's annoying AF and it's time to get to the bottom of it. 

Just like all out little bodily quirks, science has a big role to play. Speaking about the phenomenon, As Dr. Aaron White, a senior scientific advisor to the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, explained to Buzzfeed: 

"Alcohol tricks you into thinking you're sleeping better because you pass out a little faster but it's actually very disrupting and prevents you from getting a restful, deep sleep."

So, not only does alcohol make you lose all inhibitions and convince you that you're more than able to flirt with the hunky man at the bar, it also completely messes with your sleeping pattern – Great! 

What's more, once the alcohol wears off in the middle of the night, our bodies enter into REM sleep, making it much easier to wake up. 

Fan-bloody-tastic! 

The only way to prevent this is to take it easy on the G&Ts and stop drinking a little earlier in the night. 

You win some, you lose some. 

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So, not only are millennials consuming less alcohol than previous generations, but they actually think getting drunk is “pathetic and embarrassing,” a UK study has found.

As part of the research, Eventbrite surveyed 1,023 millennials about their relationship with alcohol – and the results were somewhat unexpected.

On average, millennials drink a responsible five units of alcohol a week, while only one in 10 thought getting drunk was “cool.”

And while these figures reflect a positive emphasis on health and well-being among young people, we can't help but feel a little surprised.

The survey also found that in general, millennials view excessive drinking as something “belonging to an older generation.”

What's more, results showed that 70 per cent of participants would rather brag about how long it's been since their last drink, than about how drunk they got last weekend.

And it looks like some classic hangover cures are changing too.

The hair of the dog is out, and it super-charged vegan smoothie is in, with most saying they would prefer not to drink alcohol the morning after the night before.

Researchers reckon this new-found lack of interest can be blamed on two things:

Number one – Millennials are obsessed with 'living in the moment' and creating memories (which can be difficult to do after four tequila shots).

And, number two – Rather than turning to alcohol, young people are instead choosing to talk openly about their mental health issues.

So, while a sudden decline in the interest of alcohol might come as a surprise to some, the obvious benefits are hard to argue with.

After all, who wouldn't want to live a happier, more memorable, hangover-free life?

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A new study has revealed that that 72 per cent of Irish adults believe excessive drinking is “just part of our culture.”

A survey carried out by Drinkaware showed that a massive 45 per cent of people think that consuming alcohol in large amounts is “no big deal”, while just 31 per cent said they would like to drink less.

It seems that a worrying amount of Irish adults are not fully aware of the HSE's guidelines for alcohol which recommend up to 11 standard measures for women and 17 for men per week.

They also recommend that people should aim for at least two alcohol-free days per week.

However, the survey, which examined 1000 adults aged 18 and over, did find that almost two-fifths of people have made efforts to improve their drinking habits, with more than a third saying physical health/ fitness has a strong influence on their decision.

Niamh Gallagher CEO of Drinkaware said: “We are encouraging people to follow the HSE low-risk guidelines which recommends at least two alcohol-free days per week.”

The results of the survey are particularly significant as we head into the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Dr Liam Twomey, chief medical officer at Drinkaware, said: “Bank holiday weekends are a prime time for alcohol misuse and for binge-drinking episodes."

“Even when people aren’t ‘drinking to get drunk’, we see evidence of all-day drinking at parties, BBQs or family gatherings. Even drinking moderately over a long period of time can amount to excessive drinking when calculated over the whole weekend,” he said.

Drinkaware suggest people alternate each drink with water, always use a measure when pouring spirits, never top up a wine glass and always finish one glass before refilling.

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So, it's no secret that we Irish like the odd drink or two, but how much alcohol are we actually consuming compared to our European counterparts?

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) collaborated with colleagues from more than 40 European countries, and have finally come up with a clear answer.

As part of the  European Social Survey, a large study conducted every two years in around 30 European countries, researchers asked almost 2000 participant's questions based on their health, lifestyle and drinking habits.

Rather unsurprisingly, the Irish were found to drink the most overall, while Portugal and Britain topped the list when it came to binge-drinking. 

Terje Andreas Eikemo, professor of sociology at NTNU, explained how these findings will help identify the measures that need to be taken in order to curb alcohol consumption. 

"In the past, we could say that drinking alcohol and smoking affect people's health, for example. Now we can go farther back in the causal chain, and identify where measures should be taken." 

The study also confirmed a link between social status and excessive alcohol consumption.

"Overall alcohol consumption is highest in the upper social strata, but binge drinking is most common in the lower social strata,'' he explains.

What's more, European men were found to have consumed almost twice as many units of alcohol as women, with women in Israel and Central and Eastern Europe found to drink the least.

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