Looking Back: 3 photos that inspired Drinknolo.ie

A year ago, I found myself collecting images that spoke to the elegance I envisioned for alcohol-free drinking. Moody interiors with plush velvet seating, crystal glasses catching warm light, and sophisticated spaces that celebrated special occasions without shouting about alcohol. These weren't just pretty pictures; they were proof that what I imagined could exist. I had a clear vision for what I wanted drinknolo.ie to be and it was unapologetic. 

My own journey with alcohol had been the usual story, almost clichéd – I had come to a slow realisation that it cost me too much, and I preferred life without it, particularly as a mother with a young son. Yet in Ireland's deeply embedded drinking culture, choosing not to drink often felt like choosing to exclude yourself from life's celebrations. There was this unspoken assumption that special moments required alcohol to be truly special.

For me, starting drinknolo.ie wasn't just about selling non-alcoholic alternatives; it was about creating a new narrative. One where the choice not to drink doesn't require explanation or apology. Where sophistication isn't measured by alcohol content, and where everyone gets to clink a beautiful glass during the toast.

The entrepreneurial journey has been both harder and more rewarding than I imagined. There were the expected challenges – supply chains, marketing, packaging (broke my heart and lots of bottles) DPD not showing up for days on end – but also unexpected joys. Like the email from a lovely woman who could finally enjoy her favourite "gin" and tonic again after recovering from a brain illness, or meeting the incredibly generous women like Olivia Farrelly from Grey Area Drinker or Melissa Kelly from Sober Social Ireland who give so much of their time and energy to helping support others as they remove alcohol from their lives. 

Looking back at these images now, a year into this venture, I'm struck by how they represented not just an aesthetic but a promise – to myself and to others who sought something different. The deep greens, the warm lighting, the crystal glasses, the celebratory moments – they remind me that we're not just selling drinks; we're creating space for new traditions.

I'm grateful for every stumble and success that led me here. For every person who challenged me to think bigger, every customer who shared their story, and every friend who believed in this vision before it had a name. Here's to another year of proving that celebration isn't about what's in your glass – it's about who you're raising it with.

Sometimes the best business ideas come not from market research or trend analysis, but from living the problem you're trying to solve. Drinknolo.ie was born from such a place – not just as a business opportunity, but as an answer to a question I had been asking myself for years: "What if we made not drinking as celebrated as drinking?"

A year in, I'm still asking questions, still learning, still growing. But now I'm doing it with a community of people who share this vision of more inclusive celebrations, more mindful moments, and more beautiful ways to raise a glass – alcoholic or not.

Here's to the journey ahead, to creating more moments worth celebrating, and to everyone who's chosen to be part of this story. Cheers! 

Amy Kiernan, founder, Drinknolo.ie

The images:

1. Sitting in a cozy nook, with a beautiful elegant glass of something fabulous to drink, just no alcohol. 

2. A gorgeous celebratory space that evokes an elegant party atmosphere (this is actually Pink Mamma, a fabulous Italian restaurant in Paris)

3. An aerial shot of friends celebrating together, cheersing with glasses full of delicious non-alcoholic drinks, with a focus on the beauty and joy of being together