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Screengrab from the advert Charlie’s Bar

'Better than John Lewis': Heartwarming Christmas ad for Enniskillen pub gains millions of views

Una Burns, the manager of Charlie’s Bar, said they wanted to provide a Christmas advert that would hopefully “resonate with people”.

THE MANAGER OF a family-run bar in Northern Ireland has said it feels “so lovely” to see a Christmas advert they created go viral on social media.

Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, unveiled its festive advert on Friday, which shows an elderly man with a sad expression on his face, walking through town alone until he enters the bar and is joined by a couple who sit, drink and talk with him.

Una Burns, the manager of Charlie’s Bar, told the PA news agency that they wanted to provide a Christmas advert that would hopefully “resonate with people”.

When asked about the viral reaction to the advert online, which has racked up over six million views on X, formerly Twitter, she said: “I feel completely overwhelmed to be honest.

“We’re just a small, local pub and we just wanted to provide a Christmas advert that hopefully resonated with people and for us, it became apparent over the years that Christmas can be a really lonely, tough time for some people.

“We see that more than others as on Christmas morning – when we’re open – there are some people coming in with maybe nowhere else to be and need people to speak to.

“We were not expecting the reaction that it’s received – it’s just blown up, and it’s been so lovely to read the comments underneath the posts as well.”

She added that Charlie’s Bar was “more than just a business, it’s part of our family”.

“My dad is the owner and my granddad was the previous owner,” she said.

Many people on social media commented that the bar’s advert was “better” than John Lewis’s festive offering, with others left emotional, including one user who said: “Brilliant … if this doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, you need a heart transplant!”

Burns said: “People have been comparing it to the John Lewis advert, which we could have never expected – that’s brilliant.”

She said the advert was the first proper one the pub had made, but that it may need to become an annual occurrence.

“We were actually talking about 2024 and maybe releasing a Christmas advert then, but we have set the bar really high for that after the reaction this one’s got,” she said.

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35 Comments
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    Mute Tom Red
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:24 PM

    You’d be fair fecking cold if you only grabbed your hat and scarf..

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    Mute TheIrishBrain
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:53 PM

    No scorchio.

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    Mute Philip King
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    Dec 1st 2014, 8:57 PM

    Hat scarf and sock

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    Mute AD0099
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 12:48 AM

    Dont forget your copy of the Holly Bough

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    Mute Anne Gyna
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    Dec 1st 2014, 8:13 PM

    I hope it drops down to below Zero & freezes the shxxe outa all the germs, virus’s & infections that are doing the rounds now. So many people sick with all the dirty fog & damp weather. A decent blast of frost & ice will soon solve that.

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    Mute Ronan O Connor(MUFC)
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:43 PM

    It was -36 here in Calgary yesterday . A day for the high stool and the bovril !

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    Mute Martin Hayes
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:59 PM

    Ronan, I remember a friend of mine who emigrated to Edmonton, he said Ireland always felt colder when he came home for Christmas because of the damp.
    I’d still rather be short taken in Enniscorthy than Edmonton though.

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    Mute damian
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 1:27 AM

    I was in Regina, Saskatchewan in central Canada for 3 weeks on a business trip. Just home a few days…. The first week or so it was -22 Celsius on a good day! Took your breath away! Crazy cold. Wind chill brought it down to – 31 Celsius. But Ireland’s damp cold is something to behold.

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    Mute Daniel Dudek Corrigan
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:42 PM

    when was the last time met eireann got the weather forecast right?

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:43 PM

    Today?

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    Mute Daniel Dudek Corrigan
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    Dec 1st 2014, 8:49 PM

    Nowhere near to -2…

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 11:42 AM

    The forecast rain moving across the country and a night-time low of -2, we got both .

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    Mute hairy ....
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:32 PM

    What a time to shave off my MO. My top lip will be cold tomorrow.

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    Mute Tom Red
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:34 PM

    I really hope you’re a fella?.

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    Mute Leslie Skinner
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    Dec 1st 2014, 8:02 PM

    Grab the duvet and stay in bed

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    Mute John O'Brien
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    Dec 1st 2014, 9:57 PM

    Roll on summer!

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:26 PM

    No no no.it’s the warmest 1st week in December on record.

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    Mute Thomas Mac
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:36 PM

    I’ll believe it when I feel it.

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    Mute Lily
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:34 PM

    I have my hat got since last week (and I have rarely taken it off) but I still refuse to wear my winter jacket. Has to drop to below 0 for that.

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    Mute Sean Mcphillips
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:59 PM

    When does it not feel cold and wintry…only stating the obvious.

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    Mute N O'C
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    Dec 1st 2014, 9:11 PM

    Where were you all summer?

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    Mute Anto Byrne
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:26 PM

    I have a whopper scarf and hat. Jacomos.com is the spot. Clothes only whop they are

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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 12:41 AM

    Great. Just when my boiler decides to have a tantrum.

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