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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”.
This Christmas ad for a pub in Enniskillen is better than anything John Lewis has ever put out pic.twitter.com/GFlkhDgyuj
— Greg Murphy 🤓 (@TheGregMurphy) November 25, 2023
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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You’d be fair fecking cold if you only grabbed your hat and scarf..
No scorchio.
Hat scarf and sock
Dont forget your copy of the Holly Bough
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.
It was -36 here in Calgary yesterday . A day for the high stool and the bovril !
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.
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.
when was the last time met eireann got the weather forecast right?
Today?
Nowhere near to -2…
The forecast rain moving across the country and a night-time low of -2, we got both .
What a time to shave off my MO. My top lip will be cold tomorrow.
I really hope you’re a fella?.
Grab the duvet and stay in bed
Roll on summer!
No no no.it’s the warmest 1st week in December on record.
I’ll believe it when I feel it.
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.
When does it not feel cold and wintry…only stating the obvious.
Where were you all summer?
I have a whopper scarf and hat. Jacomos.com is the spot. Clothes only whop they are
Great. Just when my boiler decides to have a tantrum.
have your say