For many of us, alcohol is synonymous with our twenties – but Ellen Dundon is adamant to challenge this norm.
The 26-year-old nurse from Corbally has gone viral for her content concerning her teetotal lifestyle. She shares content on her growing Instagram and TikTok pages.
Ellen’s influencer career began at the end of 2024, fueled by her newfound enthusiasm for sober living.
“I started making those ‘Sober Sunday’ videos,” she says. “I used to be never able to do anything on Sunday because I was so hungover. So I started documenting all the things I was able to do.”
Once the life of the party, Ellen believes that her anxiety surrounding socialising muddied her relationship with alcohol.
“I would say that it was an unhealthy one [relationship with alcohol], not in the sense that I was doing it every day. But when I did go out, I would have to be the last to leave,” she explains.
Ultimately, Ellen says she grew tired of her old ways and sought to change her life.
“I had gone out like three nights in a row, and I was like, I’m so sick of feeling like this. I said, I’m not going to drink for a week and I never looked back. But I was nervous about what people would think,” she confesses.
“I think everyone thought I was pregnant or something.”
The sober life does not come without its challenges, and Ellen, who is in the process of emigrating to Australia, is feeling somewhat ambivalent regarding the 24-hour flight she will be undertaking.
Quitting alcohol means she will have to face her fears of flying unaided.
“I used to rely on it a lot in those scenarios. That’s how I’d get on the plane and get through the flight. So, it’s something I’m really nervous for.”
Ellen’s choice was shaped by a number of factors in her life; her profession included. She feels that her nursing career has been influential in helping her witness first-hand the long-term health damage alcohol causes.
“When you’re young, you think you’re invincible. You think your body is going to last forever, but it doesn’t.”
Eager to continue producing online content while she is abroad, Ellen concludes the conversation with words of encouragement for young women considering taking the jump to sobriety.
“No one is ever going to judge you for trying to better yourself, and if they do, then they’re obviously not in a good place themselves.”
@limerickvoice Our multimedia reporter, Lucy Carroll, and photography editor, Chidera Okeke, asked you about your favourite alcohol-free activities. Stay tuned for Lucy Carroll’s article series on the best alcohol-free activities in Limerick. #limerick #limericknews #limerickvoice #alcoholfreeactivities ♬ original sound – Limerick Voice