Viral Northern Ireland pub returns with touching Christmas advert about grief

By Sarah Ping (PA)

The co-owner of a Northern Ireland pub which went viral for its Christmas advert last year is back with a new one encouraging people to “cherish” their loved ones.

Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, returned on Friday with the advert showing an upset elderly woman reading a handwritten letter from her late husband, featuring black and white overlays of her memories with him, before sitting with her son and granddaughter at the bar.

The letter was written from the perspective of the husband before his death as he shares memories about his family.

The pub went viral in 2023 for an advert about an elderly man who is joined by a couple who sit, drink and talk to him, which earned more than six million views on X, formerly Twitter.

Una Burns, 33, who is also manager of Charlie’s Bar, said this year she wanted the advert to share a message about looking out for those who might be dealing with grief during the festive period.

“It was based on stories I’ve heard over the years working in the bar and customers’ experiences, it is always evident to us on Christmas Day, that Christmas isn’t always a happy, joyous time for people, and it can be tainted with sadness, and particularly for people who have experienced grief,” Ms Burns told the PA news agency.

“I wanted there to be an actionable message in it. If you do have loved ones still with you this Christmas, to cherish them.

“Likewise, if you know somebody that doesn’t have a loved one with them this Christmas if you can look out for them, go round and have a cup of tea with them, to spend a little time because this could be a really difficult time for people.”

She hopes the new advert will allow people to “forget about the idea of presents and monetary gifts” instead focusing on being present with loved ones.

The advert features a voiceover as the lady reads the letter, which is spoken by the main star from last year’s viral video.

“All of (the people in the advert) are local. They have been in the bar as well, so they’re known to me,” Ms Burns explained.

“The person that actually filmed it (this year) was the lady who was in the advert last year as the dog owner and the voiceover was the older gentleman from last year.”

She said she has been “brought to tears” after members of the community shared messages about their grief, adding people have been inspired to contact their grandparents encouraging them to share a letter to their grandchildren before they die.

“Somebody said that it’s actually made them contact their grandad to write the grandkids letters, now that he can and he has his sense of humour still, because he won’t be able to see them walk down the aisles,” she said.

“To think just having watched a minute-and-a-half video that she’s now going to get that done and that’s something her family will have.”

Ms Burns plans to create more adverts promoting heartfelt messages, adding the videos can “highlight the positive role that pubs can play”.

“Pubs can get a lot of bad press but times like this you take it for granted sometimes the impact that you can have,” she said.

“Even pubs in general they can be a source of comfort and solace for people to meet up and to share stories, and even just for people who are otherwise on their own to come in and speak to somebody.

“It’s a reminder to me why we do the job that we do.”