Why More Irish People Are Seeking Sober Connection in a World That Won’t Stop
Text: Izzy Copestake
In partnership with Level Health, District is spotlighting some of the most exciting health and wellness communities across the country, groups that are redefining what it means to look after yourself in 2025 when health and connection are more important than ever. As a new kind of health insurance provider, Level Health is all about cutting through the noise: built with a human-first ethos and a focus around clarity, speed, and accessibility. Find out more here.
In a world obsessed with busyness and productivity, Slán Solas is a back-to-basics. Born on a cold November evening in 2023, Slán Solas describes itself as a “mindful community” which gathers at sunrise or sunset, not in a studio or online space, but outdoors, often in the woods or on a windblown hilltop in Wicklow for breathwork, yoga, and stillness. The name, Slán Solas, meaning “goodbye light” as Gaeilge is both a nod to the sunset timing and an invitation to let go.
“I think a lot of us needed it, especially during the Irish winter,” says the group’s founder Allan Muller, who began his journey running early-morning movement and sea swim sessions in Dublin during the brighter months. When the seasons shifted and the dark crept in, the morning plunges lost their spark, but something else emerged. “People kept reaching out. It wasn’t just that they wanted to connect, I think a lot of us needed it. It also started from a place of caring. After what happened in Gaza, I wanted to create a space where we could come together and raise money to help. So Slán Solas is a warm, welcoming space for community and support.”
“I think a lot of us needed it, especially during the Irish winter”
This is how Slán Solas evolved into something more than just yoga or breathwork sessions. It became a space for community care, born out of grief, a desire to raise money for Palestine and the global ache for connection that has lingered long after lockdowns ended. A 2024 study found that Ireland is the loneliest country in the EU, with 20% of respondents to a survey reporting feeling lonely compared to the EU average of 13% – Slán Solas wants to change this.
At a typical Slán Solas session, the sun does most of the talking. Participants move gently, breathe deeply, and sometimes lie still as music or a sound bath washes over the fading sky. “Slán Solas is about softness and presence,” Muller says. “We meet at sunset to slow down, breathe, and let go of the day.”
“We meet at sunset to slow down, breathe, and let go of the day.”
The setting matters. Whether it’s sunrise on Killiney Hill or sunset deep in the woods of Wicklow, these gatherings tap into something primal. “We’ve been gathering in circles, in nature, under the rising or setting sun for thousands of years. I think when we do it now, something in us remembers.”
What happens at these sessions can be unexpected. Muller told District about one particularly memorable session. “We were laughing, rolling around like kids, and the whole energy shifted. It wasn’t about the class anymore. It was about freedom, about remembering how it feels to be silly and alive with other people.”
More than ever, these moments of shared aliveness feel vital. Ireland, like much of the world, is navigating what many have called an epidemic of loneliness. Despite the illusion of constant connection created by social media, real human interaction, honest, face-to-face, phone-away connection, feels increasingly rare.
“I think a lot of us are still feeling the effects of COVID… Something deep shifted,” he says. “Now, when people come to Slán Solas, they’re not just showing up for yoga or breathwork. They’re coming to feel part of something, to be around others in a way that’s honest and soft.”
“They’re coming to feel part of something”
And that’s what keeps them coming, even in freezing temperatures or before dawn. “We’re not just showing up to a class, we’re showing up for ourselves, for each other, for a moment that feels intentional.”
Lots of people come to Slán Solas sessions not just for the movement, but to find a community. To make it easier for people arriving on their own, Muller tells me that there are always gentle icebreakers at the beginning of each session. “By creating those small openings at the beginning, I make sure no one leaves feeling alone.”
Slán Solas is part of a quiet but growing cultural shift. Across Ireland, more people are turning away from numbing routines, heavy drinking, passive scrolling, burnout, and seeking out spaces that offer nourishment instead. A recent survey found that 37% of Irish adults have reduced their drinking in the past year, citing reasons like health and mental well-being.
“I make sure no one leaves feeling alone.”
“You begin to realise how good your body and mind can actually feel,” he says. “And when you’ve felt that, it’s harder to keep going back to things that leave you feeling worse the next day.”
For Muller, Slán Solas isn’t trying to fix anything. It simply holds a space: for grief, joy, silence, music, connection, or just a much-needed pause.
Out of that pause, real friendships are forming. “I’ve seen so many real friendships and communities grow out of these events,” Muller says. “Just that shared journey in and out creates bonds.”
“Honestly, if you’re new to the city and want to meet people, just come to one of the sessions,” Muller adds. “Twice, I saw groups celebrating friendship anniversaries. The friendships that grow from these gatherings are genuinely real and heartfelt.”
“It’s like a light switches on,” Muller says of the shift he witnesses when people settle into the practice. “You can feel the energy soften, settle, and shift. It reminds me why I love doing this.”
It might look like just a gathering in the woods. But to those who come, it’s something more: a quiet revolution against disconnection. A reminder that we are not meant to do life alone. And that even in the darkest seasons, light can still be shared.
As Slán Solas proves, mental and physical health come hand in hand, and sometimes the best thing for you can be to step away from the hustle and bustle and hum of screens, and back to the basics.
Level Health is Ireland’s newest health insurance provider. Whether you’re managing everyday health, starting a family, or simply wanting peace of mind that won’t cost the earth, explore what works for you at levelhealth.ie/district.
Level Health Limited trading as Level Health is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Health insurance products provided by Level Health Limited are underwritten by Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC. Home and car insurance is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC. Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC, trading as Aviva, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Mortgage Protection policy is arranged by Aviva Direct Ireland Limited and underwritten by Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland. Aviva Direct Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Travel insurance is provided by Allianz Partners on behalf of Level Health. AWP P&C S.A. – Dutch Branch, trading as Allianz Partners, registered at the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets and authorised by L’Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR) in France and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules.
